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Home COVER CROP Groundhog Daikon Radish Radish Seed
GROUNDHOG DAIKON RADISH COVER CROP
GROUNDHOG DAIKON RADISH COVER CROP

GROUNDHOG DAIKON RADISH

Cover crop | radish cover crop

USDA Zone: 8

Raphanus sativus var. niger 60 days. Daikon in Japanese means large root. There are perhaps hundreds of varieties of daikon radishes bred for different purposes: from the very mild carrot-shaped types for fresh eating and pickling, to the tillage types we sell here. This strain of daikon is referred to as a biodrill or tillage radish. Tillage radishes are specifically bred to form huge soil-busting roots, with a tap root that can reach far into the soil to reclaim nitrogen. The roots also leave large holes in the ground allowing water infiltration and soil aeration. They can even suppress weeds with their quick canopy cover, especially from August sowings. Once planted in late summer, the radishes are not harvested or turned under, but left to die off in the winter and decay to contribute a nitrogen store for spring planting. The extra long, 10–20 inch roots of Groundhog allows it to drill down and pull huge amounts of nutrients from deep within the soil, which the following crop can utilize. In just 6–8 weeks, Groundhog can capture 150–200 pounds of nitrogen per acre before winter killing. Plant in late summer. Recommended seeding rate: ½ pound per 1000 square feet; 10–12 pounds per acre.

Available only in the contiguous US.
  • Annual
  • Cold-Hardy Variety
  • Open Pollinated Variety

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More and more organic growers and gardeners are discovering the long list of benefits that growing cover crops such as oilseed radish, mustards, and forage turnips can provide. The rapid growth of brassicas supplies a thick ground cover that protects the soil from erosion and helps suppress weeds with a dense amount of biomass. Some brassicas have a large taproot that can break through plow or rototiller pans, thus aerating the soil. The roots also scavenge nutrients from deep in the soil and bring them back to the surface where they can be utilized by your next food crop plantings. Other brassica species release chemical compounds that may be toxic to soil borne pathogens and pests such as nematodes, symphylans, and even some weeds. If left to flower, brassicas are especially popular with beneficial insects.

One of the easiest and most economical ways to improve your soil is to plant green manures, commonly called cover crops. Most garden soils can be maintained at their highest level of productivity by sound soil management practices that involve a combination of soil tillage, crop rotation, and most importantly, the addition of organic matter through green manures.

Organic matter is the food component of soil. Soil-dwelling fungi and bacteria work to break down organic matter. When these soil microorganisms eat organic matter, nutrients are released back into the soil in a form that is usable by plants. This process is called nutrient cycling. Nutrient cycling affects both the physical and chemical properties of the soil. The addition of organic matter builds soil structure, which increases water absorption and nutrient-holding capacity, buffers the soil pH, and improves aeration. Cover crops choke out weeds by restricting sunlight to the soil, stabilize the soil surface, and through their deep-reaching roots, help to break up hardpan and bring nutrients to the surface for other plants to utilize. As part of a long-term rotation plan, cover crops can provide a stable habitat within your garden for beneficial insects and microorganisms.

Green manures can be grown in the same year as a vegetable crop, such as a cover crop of white clover planted around a cole crop. They can also be grown as a perennial in orchards and vineyards. In mild climates (zones 6 and above), cover crops can be fall planted and tilled in the following spring just before planting. In harsher climates, cover crops can be grown in rows between the crops or as a component of rotation in your garden. Green manure crops are a superior source of organic matter when they are cut and turned under. In addition to this benefit, legume green manures (peas, beans, clovers, favas and vetch) act as a host for the bacteria that fix and make nitrogen available for your vegetable or fruit crops.

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