(Raphanus sativus 'German Giant')
German Giant Radish is an Amish heirloom, hardy, cool weather biennial vegetable that is native to Germany, but can be commonly found growing in gardens throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 3-6” and features 3-4" red skinned, round radishes with white flesh. This plant can be grown in a container, tolerates light frost, is rabbit safe, repels beetles and carrot fly, can be used as a trap crop for Japanese Beetles, and is both edible and medicinal!
Genus: Raphanus
Species: sativus
Variety: German Giant Radish
Also Known As: Parat or Parat Sperling
Native to: Germany
Introduced into: Alabama, Alaska, Algeria, Altay, Andaman Is., Angola, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Arizona, Arkansas, Assam, Baleares, Baltic States, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, British Columbia, Bulgaria, California, Canary Is., Caroline Is., Central European Rus, Chile Central, Chile North, Chile South, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Colombia, Colorado, Connecticut, Corse, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Delaware, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, East Himalaya, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Florida, Galápagos, Georgia, Gilbert Is., Guatemala, Gulf of Guinea Is., Gulf States, Hainan, Haiti, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, India, Indiana, Inner Mongolia, Iowa, Iraq, Jawa, Kansas, Kazakhstan, Kazan-retto, Kenya, Korea, Kriti, Krym, Kuwait, Labrador, Lebanon-Syria, Leeward Is., Libya, Louisiana, Madeira, Maine, Manchuria, Manitoba, Marianas, Marshall Is., Maryland, Massachusetts, Mauritania, Mexican Pacific Is., Mexico Northwest, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Morocco, Nebraska, Nepal, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Caledonia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New South Wales, New York, Newfoundland, Nicobar Is., North Carolina, North Dakota, North European Russi, Northern Provinces, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oman, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Pennsylvania, Portugal, Prince Edward I., Puerto Rico, Qinghai, Queensland, Québec, Rhode I., Rwanda, Sardegna, Saskatchewan, Saudi Arabia, South Australia, South Carolina, South Dakota, South European Russi, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sumatera, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Texas, Tibet, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, Utah, Uzbekistan, Victoria, Vietnam, Virginia, Wake I., Washington, West Himalaya, West Virginia, Western Australia, Windward Is., Wisconsin, Wyoming, Xinjiang, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
Ease of Growing: Easy
Grown as: Biennial
Days to Maturity: 30 days
Hardiness: Very hardy.
Crops: Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Season: Short, Long
Growing Conditions: Cold, Cool, Warm. Radishes are most easily grown in spring and fall, as they prefer short days (up to 12 hours long) and cool weather. Temperatures much above 70 degrees F cause them to be very pungent.
Outdoor Growing Temp: 45°F - 85°F
Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 45°F. Don’t plant your first spring Radishes until the soil temperature reaches at least 45˚ F, which may be around the last frost date. If you warm the soil up with black plastic or cloches, you could get them going a month earlier than this (they are quite frost tolerant).
Start Indoors: No
Start Outdoors: Yes
Light: Sun: min. 6 hours daily (Cold, Cool). In cool weather Radishes are grown in full sun.
Water: Moderate. Radishes must have a steady supply of water for best quality, so keep the soil evenly moist at all times. Too little water can result in woodiness and excessive pungency (such roots are pithy and have marked growth rings). Too much water may encourage top growth at the expense of the roots.
Feeder: Moderate. Low nitrogen. Moderate potassium. Moderate phosphorus. Radishes don't need a lot of nitrogen (don't give them fresh manure), but they do like potassium and phosphorus.
Suitability: Tolerates light frost, Needs summer shade.
Small Gardens?: Yes
Containers?: Yes. Radishes can grow easily in an assortment of containers. Grow and thin as you would in a ground garden. Just make sure that your container has a depth of at least 6". Use a pot with good drainage and fill with a mixture of potting soil and compost. Water thoroughly and place in direct overhead sunlight. Radishes need lots of water and sunshine, but they need partial shade in really hot climates.
Attracts beneficial insects?: No
Forage: Rabbits. Greens only. Limited amounts, can cause gas!
Maintenance: Medium
Plant Height: 3-6"
Sow Depth: 1/2"
Spacing: 2-3"
Produces: 3-4" red skinned, round radishes with white flesh.
