Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus
Japanese radish, daikon, white winter radish, Chinese radish: its name literally means “large root” in Japanese, and it lives up to the name—up to 30 cm long. Unlike our small pink radishes, its flesh is mild, crisp, and barely spicy, making it suitable for a much wider range of uses.
Characteristics:
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Large white root: up to 30 cm long, with firm, crisp flesh.
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Mild flavor: much less spicy than spring radishes, it can be eaten raw or cooked.
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Fall cultivation: sown in late summer, it makes good use of cleared beds.
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Good storage: it keeps for several weeks in a cool place after harvest.
Sowing advice:
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Exposure: partial shade to full sun.
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Soil: light, loose, deep, moist, and above all free of stones—this is crucial given the length of its root. Stony or compacted soil produces forked roots. Avoid fresh manure, which causes the same problem.
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Method: sow directly in the ground from June to September, in groups spaced 25 cm apart, at a depth of 2 cm. Direct sowing is essential: it does not transplant well. See how to sow your seeds.
Care advice:
- Thin to one plant per group. Water regularly and evenly: alternating drought and watering makes the root hollow or spicy.
- Late-summer sowing is preferable: sown too early in spring, it bolts before forming its root.
Harvesting advice:
- Harvest before severe frosts, pulling gently after loosening the soil around it. The leaves can also be eaten, sautéed or used in soup.
Beneficial combinations:
- Its deep root naturally loosens compacted soil: as green manure, it is even nicknamed the “soil-piercing fodder radish.” It is useful before a demanding crop. See green manures and improving your soil.
Benefits for biodiversity:
- Its taproot creates channels that aerate the soil deep down and make it easier for earthworms to move through it.
- If allowed to flower, it produces white to lilac clusters that are highly visited by bees and hoverflies.
Uses:
- Grated raw in salads, Japanese-style pickled, simmered in broths, or stir-fried in a wok. It is the basic ingredient in Japanese pickles and miso soups.
Harvesting your own seeds:
Leave one plant in the ground over winter: it will set seed in spring and produce swollen siliques to harvest when dry. Be careful: Raphanus sativus plants cross-pollinate with one another, so isolate it from other radishes. See saving your seeds.
Commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for all living things as our guiding principle. Based near the Volcanoes of Auvergne, we choose open-pollinated, non-hybrid varieties, tested for germination rates, carefully sorted and packaged, with no chemical treatment. Our belief: to give gardeners back the ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.
A generous fall vegetable that also works your soil deep down.
