Radish White Icicle seeds

The White Icicle Radish is a variety with long roots of 15 cm, cultivated for its white and crunchy fleshy roots. Its flavour is pleasant and slightly spicy. It can be consumed raw in salads or with a pinch of salt. Sow from March to October for a harvest from May to November.

The radish is a fairly hardy annual or biennial vegetable plant, belonging to the Brassicaceae family, of which the mainly consumed part is the raw root, but the freshly picked leaves can also be used in soups or broths.

Probably known since the Neolithic period, the radish is believed to originate from the Far East. The name "radish" comes from the Latin radix, simply meaning a root. Although it was widely consumed by the ancient Egyptians, the Romans, and later in the Middle Ages, likely in forms quite different from those we know today, it was only from the 16th century that the black radish arrived in France, and in the 18th century that black radishes and small red and white radishes began to be consumed.

Radishes come in different colours, from red for the most common ones, to pink, white, or grey. They are generally classified into 2 main types: the all-month radishes represented by small-root varieties and the winter radishes represented by long-root types. There are also Japanese radishes or "daikon" which have a long, white, conical root, sometimes marketed as turnips.

Winter radishes have a large, pivot-like root with black, pink, or purple skin. Their flesh is white. The leaves are green and cut, forming a compact tuft at the base of the plant. They have a much stronger taste than year-round radishes. With a spicy flavour, they can be enjoyed cooked, like turnips, or raw, like carrots.

Winter radishes have many virtues, containing vitamin C and sulphur, as well as phosphorus and magnesium. They are antiscorbutic and diuretic, recommended for people with liver and gallbladder issues.

Harvest and storage:

The harvest of all-year radishes and summer radishes takes place 4 to 6 weeks after sowing. Harvest regularly as soon as the radishes are formed, without letting them grow too large to help prevent them from becoming hollow and indigestible. All-month or summer radishes should be consumed quickly. Freshly harvested leaves can be cooked into a delicious soup.

The harvest of other radish varieties occurs 4 to 5 months after sowing. Harvest by gently lifting with a fork or spade and let them dry on the ground before bringing them in. If they stay in the ground over winter, cover the soil with straw.

Gardener's tip:

Sowing radishes and carrots in the same row and at the same time naturally spaces out the carrot seeds. Once the radishes are harvested, it leaves room for the carrots to grow.

To have crunchy radishes throughout the season, it is good to spread out the sowings.

Sowing radishes in planters with potting compost and regular watering is also possible.