An old French heirloom dating prior to 1779 when it was mentioned in ‘’Every man his own garden’’ by Thomas Mauve. This colourful variety is considered an ‘’all-season,’’ as it is more heat resistant than most radishes and is slow to bolt. Purple Plum is never pithy and stays crisp longer than most other varieties. Slightly oval with bright violet skin and pure white flesh, the taste is a classic mildly spicy, yet sweet, radish flavour.

Adaptable to a wide range of soils and very easy to grow, it is ready to harvest in only 25-30 days. Purple plum radishes are an easy, quick and rewarding vegetable for children to grow. The leaves are edible and can be used in salads and stir-fries, and the radishes are nice on a crudités plate. Or you can try them roasted with some garlic as a different flavourful side dish.

GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

Radishes might be the most rapidly growing garden crop. They thrive in the cool, with early spring and late fall plantings. Make sure the soil is light, loose and fluffy and growing radishes will be a breeze.

Select a site that receives full sun. Direct sow in the spring 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Seeds should be 2 cm deep, 2 cm apart, 30 cm in between rows. Successively plant seeds every 10 days to have a continual harvest through the cool months. In the fall, seeds can be planted 4-6 weeks before the first frost.

At about a week from germination, thin radishes to 5 cm apart. Sneak a row of radishes in between rows of beets or carrots as a companion to these slower growing root crops. Apply a thin covering of mulch over the row of sprouted roots. Keep the soil evenly moist and radishes will grow quickly.

Most radishes will be ready to be picked from 21-30 days. Do not wait longer than that, overripe roots quickly turn inedible. Radishes should be about 3 cm in diameter at the soil level. Pull a couple out to sample before harvesting a whole row. Cut the tops and root tails, wash, dry completely and store in a container in the fridge.

Enjoy radishes raw and add their zip to your salad, or, try making a batch of wonderfully pungent pickles. There are a wide variety of radishes that all grow eagerly. They are reliable, grow quickly and provide an abundant supply with little effort. Be bold as the root itself, and experiment with some of the different shapes, sizes, colours and flavours!

QUICK FACTS

- The radish was first domesticated in Asia thousands of years ago. This fast-growing, cool-season crop was first cultivated in Europe by the ancient Greeks and the Romans. Radish was one of the first crops to be brought to America in the 1500s.

- Their fast harvest cycle makes them particularly suitable for children's gardens.

- Radish seeds will remain viable for 4 years if stored in a cool, dark place, ideally between 4 and 10⁰C. After that, the germination rate may start to go down.