Intelligent Katran

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Do you give up horseradish beds just because you are afraid that he would not occupy half of the garden? There is a solution for those who like spicy food, but do not want to risk the cleanliness of their site. Instead of horseradish, you can land a katran! It is used in the same way as horseradish, but at the same time it grows compactly and culturally, without pretending to someone else's territory. In addition, compared to horseradish, it is much richer in vitamins and nutrients, and the taste is more delicate. In addition, it is even more convenient to clean it, because the roots of the katran are smoother and smoother. For such qualities, the plant is often called intelligent

Features of sowing katran

Katran belongs to the cabbage family. It can be propagated both by sowing seeds and by the vegetative method - rhizomes. Sowing starts in August-September. Sowing in winter will provide natural stratification, the necessary exposure to temperatures for better seed germination.

The site for such crops must be prepared. To do this, they dig it deeply. The seeds are buried in the soil to a depth of about 2-3 cm. The katran is placed on the beds so that there are 35-50 cm between the plants. But they must be sown thicker. The required distance will ensure the future breakthrough of seedlings in the next season.

Growing katran by the root

In the spring, the beds with katran must be visited early. As soon as shoots appear, the soil must be loosened. This agricultural practice must be repeated regularly during the entire growing season. In addition, weeds must not be allowed to appear and weeded in time. You need to break through the crops when the second real leaf is formed.

During the summer, katran must be protected from diseases and pests. Do not forget that the plant belongs to the cruciferous family, therefore, katran with cabbage, radish, mustard has common enemies. And the measures to combat them are also similar.

In the second year of cultivation, with the arrival of spring, the beds with katran need to be harrowed. You should also collect the tops. Two weeks later, loosening the earth is carried out. In addition, they make sure to prevent the development of flowering shoots - they need to get rid of them in a timely manner. The main care consists of watering and regular loosening.

Under favorable conditions, after the second growing season, the roots of the katran reach a decent weight. Their weight can range from 300 g to 2 kg. The crop is stored in the basement. So that the roots do not deteriorate, it is recommended to re-layer them with sand. They also use the land.

Growing katran for greens

They eat not only the roots that replace horseradish, but also the leaves of the katran. As a salad plant, experts recommend taking a closer look at such a variety as Primorsky katran. Its thick, fleshy stems can be obtained in early spring. But you need to take care of this in the fall, insulating the planting with leaves and covering it with a dark film. In such conditions, shoots that are just beginning to grow, like asparagus, become bleached, fleshy, with a delicate pleasant taste.

In addition, the roots are used for forcing greens in the cold season. For this purpose, such specimens are chosen, the top of which is at least 4 cm in diameter. They are placed tightly in a box in an upright position, covered with nutritious soil mixture and watered. The optimum temperature for forcing greens is about + 14… + 16 ° С.

Katran in landscape design

An adult 2-3 year old katran will not only enrich your diet with vitamins, but also decorate your garden plot. Above the lush green of the leaves, flower stalks with small white and pale pink flowers rise, which exude a pleasant aroma and attract pollinating insects. The flowering period occurs in mid-May and lasts one and a half to two weeks.

As an ornamental plant, katran will fit very organically into a rockery type flower bed. If you place a perennial between large stones, its small delicate flowers will be very beautifully set off by rough boulders.