| Radish | ||||||||||||||
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 Red radish | ||||||||||||||
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| Raphanus sativus L. | ||||||||||||||
The radish (Raphanus sativus) is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe in pre-Roman times. They are grown and consumed throughout the world, and in addition to their use as a food, radishes have uses as an alternative treatment for a variety of medial conditions, and the seeds can be used as a biofuel. Radishes have numerous varieties, varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time.
Cultivation
Summer radishes mature rapidly, with many varieties germinating in 3-7 days, and reaching maturity in three to four weeks.[1][2] A common garden crop in the U.S., the fast harvest cycle makes them a popular choice for children's gardens.[1] Harvesting periods can be extended through repeated plantings, spaced a week or two apart.[3]
Radishes grow best in full sun and fertile, acidic to neutral soil.Template:Fact They are in season from April to as late as October in the northern hemisphere.Template:Fact As with other root crops, tilling the soil helps the roots grow.[3] Most soil types will work, though sandy loams are particularly good for winter and spring crops, while soils that form a hard crust can impair growth.[3] The depth at which seeds are planted affects the size of the root, from 1 cm deep recommended for small radishes to 4 cm for large radishes.[2]
Varieties
Broadly speaking, radishes can be categorized into four main types (summer, fall, winter, and spring) and a variety of shapes, colours, and sizes, such as black or multi-coloured radishes, with round or elongated roots that can grow longer than a parsnip.
Spring or summer radishes
Sometimes referred to as European radishes, or as spring radishes if they're typically planted in cooler weather, summer radishes are generally small and have a relatively short 3-4 week cultivation time.Template:Fact
- Cherry Belle is a bright red-skinned round variety with a white interior.[1] It is familiar in North American supermarkets.
- Champion is round and red-skinned like the Cherry Belle, but with slightly larger roots, up to about 5 cm, and a milder flavor.[1]
- Red King has a mild flavor, with good resistance to club foot, a problem that can arise from poor drainage.[1]
- Snow Belle is an all-white variety of radish, also round like the Cherry Belle.[1]
- White Icicle or just Icicle is a white carrot-shaped variety, around 10-12 cm long, dating back to the 16th century. It slices easily, and is has better than average resistance to pithiness.[1][2]
- French Breakfast is an elongated red-skinned radish with a white splash at the root end. It is typically slightly milder than other summer varieties, but is among the quickest to turn pithy.[2]
- Gala and Roodbol are two varieties popular in the Netherlands in a breakfast dish, thinly sliced on buttered bread.[1]
- Easter Egg is not an actual variety, but a mix of varieties with different skin colors,[2] typically including white, pink, red, and purple radishes. Sold in markets or seed packets under the name, the seed mixes can extend harvesting duration from a single planting, as different varieties may mature at different times.[2]
Winter varieties
Various winter varieties can actually be grown throughout the growing season, from early spring to fall, but take their name from their ability to be stored during the non-growing winter months. Sizes are generally than the summer varieties, and cultivation often takes six to eight weeks.Template:Fact
Black Spanish or Black Spanish Round are occur in both round and elongated forms, and is sometimes simply called the black radish or known by the French Gros Noir d'Hiver. It dates in Europe to 1548,[4] and was a common garden variety in England and France the early 19th century.[5] It has a rough black skin with hot-flavored white flesh, is round or irregularly pear shaped,[6] and grows to around 10cm in diameter.
Daikon refers to a wide variety of winter radishes from east Asia. While the Japanese name daikon has been adopted in English, it is also sometimes called the Japanese radish, Chinese radish, or Oriental radish.[7] Daikon commonly have elongated white roots, although many varieties of daikon exist. One well known variety is April Cross, with smooth white roots.[1][2] The New York Times describes Masato Red and Masato Green varieties as extremely long, well suited for fall planting and winter storage.[1] The Sakurajima daikon is a hot flavored variety which is typically grown to around 10 kg when harvested, but which has grown as heavy as 30 kg when left in the ground.[1][8]
Seed pod varieties
The seeds of radishes grow in pods, following flowering that happens when left to grow past their normal harvesting period. The seeds are edible, and are sometimes used as a crunchy, spicy addition to salads.[2] Some varieties are grown specifically for their seeds or seed pods, rather than their roots. The Rat-tailed radish, an old European variety, has long, thin, curly pods. In the 17th century, the pods were often pickled and served with meat.[2] The München Bier variety supplies spicy seeds that are sometimes served raw as an accompaniment to beer in Germany.
Notes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Faust, Joan Lee. (1996-03-03.) "Hail the Speedy Radish, in All Its Forms." The New York Times, via nytimes.com archives. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Peterson, Cass. (1999-05-02.) "Radishes: Easy to Sprout, Hard to Grow Right." The New York Times, via nytimes.com archives. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Beattie, J. H. and W. R. Beattie. (March 1938.) "Production of Radishes." U.S. Department of Agriculture, leaflet no. 57, via University of North Texas Government Documents A to Z Digitization Project website. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
- ↑ Aiton, William Townsend. (1812.) "Hortus Kewensis; Or, A Catalogue of the Plants Cultivated in the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, Second Edition, Vol. IV" Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown: London. Page 129. Retrieved on 2007-09-28.
- ↑ Lindley, George. (1831.) "A Guide to the Orchard and Kitchen Garden: Or, an Account of the Most Valuable Fruit and Vegetables Cultivated in Great Britain." Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green: London. Retrieved on 2007-09-28.
- ↑ McIntosh, Charles. (1828.) "The Practical Gardener, and Modern Horticulturist." Thomas Kelly: London. Page 288.
- ↑ (2004.) "Daikon." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-28.
- ↑ (2002-02-10.) "29 kg radish wins contest." Kyodo World News Service, via highbeam.com (fee for full access.) Retrieved on 2007-09-28.