So radish offers me seeds

I was reading about blessings that come across the street in Kelly's blog at the end of August in Can you feel it? Now this is about radish, that has been with us for months ever since Gittan introduced it here in Putrajaya  early this year. Growing new veggie always comes in with expectations and adrenalin running high. We are done with the enthusiasm to see if the plant can grow here, how to cook and so on.

I have been waiting with this. It is about blessings not in form of seed packets from the supermarket but to actually see seed pods on a single radish plant.

I can see 3 seeds developing in the pod on the left

the little pods on the right are empty I think.

radish were still small, April this year.

After 5 months one plant continues to maturity, producing seeds, while the rest were taken young for their lovely bulb and some died along the way. I may just wait a while longer until the seed pod turns brown and about to split open.

bangchik

on radish

Waiting for radishes to flower.

pictures of radishes getting old but with no flowers

We let a few of them grow and grow and hope one day they will flower. The bulbs are getting so big and ugly, the stems are forming but where are the flowers? Radishes are not giving any hint at all. Then I remember about salmons. Born in the river upstream, mature downstream, but will make a long journey back to lay eggs. May be radishes want to fly home to the place they were born ,Sweden,  to bloom and produce seeds.

I not too sure if it is worthwhile to wait for much longer.

bangchik

a new rows of radishes

young radishes.
Little sticks are placed to discourage
neighbour's cat from walking through
and scratch the soil for a poo.

young radish

young radish

young radish

Two rows are set for radishes.The soil is very much sandy and dry up quick, therefore these radishes will be experiencing different treatment as compared to other radishes we had grown so far. The rest are on vegetable bed sharing with tomatoes. The new rows have different companions: colourful ati-ati (Coleus), pegaga (Centella asiatica or pennywort) and ulam raja. This vegetable bed is very close to the pedestrian walkway, therefore it has to endure hotter temperature and curious eyes from passersby.


It will be interesting to see how these little ones progress.

bangchik

Putrajaya Malaysia

Waiting for radishes to bloom.

a row of radishes left alone
to go through the cycle.

radish

radish

the bulging radishes.

Radishes are rare here in Malaysia. I never see them grown anywhere. I dont see them sold at the market either. The plants are real darlings because they grow so fast right from germination, much quicker than any other veggie. We have been picking radishes for salad and some  fried.

But a row is left to go to the end. I have to close both eyes at the bulging bulbs. Some gardeners had warned about them ending up as very woody. The whole game is about waiting to see them flowering and producing seeds.

Will they survive?

bangchik

Putrajaya Malaysia

Radish: count the blessings.

radishes

 

radish

the produce of the day, various shapes.

  

radish

the better shape, almost round.

  

radish

the various shapes

  

 radish

some are round.

radish

some has real white flesh

 

radish, 

fried with prawns, eggs and onions.

The post sums up the result of our first attempt with radishes, eight altogether. Not all are of good round shape. They are planted so close together, that soil cannot be the determining factor to answer to the varying shapes. The amount of shade or rather the degree of exposure to the sun could be one.  I wish I can really explain... After a couple of attempts, I may be in a better position to clarify why the differences occur .

Kakdah chopped them into thin slices. It is quite interesting to see how some radishes has bleeding flesh. The red color seeps through to give white a new mix. She made a simple menu by frying them with prawns, eggs, onions and garlics. Nice and no leftover!

Now we understand whats meant by some blogging gardeners about radishes having peppery taste.. a little bit hot. All are fairly crunchy... I will keep growing radishes!

~bangchik

Putrajaya, Malaysia

Red Radish Roots Bulging

 

 Radish

the bulging root fully exposed

  

Radish, 

partly hidden.

  

Radish

The bulge almost hidden.

I have been waiting for this, to actually see with my own eyes, Radish roots taking the new shape.  It was only a couple of weeks ago that I did a post on Radish.   Is this radish? on February 6, 2010 and then followed  by  How's radish from Sweden? on February 23, 2010. How quick these radishes grow.. Now they are taking the new shape well, rounding themselves into nice red bulge. It was really red a few days ago but with the current hot spell, the red is turning dull a little bit and the skin is wrinkling...

