How to Grow Hydroponic Daikon Radishes
Daikon radishes are a great way to add interest to salads and vegetable trays, and are a staple vegetable in Asian cuisine, but they can be hard to find in grocery stores. Where they are available, they have often been trucked hundreds or thousands of miles from the farm. Luckily, they can be grown indoors in a hydroponic garden. You can have a fresh crop of daikon radishes available year-round, even in a small apartment. A typical hydroponic kit includes a nutrient reservoir, grow tray and a pump to circulate nutrient solution. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Ebb and flow (also called flood and drain) hydroponic kit
- Water source
- 8- to 12-inch deep grow tray
- Perlite growth media
- Daikon radish seedlings
- Concentrated nutrient solution
- pH meter
- Dropper
- Phosphoric acid
- Potassium hydroxide
Instructions
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Set Up Your Hydroponic Garden
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1
Assemble the hydroponic kit following the manufacturer's instructions. Fill the nutrient reservoir with water and turn on the pump to test the system for leaks and overflows. Let the pump run for 15 minutes, then turn it off.
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2
Fill the grow tray with perlite growth medium. Perlite provides stability to the daikon radish roots, holds oxygen and provides drainage.
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3
Plant the daikon radishes in the perlite, just as you would in a soil garden.
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4
Fill the nutrient reservoir with water and follow the manufacturer's instructions to mix in the concentrated nutrient solution.
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5
Test the pH of the nutrient solution using the pH meter. The pH should be between 6.5 and 7.0 for daikon radishes.
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6
If the nutrient solution is too acidic, add one to three drops of potassium hydroxide. If the nutrient solution is too alkaline, add one to three drops of phosphoric acid. Mix well and retest the pH. Continue to make small adjustments until the nutrient solution is within the acceptable range.
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7
Set the pump timer to run for 15 minutes per hour.
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8
It will take two to three months to grow daikon radishes from seed or 30 to 45 days if you start with seedlings. They are ready to harvest when they are 8 inches long.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Monitor the system for the first 24 hours to be sure there are no leaks or overflows.
Always wear rubber gloves when working with potassium hydroxide and phosphoric acid.
