Farmers use radishes to soften, fertilize fields

[gbell]

http://www.physorg.com/news172474657.html

[ho-hum]

gbell,

Nice article.

I have always grown radishes [little red ones] in with carrots as I was instructed to as a boy. They germinate first and provide some cover for the carrot seedlings that take much longer to germinate. It also gives me something to munch on whilst I potter around.

BTW, have you ever served garden fresh carrots to non-gardeners. :shock: I have occasionally been asked if they were carrots, they are very strong flavoured which I like or am used to.

cheers,

ho-hum

[dymonite]

Fukuoka mentions the same thing in One Straw Revolution.

From what I can see radishes are unique:

Brassica = biofumigant
Pointy shaped = break up soil
Heavy feeders = accumulate nutrients

Turnip, swedes and beetroot are Brassica but light feeders and round.

Are there any other root vegetables with similar properties to radish?

[purplepear]

Turnip, swedes and beetroot are Brassica

I wonder Dymonite if this is true. I do not know for sure but the seed of beetroot and the others are not typical brassica. I should look it up and am willing to be corrected.
I wonder if potato or sweet potato can do the job as well. Potatoes are used as a first crop in ground preparation for this reason.

[dymonite]

Sorry. Beetroot isn't Brassica but the others are. What is typical of brassica seed?

[purplepear]

Brassica seed usually comes in a cylindrical pod which characteristically bursts open to scatter the seeds as for broccoli, flick weed, tatsoi, - radish holds on to it's seed but has that same shape.
I think parsnip would not be a brassica as it's seed pod is different too. Certainly turnips have that same seed pod shape and style. I wonder if someone who really knows could give us a run down on brassica characteristics.

[milifestyle]

Brassicas typically have flowers with 4 petals. Elongated seed pods...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassica

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_of_U

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_radish

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussel_sprout

[purplepear]

Well done Eric

[eco4560]

Kohl rabi is a brassica as well isn't it? Is it B oleracea like cabbage too?

[milifestyle]

Yeah. I've never cultivated them, but i think they are more closely related to the turnip and treated like a root vegetable, rather than a leaf vegetable, like a cabbage.

I think the common name is Swedish Turnip... ??