Radish "Margelanskaya": properties and cultivation

Margelanskaya radish has several names - the Chinese call it lobo, and to most Russians it is better known as green radish.This root crop is distinguished by its exceptional taste and nutritional value, it contains very little mustard oil, and the flesh is softer than all other varieties of sown root crops.

Margilan radish belongs to the cabbage. The root crop got its name by the name of the Uzbek region of Margilan, where it was first cultivated by local residents. However, the birthplace of the product is China - from there it penetrated the territory of the former USSR.

A distinctive feature of the plant is a spreading leaf rosette. The vegetables themselves are large, their length is 16-20 cm, and the weight of the fruit part can reach 300-500 g. Green radish has a high yield: you can get up to 5-6 kg of ripe and tasty root crops per square meter of plantings. In the process of ripening, the root crop becomes dense and takes on an elongated, oval or rounded shape. The skin is thin, depending on the species, it can be light green, white, and pink or violet.

The pulp is thick, translucent, white with a subtle green tint. Fruits are juicy, taste spicy, slightly sharp, does not taste bitter or crunch when biting. Green radish contains less vitamins than traditional black, however, in the number of macro and microelements, this species has overtaken its “counterparts”. The fruits are real storehouse of magnesium, as well as manganese and iron, and all these minerals are in human-readable form.

Margilan radish has a number of pronounced beneficial properties. According to reviews, she:

• strengthens the heart muscle;
• stabilizes blood pressure;
• improves the functioning of the nervous system, contributes to the removal of mental and emotional overloads, normalizes sleep;
• It has a beneficial effect on blood formation, supports the normal supply of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and internal organs;
• enhances the formation of digestive enzymes, stimulates the normal functioning of the pancreas;
• removes dangerous toxins, slags and salt deposits;
• considered a natural anesthetic;
• possesses pronounced antimicrobial properties;
• It has a therapeutic effect in case of fungal skin diseases;
• characterized by antioxidant properties, slows the aging process and reduces the severity of age-related changes;
• improves the condition of the skin, as well as hair, nails and teeth.

A good effect is the use of radish in the treatment of cough and other colds. Many doctors advise to use the juice from the Chinese radish in order to facilitate the removal of kidney stones, urinary bladder and gall bladder.

The use of green root crops prevents the development of fatty degeneration, therefore, the use of radish is justified in the fight against liver pathologies. Nevertheless, there is a whole list of diseases in which taking Margilan radish is contraindicated, these include:

• gastritis with increased secretion in the chronic or acute stage;
• gastric or duodenal ulcer;
• inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and urinary organs, accompanied by a violation of their functionality;
• any infectious diseases, since eating green radish can cause increased flatulence and painful bloating:
• pregnancy - the vegetable is rich in essential oils that cause an increase in the tone of the uterus and can provoke premature birth or even miscarriage
• lactation period - the introduction of radish in the diet of a nursing mother significantly impairs the smell and taste of milk, and also causes the appearance of colic in the baby;
• allergic diseases in any manifestations.

Like other types of root crops, Chinese radish is planted with seeds directly into the ground. Terms of planting are largely dependent on the time of ripening of the product and the climatic parameters of the region. As a rule, seeds are sown either in spring from the second decade of April to mid-May, or in summer from July to the end of August, if the weather allows. In Siberia, you should not plant radish with the onset of August - the fruits do not have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather.

When spring planting often arise problems associated with the mass formation of peduncles on the plant, during the period when the root crop is not yet formed. It happens when the beginning of summer is very hot. Flowering plants are not suitable for human consumption. therefore, they should be removed and the beds should be sown anew. With summer landing such trouble can be avoided.

To get a good harvest of juicy and tasty root vegetables, you should choose the right plot. Chinese radish prefers neutral or slightly acid soils, optimally - light with high soil fertility and a high content of organic substances. That is why the land under the radish is prepared in advance.

• Even in autumn one should dig up the ground with compost or mullein, but it is not worth making fresh manure in the spring, because the roots actively accumulate nitrogen, which significantly impairs the quality of the crop - the fruits crack, lose taste and are less stored. In high concentrations, nitrogen can even harm a person when eating a vegetable.
• If for some reason it was not possible to fertilize the soil in advance, it is better to confine ourselves to mineral dressing - for this, 25-30 g of potassium-containing fertilizers, as well as ammonium sulphate and superphosphate, are applied for preparing the beds for each square meter.
• The soil under the green radish should be dug deep - at least 30 cm, this will ensure the access of oxygen to the emerging root crops, which is very beneficial effect on the plant.
• If the plot is located in the valley, then it is necessary to give preference to high beds - they should be raised by 15-20 cm.

