Raphanus sativus
Family: Brassicaceae

Of unknown origin but cultivated since antiquity for its tasty root, the radish is probably the easiest vegetable to grow, and the quickest. It was popular in ancient China and is often used grated to accompany Japanese dishes.

Varieties

Raphanus sativus is an annual, with mauvish white flowers and a thick, round or elongated edible root. Radishes come in different shapes and sizes and may be divided into two groups: quick-growing, small radishes and large winter radishes, which take two to three months to mature. The small radishes may be round to long and tapering and either red or white, while winter radishes are generally long and tapering or cylindrical, and may be red-, white- or dark-skinned. There are many cultivars of small, summer radish, as a quick look at any good seed catalogue will reveal. 'Cherry Belle', for instance, is a particularly popular one. There are also long-rooted, white radishes known as mooli types, for summer use, but these are not so readily available. Among the large-rooted winter types are 'Long Black Spanish' and 'White Chinese', and again, these are not so freely available as the small, summer radish.

Cultivation

Propagate from seed which is sown in shallow drills and lightly covered with rich soil, preferably well manured from a previous crop. The better the soil, the better the radish. Radishes can be sown at almost any time of year but prefer cool conditions. They must be grown quickly, and they require plenty of water. When the second leaf appears, thin out the plants to 3-5 cm (1-2 in) between small radish plants and 5-7 cm (2-3 in) between larger, or winter, radishes. They may be planted between rows of plants which grow more slowly like cabbage, parsnip or sweet corn. Successive plantings every two weeks will result in a constant supply. Small radishes may be ready for harvest in four to six weeks, but the long, white radishes used in Asian cuisine mature in eight to ten weeks.

Climate

Zone 6.