We Have Been Eating It.

In the last fall I made an isolated  storage box in our garage to store vegetables over winter. Although we are having freezing temperature in our garage over cold winter days my storage box was always above freezing point as its one side is our house wall. As I have not temperature control I found that it was even a little bit warmer that it should be for good vegetable storage. Here is the picture how our black radish looks on March 23.

 

We don't cook it. We simple grate it with other row root vegetables  as red beet or carrots and dress with mayonnaises. Some time we cut it in small pieces and we eat straight with dipping in olive oil. As Passover is coming  I guess that it would be a good option for something bitter for Passover eating.

Recently I had a cough. Following endless advises I made black radish juice to cure myself. It seems to me it helped. I also recorded it - http://youtu.be/gxRvo1iSZ1w

Bolting in numbers - Выход в стрелку в цифрах

In this post I want to share results of my small experiment with four different seed sources. It wasn't surprise for me to see the difference in favour of Russian material. The explanation is simple. While in USA and Canada we talk about heirloom black radish seeds Russians talk about different developed varieties backed up with registration and genetic maintenance.

Harvest - Уборка урожая

We are expecting minus nine this night and I decided to finish my garden. Although several undeveloped radish plant still left in the ground for my further observation. Please note that I had four different seed sources. The one with white and elongated roots is the popular Russian variety Graivoronskay (ГРАЙВОРОНСКАЯ). It is not black but it still pungent as black one.

At the end of the summer

In Canada officially summer starts on June 21st and finishes on September 21st. You don't fill always summer in Edmonton in September like it might be in Toronto or Vancouver. But September of this year was really warm and last weekend temperature reminded good days of July. So far my black radish is still in green and it is still shooting for flowers. I have to pull out another 3 bolting plants.

 

 

 

Still bolting - September 4

Today I pulled out three plants with the sign of bolting. I thought that my August record for bolting would be the final count but here three plants more with root weight 45, 50 and 130 g.

My Friend Experience

Friend of mine Hugh, who is a devoted gardener, decided to try  black radish. The package that he bought was not specific about time of seeding and he put seed in soil in early spring. It was no surprise for me that all his black radish  plants bolted. I didn't know about this till I call him at the end of June with offer to try black radish. I gave him some Oregon origin seeds with a hope that he will be more successful with late seeding as his gardening on open field with no trees around to shade the garden.

Since that time I've got two email from him as follows.

1.
"I planted some just after the July long weekend then again 10 days later. The July long weekend planting is bolting some and the 10 day later has a couple plants bolting. It may be due to the heat we have had lately. Just for fun I did a planting on Aug 1 and its doing fine. I will take some pictures. Everything else in the garden is doing just great. I should have some sweet corn, cantaloupes and watermelon ready next week. Even the soybeans are doing good and have pods - could have vegetable beans to harvest by next weekend!"
 2.
"Unfortunately my garden was hit by hail on Thursday afternoon and the radish is not looking pretty. I will take pictures. If it makes it I will let you know. Sweet corn is just coming on and then this hail!"