History of vegetables: radishes 

The origin of radishes is uncertain. Ethnobotanists believe they grew naturally in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean, possibly in Syria. It is believed that they were eaten in Egypt more than 5 years ago. It was then what we call today black radish. We know with more certainty that these radishes migrated to Greece, then to Rome from Egypt.

It was around the year 1000 that they were introduced to Japan and they then took the form of daikon radishes with long roots, white or pink skin and flesh. Cultivated in Europe in the 19^e century without great success, it was only in the middle of the 20^e century that they experienced a resurgence in popularity.

We think it's at 16^e century, in Italy, that horticulturists began to cultivate small, long radishes. Then, it's in the middle of the 18^e century, after a long selection work that French horticulturists began to cultivate small round or long radishes and reduced the cultivation time from 25 to 20 days, then to 18 days in certain cases.

The ancestral black radish

Le Black radish has a large root with black skin whose firm, white flesh has a slightly spicy taste.

The original daikons

These types of radishes are almost the opposite of everyday radishes. They require 50 to 60 days of cultivation between sowing and harvest. THE Daikon radish is the most traditional with its elongated shape, up to 30 cm and its white skin which can also be pink or green.

The originality of radish Watermelon no longer needs to be done. Round in shape, its rough greenish-white skin without much luster hides a beautiful bright pink flesh which sometimes takes on an orange tint. A touch of originality on a plate.

The famous radishes of every month

They are small, round or long, red, pink, or red and white, sometimes white or purple. The famous radishes French Breakfast are long, red and white. The radishes Cherry Belle are round and red, all like the variety Giant of Sicily. The radishes Hailstone are round and white.

The radishes Skunkyo are long and red.

Two unusual radishes

If radishes are well known for their hypertrophied roots, they are less known for their siliques. These are dried fruits that look like pods, but have the particularity of containing a false partition to which the seeds are attached. The siliques are harvested quickly after their formation, when they are still tender and not too spicy. The radish Dragon's Tail produces reddish siliques, while radish Rat tail has long green siliques.

How to grow radishes?

When the soil temperature has reached 10°C, after a light addition of compost, it is prepared to make a fairly fine seed bed. Sowing is done directly in the ground, broadcast or in line and the seeds are covered with 1 to 1,5 cm of potting soil. Water abundantly, as a lack of water can cause poor emergence. This takes place in 4 to 10 days.

If some plants are too tight, it is essential to thin out so as to maintain 2 to 7 cm between the radishes depending on the variety.

Their cultivation being very short, radishes of every month do not require any fertilization. For long-growing radishes, an addition of natural fertilizer once in the season, not too rich in nitrogen, is recommended. The soil where radishes are grown must always be cool, neither too dry nor too humid. To avoid water shortages, we practice regular watering.

Why do my monthly radishes stay like a thread?

The answers are many and varied, not to mention that several factors can be present at the same time. This could therefore be due to:

• seedlings not thinned out enough
• soil that is not soft enough
• too much heat, radishes fearing temperatures above 22°C
• a lack of water
• too low fertility… or soil too rich in nitrogen
• inadequate seed depth at sowing
• poor compaction during sowing
• planting too much in the shade
• exposure to full sun which risks drying out the soil during the hottest periods of summer
• nights that are too cold after waking up

As we see, the factors are multiple. While this little plant seems easy to grow in fact it is not. Growing radishes every month requires good monitoring. Black radishes and daikons are less finicky.

In the case of radishes every month, if we want to eat them throughout the summer, we must grow successive crops while taking into account the climatic conditions of the region.

Harvests

We take the radishes out of the ground when their roots have reached the desired size. To prevent them from becoming hard and fibrous, we harvest each month's radishes every two days. Picked up too late, they split. To prevent them from becoming too spicy, we prevent lack of water and we do not cultivate them during periods when the risk of excessive heat is high. By ensuring that watering is regular, we prevent them from being hollow or splitting?

Radish tops can be used to make soup. However, they must be cooked within 24 hours of harvest, because, as their name suggests, they wilt quickly.