Forehead

Loba or Lobo is a two-year-old root crop of the Cruciferous family. Vegetable culture originally from China. It is not recognized as an independent species and, according to the classification, belongs to the variety of Sowing radish (Raphanus sativus L). People call it Chinese or Margelan radish.

History reference

Radish is considered one of the most ancient cultures. It was grown in ancient Egypt, which is confirmed by wall frescoes depicting a vegetable. It has also been cultivated in China since ancient times. This is evidenced by a manuscript dated 1100 BC. e.

In China, Lobo is a common name for a variety of radish varieties. Due to the specific climate of the country, it is one of the main crops.

Different types of radish are cultivated in each region:

in the northern regions of China, where wheat is mainly grown, Lobo radish with green and red roots is cultivated;
in the southern regions, where rice fields predominate, they specialize in the cultivation of white root crops.
There are a large number of varieties that differ in size, quality, shape, color, period of root formation, keeping quality. Such a variety of radish species is due to centuries of selection.

What is the value

Root vegetables contain high amounts of vitamin C, as well as riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin K, betaine, choline and minerals. In terms of silicon content, which is responsible for the elasticity of blood vessels, radish ranks second among vegetable crops after Jerusalem artichoke.

In winter, when there are not so many fresh, high-quality vegetables, Loba will not only diversify the diet, but will also be a source of essential vitamins.

Description

Plant development can take place in two stages

1) vegetative, which is characterized by the phases of seed germination, emergence of seedlings, the initial formation of a rosette of 10-15 leaves and roots, an assimilation apparatus and a root vegetable weighing 300-500 g;

2) reproductive, when stems are formed, inflorescences are formed, the plant goes through the phases of flowering, formation and maturation of seeds.

Many types of radish go through all stages of development in one year. When sown in spring, most varieties form flower stalks. After that, the fruits are not suitable for food.

Therefore, in order to prevent flowering, Lobo is sown in the second half of summer - in July. If the agrotechnics of cultivation are observed, a high yield of vegetables is usually obtained.

The shape of the radish depends on the variety and can be round, oval or elongated. Its mass ranges from 400 g to 1 kg.

Above, the forehead is always green, and the color in the section can vary in light or dark shades of pink, purple, green, red.

More than 20 Loba varieties have been registered to date.

How to grow

Loba is a light-loving and cold-resistant crop, prefers light fertile soils. Heavy clay and acidic soils are unsuitable for it.

Seeds germinate even at temperatures of + 4-5 0С. For culture, a temperature of 18-20 0C is considered favorable. To get a good harvest, seeds are sown at the beginning of the first decade of July. This period is most suitable for growing Loba radish. Before sowing, the soil should be well moistened, then mulched.

For radish, tall and narrow beds are preferable.

Seedlings are thinned in the phase of two true leaves and after 3-4 leaves appear. A distance of 15-25 cm is left between the plants.

During the intensive growth of the radish, regular watering is of great importance. The culture is very demanding on the lack of moisture. Regular feeding is also very important.

To prevent the planting from thickening, you should remove the yellowed leaves and loosen the aisles after rain or watering. To protect the roots from slugs, they are periodically spud.

The ripening period of Chinese radish is 60-90 days.

Radish is harvested only in dry weather and always before the first frost. In order not to damage the root crop, the tops are carefully cut off. Be sure to leave 0.5 cm of leaf petioles. Root crops that are not damaged and harvested in time are well stored in the basement until spring. For reliability, they are interlayered with wet sand.

Where use

Root crops are very juicy, they have a weak, delicate taste.

Due to the low content of rare oil, Lobo practically does not have the bitter and pungent aftertaste characteristic of radish. It tastes more like a radish.

Not only fresh radish is eaten, it is also boiled, salted and pickled.

Chinese radish is added to all kinds of salads, which are seasoned with sunflower oil, sour cream or mayonnaise. It is used as an ingredient for snacks or okroshka. Boiled radish is also good, so it is added to the first and second hot dishes. It is also pickled or salted.