Yesterday Kakdah showed the plants to the neighbour, Noor,. Then there were ah and uh, as both were expressing their surprise and delight on seeing new plants, not normally grown in this part of the world. I was busy watering the many plants in the garden then, but I did see Kakdah cut two deep purple eggplants and gave them to Noor as parting gesture. I am sure she will do the same with radishes. We can only consume so much, and beyond it, is excess...

Both of us were discussing about Radishes. We are going to pull them out 

on Wednesday for a special menu!!... I am sure Gittan will be glad to see seeds from Sweden turn to red bulge and end up on dinner plates..

Thanks Gittan...

~ bangchik 

Malaysia: Hot and dry weather update

The hot and dry weather in Malaysia is expected to persist until April, the Meteorological Department said. The phenomenon, which is caused by the El-Nino in central Pacific Ocean, is expected to ease gradually from May.
 

The department said in a statement Tuesday that during the inter-monsoon season in April, the rainfall in the peninsula and in northern Sarawak would gradually return to normal.
 

The weather in Sabah is expected to return to normal in May.
 

The department said Malaysia was now in the final phase of the northeast monsoon, hence the warmer and drier weather, with temperature of between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius.

The sun's movement, which passes directly over the Equator also contributed to the hot and dry condition and this was compounded further by the El-Nino phenomenon in the central Pacific Ocean and the lack of rain in the country. . Bernama

How's radish from Sweden?

 

Older radishes adding more leaves.

But where is the bulb? It is too early to form or they simply refuse to bulge?

  

the newer radishes adjusting to replanting.

Radishes are growing bigger now. I am trying to figure where will the beautiful red bulb be, above the ground or in the ground? The earlier radishes are shown in the first picture. The second picture shows younger radishes on a different vegetable bed.  I really am going for a continuous supply of radishes. They dont seem to be affected by the hot temperature for now, and  I hope they get acclimatised with Malaysia weather away form their motherland Sweden.

Snails are not attracted to these young radishes for now... I hope it will stay that way for a lot longer. But grasshoppers had already left their mark on the leaves...

~bangchik

Is this radish?

Is this radish?

We are just starting on a real adventure... nothing special, just about growing radishes. Seven seedlings are set on the vegetable bed. The vegetable bed was previously occupied by  roselles which had given us lovely juice and jam. Now I am about to do serial post on Radish. It must be a real exploratory adventure, for something we never tried.... The stem is light red in colour ... and that is the signature of Radishes! It is going to be fun, waiting for the big red tuber to develop... We plan to germinate seeds at two week interval, to prolong the fun and adventure until we run out of seeds given by Gittan from Sweden. I always make sure there will be seeds saved by allowing radishes to go the whole cycle.

Extra Info:

The word 'radish' is derived from the Saxon, rude, rudo, or reod (ruddy), or from the Sanskrit rudhira, meaning blood, referring to the bright red colour of the vegetable.

Originally from China, radishes reached  Mediterranean areas even before Greek times. They are a staple food in Japan and China, where they are often pickled in brine, preserving them for long periods of time.

Radishes like sun, but at the same time like cool conditions. If they are grown in full sun during the summer, they will run to seed or bolt very quickly. For this reason they are ideally suited to as a growing companion to other vegetables such as peas or beans.


The variety to the left is 'Champion'. Very easy to grow, it produces medium-sized ruby-red radishes which are both crunchy and tangy. An excellent choice.

In spring and late autumn when radishes need the sun most, the peas or beans will be short or have been cut down, whereas in the hotter summer months, they will provide welcome shade for your radishes. There is no need to restrict them to being vegetable companions - they will grow equally well amongst deciduous shrubs (such as roses) and annuals (such as sweet peas).

Radish are very well suited to growing in containers. They can be sown between other crops which will protect them from the harsh summer sun. They will prefer a loam based compost such as John Innes. Just make sure they are kept well-watered in dry conditions and they will be fine. Click for more info. How to sow Radish Seed 

~bangchik

Putrajaya, Malaysia.