market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Market Farming
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- From: Brian <bcluton AT aol.com>
- To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Cc: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Forage radishes
- Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:00:00 -0500
Both the culinary Daikon that we grow and the Tillage Radish all end up with
a good chunk of root above ground. A few inches to practically a foot in some
cases. They're still getting down though.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 13, 2012, at 10:50 PM, Marlin Burkholder <burkholders AT glenecofarm.com>
wrote:
>
>
> This past fall I planted forage radishes (diakons) on about an acre and a
> half of my crop ground after summer crops finished. Some plots planted to
> fall crops like turnips and fall greens got a row of radishes planted
> between the crop rows after the crop was up and going.
>
> I was told by other farmers that diakon radishes send down a large taproot
> that penetrates 1 1/2 - 2 feet into the subsoil to break up hardpan and to
> cycle nutrients deep in the soil profile up to the surface. As the plant
> winterkills the root rots and leaves a 2 inch diameter hole that allows
> rainwater to enter and freezing activity in the hole further loosens the
> soil as deep as the root penetrated. Abundant top growth adds biomass to
> the top of the soil. Nice logic here offers an attractive alternative to
> the double digging method advocated by John Jeavons in order to achieve deep
> tillage and healthy soil organic matter. A lot of acres in Rockingham
> county were planted as a winter cover crop for this purpose this year.
>
> However an interesting thing has occurred. I have a lot of roots sticking
> up six inches or more above the soil surface. Does this suggest that maybe
> those radish roots grew down until they hit the hardpan and, instead of
> punching on through, they pushed up at the surface?
>
> In the spring I ran a subsoiler on roughly 3 foot centers for the purpose of
> breaking hardpan. I haven't looked closely yet, but I haven't noticed bands
> of radishes without roots protruding above the soil line, suggesting that
> they were directly above the subsoiler track and didn't encounter resistance
> growing down.
>
> Just curious.
> Marlin Burkholder
> Virginia
>
>
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-
[Market-farming] (no subject),
Joyce Howlett, 01/10/2012
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
-
[Market-farming] (no subject),
jpike, 01/13/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] (no subject), MAsteveINE, 01/13/2012
-
[Market-farming] Forage radishes,
Marlin Burkholder, 01/13/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] Forage radishes, Brian, 01/13/2012
-
Re: [Market-farming] Forage radishes,
Andy Fellenz, 01/13/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] Forage radishes, Richard Stewart, 01/14/2012
-
[Market-farming] Legume Cover,
MAsteveINE, 01/23/2012
- Re: [Market-farming] Legume Cover, Todd Lister, 01/23/2012
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