#14 - Fodder Radish

Fodder Radish

 

Fodder Radish - Raphanus sativus. Extremely valuable compost crop with very deep tap root that brings up nutrients from the subsoil and breaks up clay. Produces a great bulk of material. Traditional over-winter forage relished by animals like sheep. Edible big juicy roots. Planted December 16, 2012 on a Root Day.

Seed should be sown in mid-Summer and no later than early Fall. Allow crop to mature over Winter. The crop will gradually die down on the surface of the soil, ready to be incorporated into the ground, which will be ready for planting in the Spring. Matures in approximately 17 weeks. May also be harvested for compost. Sow about one packet per 50 square feet.

Picture taken on Janurary 5, 2013.

 

Picture taken on Febrary 16, 2013.

 

Pictures taken on March 9, 2013

 

 

 

 

Pictures taken on March 16, 2013..

Pictures taken on March 17, 2013. I enjoy the watching the bees going from flower to flower. I'm hoping to let this 4'x5' area go to seed so that I can save the seed for futre plantings. No pods are showing yet. Soon!

#9 - Planting Bed #3

Planting Bed #3

 

This is Planting Bed #3, prepared on November 2012.

Planted with Fodder Radish, December 16, 2012, a Root Day. Extremely valuable compost crop with very deep tap root that brings up nutrients from the subsoil and breaks up clay. Produces a great bulk of material. Traditional over-winter forage relished by animals like sheep. Edible big juicy roots. Planted 3" apart in a hexagonal pattern so that the leaves of the radishes will touch each other and create a Living Mulch. About a 4'x5' area.

I took this approach to help break up clay soil and make for a bed that will let me Double Dig easier.

Upon return to the farm, the radish had begun to come up! December 30, 2012

 

A close-up, very exciting! Although, if you can't grow radish, you might as well give up gardening. There's no hope for you.

 

 

 

 

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