Growing radishes on the windowsill from seeds: is it possible to grow in an apartment in spring or winter, how to plant at home, what conditions are needed, how long does it take to grow?

Radish is a bright and frost-resistant root crop, known for its juiciness and unobtrusive sharpness.

It is much more convenient to grow it on your own land, but not all people have this opportunity.

You can delight yourself with a juicy radish in the winter, planting it in your apartment. The article tells in detail at what time, in what way, in what container the root crop is planted, which variety is better to choose and how to avoid various troubles during cultivation.

Is it possible to plant a radish on a window in a house?

You should start with the right choice of radish varieties. For planting at home on the window, precocious crops are suitable, able to withstand the lack of natural light. You can plant the seeds in a plastic container equipped with a system for removing excess moisture. The optimum temperature for growing is from 15 to 20 degrees.

Important! Radish cultivation is possible at different times of the year, the most optimal is the time from April to October.

To avoid overheating, the container with seedlings should be placed away from the batteries. In cold weather, there is a lack of natural lighting, which is compensated by the use of artificial light sources (incandescent lamps with a warm glow).

Differences from balcony growing

The balcony has a temperature much lower than room temperature, therefore in severe frosts, radishes there may freeze. For comfortable cultivation, it is necessary to maintain a night temperature in the room from +12 to +14, and a daytime temperature from +16 to +18. However, it is easier for this plant to survive small frosts than overheating, which leads to flowering and rifling of the fruit. That is why, in a room, excessive heating is regulated by ventilation.

How to make it not stretched?

Radishes prefer daylight hours of 10-12 hours. In the spring and autumn periods, it is preferable to put the radish on the south, west or east window, so that the seedlings do not stretch out. If the fruits are located on the north window, then with a lack of lighting, it is necessary to connect incandescent light lamps or full-spectrum LED lamps.

If the lighting could not be adjusted, then ultimately only the tops of the radish will grow. Therefore, in order to prevent this, it is worthwhile to take measures in advance and organize sufficient lighting.

How much is growing?

The first sprouts appear already on 3-5 days. In the process of germination, the result appears already for 2-3 days. Compared to open ground, where the ripening period averages from 16 to 35 days (after germination), indoor radishes require a little more time. The timing of radish growth also depends on the choice of plant variety. Radish, able to adapt in artificial conditions, grows much faster.

What to cultivate a root crop?

Radish can be grown in a clay pot (depth of 15 cm), equipped with holes for removing moisture into a special tray.
You can use a dense wooden box, the sides of which should fit snugly against each other.
Plastic glasses are also suitable for planting, the diameter of which should be 5-7 cm and a depth of not less than 14. Such glasses are installed close to each other in one container or box. To remove moisture in the glasses should be openings.
There are also egg cartridges (at least 5 cm in size) with a common tray that allows you to take care of each plant individually.

How to choose a landing time at home?

Next, it will be considered what time is suitable for planting radishes at home, whether it can be planted, for example, in the spring in April or in the winter, why this depends.

In the warm season there is a heating of the room where the radish seedlings are located, therefore there is a need for its cooling. The temperature in the room should not exceed +20 degrees.
In winter it is necessary to cover the batteries, and under the pallet with seedlings to build a stand against overheating. Also, in winter there is a lack of natural light, so plants need to be illuminated with the help of special lamps.

Thus, the choice of time for planting radishes depends on the number of hours of sunshine in the room, as well as air temperature.

Photo

Further on the photo you can see how the radish grows on the windowsill in the apartment at any time of the year - in winter or spring.

Grades table

Name	Characteristic	Ripening period after germination (number of days)
"16 days"	The fastest ripening radish variety. Root crops are rounded and bright red.	15-16
"Firstborn"	It is a round dark red fruit that weighs from 30 to 35 g.	17-19
"18 days"	Red elongated fruits in the form of a cylinder, weighing from 20 to 25 g.	18-20
"Camelot"	Flat-rounded fruits of bright red color, the mass of which is about 30 g. The advantage of this variety is that with insufficient lack of light, it gives excellent fruits.	23
"French breakfast"	One of the popular varieties of radish. Long red root vegetables with white ends do not have a sharp delicate taste. Their mass is about 45 g.	23-25
Duro	Red fruits with white-pink pulp of moderate severity. Weight is about 40 g.	23-25
"Heat"	Round dark red fruits, weighing from 25 to 28 g. The flesh of the root crop is white or light pink.	25

Instructions for growing radishes from seeds

In order to plant radishes on the windowsill, you must first select a container in which it will ripen and grow. Such containers may be clay pots or egg cartridges.

In a clay pot

At least 15 cm deep. First you need to choose the equipment for preparing seeds for planting:

Glass tight-fitting jars.
A syringe without a game for a set of water.
Toilet paper.
Scissors.
A glass of water.

It is necessary:

A sheet of toilet paper is lined at the bottom of the glass jar and poured about 5 mm in water.
Seeds are laid out next, which must be distributed a short distance from each other.
Why should the jars be covered and put in a warm place.
Radish is soaked for 8-12 hours.

After the soaking procedure:

To prepare a drainage layer of expanded clay on the bottom of the pot.
Fill the containers with soil and moisten it with liquid.
Attention! Soil before use must be decontaminated by steaming or roasting in the oven.
Make point recesses 1-1.5 cm.
Sow radish seeds at a distance from each other.
To fill up with the earth.
Re-moisten (with a spray bottle).
Cover with a film on top, simulating greenhouse conditions.
Move the pots to a dark place with an air temperature of 16 to 20 degrees.

The seedlings must be looked after, every day watering them with water at room temperature. To sprouts did not stretch in one direction, the pots on the window must be periodically rotated. Soil with low fertility properties should be fed a week after germination, and then during the formation of root crops.

In egg cartridges

This method is not simple, since landing requires much more land than the depth of the cells allows. Before planting, the seeds also go through the soaking process. After that it is necessary:

Fill the container with earth, after cutting out the holes under each cell.
Place egg cassettes in a balcony drawer or deep container.
Fill with moistened earth.
Sow the seeds individually in each cell.
Sprinkle with soil on top of the seeds.
Moisten a little from the spray bottle.
Cover the entire container with foil.

After that, remove the container in a warm dark place. The care process is a standard measure and compliance with the temperature regime.

Reference! To prevent the radish from stretching, it is necessary to provide adequate lighting. In winter, the lack of daylight can be compensated by artificial lamps.

Harvesting

Radish is eaten as it ripens. To harvest, you must:

tear out the root crop for the tops;
shake off excess soil from it;
rinse thoroughly;
cut the tops.

Keep the crop in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Soil after the first collection may be suitable for the next planting.

Possible problems

There are several problems associated with growing radishes:

Root cracking. This problem is associated with sharp changes in temperature, so the soil must be regularly moistened.
Stretching. This is because the radish lacks coverage. The problem is solved by installing additional light sources.
The taste is bitter. Irregular watering causes the root crop to become coarser and bitter. It is necessary to maintain a humidity of about 70% and use from 10 to 15 ml of liquid per 1 sq. m
Empty root crop. This problem is associated with the use of organic fertilizer. It is necessary to switch to ash or mineral fertilizers.

To grow a crop such as radish, perhaps at home. In order to enjoy tasty and juicy root crops all year round, it is necessary to ensure the purity of seeds, the nutrition of the soil, as well as its friability. Proper care, adequate lighting and watering will ensure uniform growth of radish, its ripeness and rich taste.