Natural, untreated and GMO-free seeds. Open pollinated seeds. Ancestral variety.
Fast-growing radishes tend to ripen all at once, so sow small quantities every 2-3 weeks from early spring to late summer for a continuous harvest. Rake your soil to remove stones and clods and create a shallow trench ½ in (1 cm) deep with a cane.
Sow seeds thinly at 1 in (2.5 cm) intervals along the row to reduce the need for thinning later; cover them with soil and water well. Space rows 6 in (15 cm) apart. Make summer sowing seeds in light shade to help prevent plants from going to seed (bolting). Radishes can also be sown in large pots, with seeds spaced 1 in (2.5 cm) apart.
Seedlings grow very quickly and must be thinned to 1 in (2.5 cm) quickly to avoid stunting their growth. Thinning radish seedlings helps ensure that the radishes you harvest are plump and juicy. Water radishes in the ground thoroughly once a week in dry weather and those in pots every day to prevent them from going to seed and keep the roots succulent. Grow under a protective, insect exclusion net to avoid problems with flea beetles.
Pick the radishes by pulling them from the ground by their leaves as soon as they are the size of large marbles. Harvest quickly as plants tend to go to seed quickly and mature roots become woody. Radishes make a satisfying snack or colorful addition to salads.
