How to preserve radishes without drying them out? What causes radishes to become hollow?

If we find holes of varying sizes in the center of a radish when we are cooking, it probably means that the radish is not fresh and has lost a lot of water and nutrients. Although it is edible, the taste is different. So how can we prevent the radish from becoming hollow?

How to preserve radish without drying it out

The first method is the pit burial method. When the weather turns cold and before freezing, dig a one-meter-deep pit, remove the radishes and place them in the pit. Remember to handle them gently and do not damage the skin to avoid rotting. The top layer should be about half a meter above the ground surface. Insert a few corn stalks or straw bundles vertically to maintain air permeability between the radishes and the outside world after the soil layer is backfilled. Backfill the soil layer on top and pour water on the pit from time to time to keep the radishes crisp and not rotten.

The second method is the sealing method. Remove the radish tops and seal them in a plastic bag. This method can also keep the radish from becoming brittle, but the crispness is not as good as the pit burying method.

The third method is soaking in water. After harvesting, remove the radish, soak it in water, and change the water regularly for storage. Although this method can ensure that the radish does not become brittle, the radish will have a lot of water due to soaking in water for a long time, which affects the taste. At the same time, the water needs to be changed regularly, the storage cost is high, and the amount should not be too large. It is suitable for short-term storage of small quantities.

What causes radishes to become hollow?

If the radish is hollow, it means it is a hollow radish.

During the growth period of radish, especially in the late growth period, if the amount of water is insufficient, the radish will have hollow core phenomenon. There are two factors that cause the hollow core phenomenon of radish due to insufficient water:

Too dense planting: In the process of planting radishes, we need to thin out the weak seedlings from time to time, keep the strong seedlings, and more importantly, control the density of the radishes to make the distance between the radishes ventilated and breathable to facilitate the absorption of nutrients and water. If the distance between the radishes is too dense, they will compete for nutrients and water, and some radishes will have hollow cores.

Insufficient watering: During the expansion period of radish, radish requires a large amount of water to meet the needs of growth and development. If the amount of water is insufficient, it is easy to cause hollowness. Therefore, during the expansion period of radish, it should be watered in time to meet the growth and development needs of radish. It is recommended to water once after planting and once during the expansion period. These are two important watering time periods.

The hollowness of radish is also related to the harvest time. It is necessary to harvest before the radish bolts to reduce the occurrence of hollowness. After the radish bolts, it will absorb a lot of water and nutrients from the radish. If it is not harvested before bolting, the probability of hollowness is very high. Therefore, it is necessary to harvest the radish before bolting to reduce the water loss of the radish itself and reduce the occurrence of hollowness.

During storage, if the ambient temperature is too high and relatively dry, the radish will lose water too quickly and become hollow.

When is the best time to plant radishes?

During the period of root expansion, if the temperature is too high, the weather is dry, and the soil is relatively dry, the radish will suffer from water imbalance and lack of water in the core of the root system, resulting in hollow heart. Therefore, radishes cannot be planted too early. Generally, they should be planted in the middle of the dog days, so that the root system is expanding in the late autumn climate environment with a large temperature difference between day and night. During the radish expansion period, if too much fertilizer is applied, especially too much quick-acting fertilizer, the radish root system will expand quickly and water will not be supplied, which will also cause hollow heart. In production, the larger the radish, the more likely it is to cause hollow heart. When planting radishes, if the spacing between rows and plants is too large and the soil fertility is good, it is also easy to cause hollow heart due to excessive expansion.