lsanderson (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lsanderson) wrote2004-06-24 10:09 am
lsanderson) wrote2004-06-24 10:09 am
Summer Radish...
GARDEN Q & A
A Summer Radish Success
By LESLIE LAND
Published: June 24, 2004
"Q. We love radishes and have no trouble growing them in spring. But summer is always a disaster. We have tried shading the plants and giving them plenty of food and water. Is there anything else we can do?
A. For success in summer, you can switch to growing the rat-tail radish, Raphanus sativus var. caudatus, a plant that flourishes in heat. Although it is a true radish, it does not form an edible root. You grow it for the delicious young seedpods, which at their peak are pungent and crisp, if not quite as juicy as spring radishes. Despite their name, they are handsome, too, like pointed beans in shades of purple and deep green.
Rat-tail plants grow quickly to three or four feet, putting out lots of pink or white flowers. The blossoms are pretty, mildly fragrant and frequently adorned with butterflies. But they do not last long.
The deliciousness is fleeting as well. Pods can grow to a foot or more but are best when only three to five inches long. As they grow larger and seeds start to swell, the flavor becomes milder, but the pods become leathery and pithy. If you keep picking the pods, the plants will keep fruiting for a month or more. But the stems are tough, the pods are many, and it is easy to let things slide. Unless you need a big single harvest for pickle-making or a rat-tail party, it is better to keep new plants coming by sowing a few seeds every other week until the middle of August.
Sources for seeds include Seed Savers Exchange, www.seedsavers.org or (563) 382-5990, and John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, www.kitchengardenseeds.com or (860) 567-6086."
Hmm, never heard of 'em. Sounds perfect for this climate. Anybody else?
A Summer Radish Success
By LESLIE LAND
Published: June 24, 2004
"Q. We love radishes and have no trouble growing them in spring. But summer is always a disaster. We have tried shading the plants and giving them plenty of food and water. Is there anything else we can do?
A. For success in summer, you can switch to growing the rat-tail radish, Raphanus sativus var. caudatus, a plant that flourishes in heat. Although it is a true radish, it does not form an edible root. You grow it for the delicious young seedpods, which at their peak are pungent and crisp, if not quite as juicy as spring radishes. Despite their name, they are handsome, too, like pointed beans in shades of purple and deep green.
Rat-tail plants grow quickly to three or four feet, putting out lots of pink or white flowers. The blossoms are pretty, mildly fragrant and frequently adorned with butterflies. But they do not last long.
The deliciousness is fleeting as well. Pods can grow to a foot or more but are best when only three to five inches long. As they grow larger and seeds start to swell, the flavor becomes milder, but the pods become leathery and pithy. If you keep picking the pods, the plants will keep fruiting for a month or more. But the stems are tough, the pods are many, and it is easy to let things slide. Unless you need a big single harvest for pickle-making or a rat-tail party, it is better to keep new plants coming by sowing a few seeds every other week until the middle of August.
Sources for seeds include Seed Savers Exchange, www.seedsavers.org or (563) 382-5990, and John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, www.kitchengardenseeds.com or (860) 567-6086."
Hmm, never heard of 'em. Sounds perfect for this climate. Anybody else?