Radish (Mooli)

1. Land Preparation Plough to a fine deep tilth and make ridges 45 cm apart. Radish is a root crop in a hurry — any clod or stone in the top foot gives a forked, twisted root that will not sell. 2.

Rabi Sowing Aug–Nov Harvest Mar–Apr 120–200 maund per acre

Land Preparation

Plough to a fine deep tilth and make ridges 45 cm apart. Radish is a root crop in a hurry — any clod or stone in the top foot gives a forked, twisted root that will not sell.

Sowing Time & Method

Sow August to November on the ridge, 10 cm plant to plant, 2 cm deep. Sowing every fortnight gives a continuous supply instead of one glut. Asian types (Mino Early, local white) suit KP.

Seed Rate & Treatment

4–5 kg seed per acre.

Fertilizer

Per acre: 1.5 bags DAP and 1 bag SOP at sowing, 1 bag urea two weeks after germination. Fresh manure gives forked roots — use only well-rotted manure applied to the previous crop if possible.

Irrigation

Light irrigation every 7–8 days. Steady moisture is everything: a radish checked by drought and then watered turns pithy and splits, and pithy radish is worthless.

Weed Control

Weed Damage Control Product
Lambsquarters (Bathu) Overtops the seedling rows before thinning and the roots stay thin and woody. Hoe at thinning
Purple Nutsedge (Deela) Comes up through the bed after every watering and takes the water and nitrogen the root needs in its few fast weeks, so the radish stays thin. Rake the tubers out at the deep ploughing before sowing, then hoe at thinning
Sweet Clover (Senji) Grows up through the rows and takes the water and light the swelling roots need, then goes into the bundle at pulling. Hoe at thinning, then hand pull what is left in the row
Scarlet Pimpernel (Billi Booti) Runs flat across the bed and smothers the seedlings as they come up, so the stand is gappy before the first hoeing. Take it out by hand before the hoeing at thinning — it lies flat and the hoe rides over it
Purslane (Kulfa) Fills the bed in the warm August and September sowings and takes the surface water the young roots live on, and the mat makes pulling slow. Hoe it out and carry it off the bed — it re-roots where it lies

One hoeing at thinning is usually enough — radish covers the ground fast.

Insect Pests

Aphid on the leaves in warm spells. Flea beetle shot-holes the young leaves. Cutworm takes seedlings at night.

Diseases

White rust makes white pustules on the leaf underside. Alternaria leaf spot in damp weather. Root rot follows waterlogging.

Crop Care

Thin early, at the two-leaf stage. Crowded radish never sizes up.

Harvesting

Pull 40–50 days after sowing, while still tender. Radish left in the ground a week too long goes woody and hollow — this crop punishes late harvest more than almost any other. Wash, bunch with the leaves on, and send the same day.