It is very important to select high-quality seed, so before planting you should sort and calibrate the seedlings: damaged seeds with obvious defects should be removed, and all the rest should be checked for viability. It is very simple to do this: put the material for 5-7 minutes in salted water, those seeds that float up can be safely thrown out - there is no life in them, and they will not be able to sprout when they are in open ground.

In order to increase the resistance of radish to diseases, the material should be pre-disinfected; for this, the seeds are soaked in a pale solution of potassium permanganate for 20-30 minutes. Many people also advise to process them in “Epin” or “Zircon” - experienced gardeners claim that such measures significantly improve the germination rate and affect the health of the vegetable throughout the growing season.

Before planting you need to form a bed with grooves. Since the Chinese radish belongs to large fruits, then it needs a lot of space - the seeds should be planted at a distance of 18-20 cm from each other. Experts recommend planting 2-3 seeds in each recess - this will allow to leave only the strongest plants for ripening.

Immediately before planting, the ground should be moistened, seeds should be laid to a depth of approximately 1-1.5 cm.and sprinkle with dry earth, if you plant the material in a dry ground, then with subsequent watering the seeds can go deep into the ground. In the future, irrigate the plants should be carefully, the first time it is better to follow the drip method.

In order to maximize germination, a plot of land after sowing seeds should be covered with a film or agrofiber, but after the first shoots appear, it must be removed. Many recommend seeds to pre-soak, in this case, the seedlings will appear 4-7 days earlier than when they are dry.

Chinese radish needs care, only with careful care of the crop can you grow a good harvest. The care itself is pretty simple.

• Plants need to be regularly and at the same time abundantly watered, especially the need for water at the stage of formation and growth of root crops.
• It is necessary to thin out the seedlings by removing frail plants and leaving only one seedling in each well. Keep in mind that the excess plant should be cut or pinch off, but not pulled out of the ground - in this case, the roots of a healthy sample can be damaged and it will simply die.
• It is important to remove weeds in a timely manner, and the removal should be deep so that the roots left in the ground do not interfere with the development of radish fruits. If the roots of weeds remain in the ground, then they can push up the young radish.
• Yellowed and fallen leaves should also be cleaned, as they will prevent air penetration to the roots of the crop, and can also create excessive moisture, which often causes fungal diseases.
• Radish responds well to fertilizers and fertilizing, this is especially important immediately after planting and at the stage of fruit formation. In the first case, simply sprinkle a bed of wood ash fines (from the ratio of 1 cup dressing per 1 square meter of land). The second time fertilizers are applied at the stage of ripening - during this period the plant will help nitrophoska (20-30 g per 10 liters of water). If at any moment of the growing season you notice that the leaves of the vegetable culture began to turn yellow, then you need to have infused ash or rotted mullein - the plant clearly needs organic fertilizers.
• If the tops of the fruit appear above the ground, then you need to pile up the plants, otherwise the vegetable will either die in the air, or become a victim of the attack of insect pests.
• It is very important to provide the plant with effective prevention against disease - observe crop rotation, maintain an optimal irrigation regime, cut off the greens that create shading, and disinfect seed before planting.

If you follow all the rules of plant care, you can achieve a bountiful harvest of large juicy fruits with a sweet-tart taste. Experienced gardeners recommend sprinkling the seedlings with ash several times per season, especially if they rise to the top, since pests of vegetable crops are very fond of the green parts of young plants.

The radish ripens about two to three months after sowing, the vegetable is very tender, therefore it is not recommended to keep it in the ground - the crop should be harvested before the onset of the rainy season and the arrival of cold weather. Excess moisture and freezing significantly worsen the taste of the vegetable and its keeping quality.

It is necessary to dig up a radish carefully, as the damaged root crops are very poorly stored and quickly rot. After harvesting, the fruit must be kept in the sun and dried slightly, then remove the dirt and wipe gently. Large copies should be left for winter storage, and smaller ones should be eaten immediately.

For long-term storage of Margilan radish, wooden boxes are used in the cellar, and for the medium term there will be enough plastic bags and a refrigerator.

In the next video you will find a brief overview of the radish "Margelanskaya."