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RADISHES (Raphanus
sativus)
DAYS TO MATURITY: 21-150.
PLANTING TIME:
Sow radish seeds when the soil can be worked; then plant every 10 days for a continual crop. Start sowing in
late summer for a fall crop. In areas with mild winters, you can also sow in the early fall.
SOIL:
Mix in ample well-rotted manure; pH 6.0-7.0.
NUTRIENTS: All organic material should
be added to the soil before planting.
WATER: Keep the soil moist.
LIGHT:
Full sun.
SPACING: Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 1/2 inch apart.
HARVEST:
Harvest each variety when the roots reach the size listed on the package.
STORAGE: Use
as needed by picking from garden.
Radish Growing Tip
Plant Radishes with Carrots
Mix carrot and radish seeds together and scatter them across a bed at approximate spacing for carrots. The
radishes will come up quickly and mark the bed. Harvest the radishes shortly before the baby carrots need thinning.
RADISHES
Amethyst: 30 days. Round, 1" radish with purple skin and pristine
white flesh. TER
April Cross: 60 days. Daikon radish, 8"
long and 3" in diameter. White flesh. PAR SHU VER
Burpee White:
25 days. Milky-white, 1" across. Mild and crisp. BURP
Champion: 27
days. Can grow to the size of a tennis ball. Round, bright red solid skin, snow white flesh. GUR VER
Cherriette: 24 days. 2", red roots. Mild. HAR PAR
Cherry Bomb II: 25 days. Bright red color and crisp white flesh. Heat resistant.
BURP
Colored Radish Blend: 25-30 days. Includes pink, white, purple, solid red and
white-tipped red varieties. HAR HEN
Confetti Blend: 25 days.
This radish trio delivers slices of red, white and bicolored red globes. BURP
Early
Scarlet Globe: 30 days. Bright red globe with mild, crisp white flesh. PLA SHU
Easter Egg Blend II: 30 days. Multicolored mix of globe-shaped, 1" roots in an array of colors--pink,
red, lavender, purple, and white all with white interiors. Good variety for a children's garden. TOT
Fire 'n Ice. 25 days. 3-4" brightly red top and white at tips. BURP
German Giant (Parat): 29 days. Can grow as large as baseballs. Resists cracking
no matter how large it gets. Scarlet with a white interior. GUR HEN SHU
VER
Minowase Summer Cross No. 3: 50 days. Daikon radish 1 3/4"
wide and 8-10" long. White inside and out. TER
Munchner Bier (German Beer):
52 days. Oval white radishes, 6" long by 3" wide. Flesh has some pungency. SHU
Perfecto: 25 days. Grows to a perfect shape, whether harvested young or left in
soil and pulled when the size of a golf ball. BURP
Red Glow: 25 days.
Small red globes, tipped with white. BURP
Relish Cross: 60 days.
Long, daikon type. Roots grow 15" and weigh over 1 1/2 pounds. Non-pithy. Sow late spring to early
fall. Harvest fall to early winter. NIC
Salad Rose: 35 days.
7-8" long, rosy pink roots with rounded ends. BURP
Saxa: 18 days. Perfectly
round roots have bright scarlet skin and crisp white flesh. HEN
Scarlet Stix:
50 days. Dark pink, 5-8" long radishes. HEN
Snow Stix:
35 days. Pure white radish. Improved White Icicle-type. 4-6" long roots, mild but spicy flavor
with a bite. HEN
Sora: 26 days. Round, red salad radish.
Large, smooth, bright red roots. Good tolerance to hot weather. ABU
Sparkler:
25 days. Red tops with white roots. 1-1/2" globes. PAR
Summer
Cross: 45 days. Giant white Asian Daikon type. Ready to harvest when 6-14" long. Grows
to 18" x 22". BURP
Tama: 70 days. Fall-harvest Daikon. Long,
cylindrical, smooth white roots with white flesh. Good for pickling or storage. VER
White Chinese Celestial: 60 days. Winter radish is pure white roots that grow 6-8" long
by 3" across. SHU
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RHUBARB (Rheum
rhaponticum)
DAYS TO MATURITY: Rhubarb should not be harvested until
the second year.
PLANTING TIME: Buy and plant the crowns in early spring as soon as the
soil can be worked. Rhubarb does not fare well in areas with warm winters.
SOIL: Deep,
rich, and slightly acid; pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS: Work bonemeal and rock potash into the root
zone area. Administer a liberal dose of organic nitrogen in early spring and again in midsummer, especially when you
have cut a number of stalks.
WATER: Give the plants plenty of water, but never waterlog
the soil.
LIGHT: Full sun.
SPACING: Plant the crowns 1-3
feet apart.
HARVEST: Grasp each stalk near the base and twist sideways. Harvest rhubarb
in the spring when the leaf stalks are 1 inch or more in diameter.
STORAGE: Use fresh
as needed.
Rhubarb Growing Tips
Early Rhubarb
Those who live in one
of California's cooler climates can force rhubarb during the winter months. Place a 2-foot-high barrel, wooden box,
or large pot over the plant, and cover this with a lid to keep out the light. Cover the whole thing with grass clippings,
straw, dead leaves, or garden compost.
Rhubarb Incubator
In cooler climates you can
also try incubating rhubarb. In springtime, dig a 1-foot hole and add 6 inches of manure or decomposed organic matter;
plant the root in the hole and cover it with 1 inch of soil. During the first year, give it plenty of organic fertilizer.
The second year, the plant will start to put out seed pods. If you keep cutting these, the roots will produce tasty
stalks all season long. The more leaves and stalks you harvest, the more the plant will produce.
Rhubarb
Canada Red (Chipman's Canada Red): Long thick stems have red exterior
and white interior. HEN VER
Cherry Red: Rich
red inside and out. Heavy producer. Needs shade and moisture in the South. Winter hardy; loves cool weather.
Plant 3 feet apart. PAR
Crimson Red: Plump, fiber-free stalks with rich red color.
Sweet, with a pleasing tartness. HEN
MacDonald: Tender, fine-grained
stems are ideal for stewing and freezing. HEN
Valentine: Sweetest
of red rhubarbs. Broad, deep red stalks, dark green foliage and red ribs. Fine-grained, fiber-free and retains
deep red color when cooked. BURP VER
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RUTABAGA (Swede)
(Brassica napobrassica)
DAYS TO MATURITY: 88-92 DAYS.
PLANTING TIME: Plant rutabagas in the garden four to six weeks before the last frost.
Plant again in late July or August for a fall crop.
SOIL: Light, sandy to loam; pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS: Feed the plants with a light application of organic nitrogen when they are about
5 inches high.
WATER: Steady moisture is required. Mulch to prevent drying out.
LIGHT: Full sun.
SPACING: Sow seed 1/2 inch deep, 1-4 inches
apart.
HARVEST: Grasp the tops and pull up.
STORAGE: Rutabagas
can be left in the gound and pulled as needed. If you decide to dig the roots up, cut off any top growth and keep them
in a box or barrel filled with moist soil or peat; they need darkness and moderate warmth.
RUTABAGA
American Yellow (Swede Turnip): 90 days. Round, purple-topped,
yellow-fleshed, 4-5" in diameter. Perfect for fall dishes, soups and stews. Store in a cool location for
best keeping. VER
Laurentian: 100 days. 4-6" round roots
are creamy yellow on the bottom and dark purple at the top. Mild flavor and firm texture. GUR HEN
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