When to plant a radish under a film and how to plant in a greenhouse, at what temperature can it be in early spring in March or April, is it different from planting in open ground?

Planting radish under the film is practiced to get an early harvest of this vegetable crop. In order to properly grow root crops, you need to know about the pros and cons of such planting, as well as the nuances of preparatory work and further care for young plants.

You will also learn from this article how this method differs from planting in a greenhouse and in open ground, whether a greenhouse is needed for this, and what problems may arise with this method of root crop cultivation.

Features of planting radishes in a greenhouse

Early sowing of radish under the film has a number of features:

An important role is played by meeting the timing of landing.
The earliest frost-resistant varieties must be selected.
The selection of elongated varieties will allow you to use the maximum usable area.
It is necessary to choose a suitable plot of land, taking into account all the features of a particular variety. Radish has a high responsiveness to organic fertilizers, so it is best to prepare a garden bed for this root crop in the fall, adding compost or humus to the soil.
Planting practically does not require watering - moisture, which will condense under the film, is enough for plants.
Radish planted under a film must be aired. Otherwise, the risk of fungal diseases of young plants will increase sharply.

How does this method differ from planting in a greenhouse and in open ground?

Planting radishes under the film will allow the owner of the site to get an early harvest, while preserving all the taste qualities of the vegetable without resorting to the use of chemicals. And the design of the shelter, unlike full-fledged greenhouses, does not require almost any financial investment.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the method:

An opportunity to get an early harvest.
Fruits grown under the film are significantly larger than plants planted in open ground.
The culture conditions can be adjusted.
Landing is protected from adverse weather events.
Significantly increases the rate of ripening of the vegetable.
The taste of radish is not lost.

Disadvantages:

High humidity and temperature increase the risk of pests and fungi.
Landing can attract rodents, which often live in areas.

When can I sow, at what temperature?

Planting under the film of early varieties of radishes allows you to remove the first crop after 18-20 days after the appearance of the first seedlings. Radish refers to cold-resistant crops, plants are able to withstand night frosts to minus 6-7 degrees without damage to themselves, but at low daytime temperatures (less than 8-10 degrees), seed growth will slow down.

The best time for sowing under the film is the second half of March and the beginning of April, when daytime temperatures are set at 10 degrees Celsius.

Build a greenhouse in advance or shelter radishes after planting - what to choose?

The answer to this question depends on the size of the future beds and the size of the shelter. If its dimensions will allow you to comfortably plant the seeds in the ground - you can pre-install the greenhouse, before planting the crop. In the event that a small planting is planned, it is best to cover the garden bed after sowing with film.

Features of work in the spring - in March and April

When planting radishes early under the film, it is recommended to prepare the garden in advance, since autumn, applying organic fertilizers to the soil. In the spring, just before sowing, you also need to make mineral fertilizers - this will allow you to get a good crop and protect plants from a number of diseases.

The daylight in early spring is still short, but this root crop does not need additional lighting, since it is under such conditions that the fetus is actively forming. In the conditions of proper lighting, the radish enters the reproduction stage and reacts with the appearance of arrows and the active growth of the terrestrial part of the plant.

Step-by-step instructions for the procedure

Grade selection

Early ripening and early ripening radishes are best suited for planting under the film. Suitable precocious varieties are:

Ultra early red.
Children's F1.
18 days
Firstborn F1.

All these varieties of radishes give the first crop after 18-20 days after the appearance of the first sprouts.

Germination of seeds under planting under the film at daytime temperatures of about 10 degrees heat takes 3 to 5 days.

Suitable early ripe varieties:

Early red.
Heat.
Celeste F1.

Before planting, pay attention to soil recommendations for a particular plant variety.

Seed purchase

The average price for a standard package of seeds is 3-5 grams:

In Moscow it is about 30 rubles.
In St. Petersburg, the prices of seeds are slightly less - about 25 rubles per package.

You can buy seeds in almost any specialized store or on online sites whose employees will deliver the order to the place indicated by the buyer.

Training

Inventory

Planting radishes under the film does not require special tools. It is enough to prepare a small shovel and a watering can for watering.

Semen

Before you start sowing, it is necessary to audit the seed. For this:

Damaged seeds should be removed and the remaining mass immersed in a saline solution with a concentration of about 5%.
Floated seeds should be removed, they will not germinate, and the remaining mass must be washed with clean water and put on a cloth for drying.
After the seed has dried, the seeds are ranked by selecting the same grain size. This will allow in the future to obtain uniform shoots.

Before sowing, the seeds are kept in a damp cloth for 10-12 hours.

Wet it with a permissible weak solution of potassium permanganate - this will further disinfect the seed.

Landing process

Planting radishes under the film takes place in several stages:

The soil is loosened and prepared by furrows with a depth of 1.5 - 2 cm. The distance between the furrows should not be less than 10 cm.
Wells should be well wetted before seed placement.
Seeds should be placed in furrows evenly, at a distance of 2-4 cm from each other. A denser planting is unacceptable, plants will not be able to fully develop.
Filled furrows are covered with light sandy soil.
If the snow has not yet melted, a small amount can be poured over the landing. During melting, it will evenly moisten the bed.

How to cover a plant?

Above the sowed bed, support arcs are installed at a distance of about 50 cm from each other. A film is stretched onto the installed support, the ends of which are fixed with stones or boards.

Further care

It is necessary to observe a number of important rules when caring for early radishes planted under a film:

Fertilize on time. Every 10-12 days, it is necessary to process the planting with a urea solution (10 grams per bucket). Also, 2 weeks after sowing, any fertilizer containing potassium must be applied.
Watering should be done as the soil dries. Fill the plants is not worth it, excess moisture can lead to cracks in the fruit.
With excessive compaction of the soil, loosening is necessary.
With excess sunlight, the bed should be covered with dark covering material. Otherwise, the plant will give arrows, and the fruits will not gain mass.

Growing problems and solutions

When planting radishes under the film, the following problems may occur:

Shoots do not appear for a long time. This can be caused by poor seed quality and unnecessarily cold and damp soil during planting. Checking the seeds and pre-soaking them in saline will prevent problems.
Shoots are slowly developing. The problem is most often caused by a lack of nitrogen in the soil, to correct the situation it is enough to pour a urea solution in the garden.
The root crop does not form. This may be caused by excess light or too deep landing. If such a problem occurs, the bed should be covered with a dark film.
Fruits become fibrous, voids arise. Most often, this problem is caused by non-observance of the harvesting time of radishes.
Cracks appear. The reasons can be overly tight landing, as well as insufficient watering and overriding.
The fruits turn black inside. This problem indicates a disease of the plant, which can be adjusted to control moisture and remove diseased shoots.

Radishes can be planted under the film at the end of March. This will not only allow you to get an early harvest, but also pave the way for planting any other crops.