Hardiness Zone: 1-11
Soil pH: 5.5-6.8, Ideal 6.0-6.3. Radish roots don't go very deep so the ideal soil is loose and well drained, such as a sandy loam. It should also be slightly acidic.
Soil Preparation:
Standard Mix, 5 pounds per 100 sq. ft., in top 8" of soil, 1 time: Amend soil with Standard Mix when adding compost. This is a mix of various amendments intended to supply all of the nutrients plants may require. It is usually incorporated into the soil prior to planting. The mix consists of:
- 4 parts cottonseed meal (this is high in nitrogen and relatively inexpensive)
- 2 parts colloidal phosphate or bone meal (for phosphorus)
- 2 parts wood ash or 3 parts greensand or granite dust (for potassium)
- 1 part dolomitic limestone (to balance pH and add calcium and magnesium)
- 1 part kelp meal (for trace elements)
Mix these together thoroughly. You can do this all at once, or you can store them separately and mix as needed.
Compost (Nitrogen), 2", in top 8" of soil, 1 time: Soil should have 2˝ of organic matter (compost or aged manure) added and should be cultivated deeply to loosen it.
In very poor soil you can dig a trench and fill it with a mix made from compost, sand and soil.
When outdoor temp: 45°F to 85°F, optimal temp 60°F to 65°F
When min soil temp: 45°F. Don’t plant your first spring Radishes until the soil temperature reaches at least 45˚ F, which may be around the last frost date. If you warm the soil up with black plastic or cloches, you could get them going a month earlier than this (they are quite frost tolerant).
Seed Depth: 0.5"-1.5". Plant 1/2" deep in cold soil and up to 1 1/2" deep in warm soil. The deeper planting may also give you slightly larger roots, especially if you give them a slightly wider spacing.
Spacing: 4.0"-6.0", 9 plants per sq ft. Spacing is critical when growing radishes. If they are overcrowded they won't produce good roots. Thinning is recommended if plants seem overcrowded.
Spring Crop:
0-4 weeks before last frost date: Plant in the early spring when days are still short.
1. Make shallow (1/2˝ to 1 1/2˝) furrows
2. Sow the seeds 1/2" to 1" apart. Bigger seed may also result in larger roots.
Sow directly outdoors, as it germinates easily in cold soil and the plants grow rapidly.
1. Make shallow (1/2˝ to 1 1/2˝) furrows
2. Sow the seeds 1/2" to 1" apart. Bigger seed may also result in larger roots.
If you warm the soil up with black plastic or cloches, you could get them going a month earlier than this (they are quite frost tolerant).
Summer Crop:
0-16 weeks after last frost date: Plant where summers are cool. The plants will benefit from light shade if the weather conditions are warm.
1. Make shallow (1/2˝ to 1 1/2˝) furrows
2. Sow the seeds 1/2" to 1" apart. Bigger seed may also result in larger roots.
Fall Crop:
2-12 weeks before first frost date: Sow directly outdoors, as it germinates easily in cold soil and the plants grow rapidly.
1. Make shallow (1/2˝ to 1 1/2˝) furrows
2. Sow the seeds 1/2" to 1" apart. Bigger seed may also result in larger roots.
Support: No
Water Needs: Moderate. Radishes must have a steady supply of water for best quality, so keep the soil evenly moist at all times. Too little water can result in woodiness and excessive pungency (such roots are pithy and have marked growth rings). Too much water may encourage top growth at the expense of the roots.
Fertilizer Needs: Moderate. Low nitrogen. Moderate potassium. Moderate phosphorus. Radishes don't need a lot of nitrogen (don't give them fresh manure), but they do like potassium and phosphorus.
Watering, regularly: Water, 0.5 inch, regularly, 2 times a week. It is important to keep the soil evenly moist for best quality roots. Watering also depends on your local weather; don't water if it's raining, or water more frequently if it's dry. Just be sure to keep soil moist for the best crop. The best way to know how much moisture is in your soil is to feel 2" below the soil line. If it's dry, water.
Weeding, regularly: regularly, every 2 weeks. These small plants don’t compete with weeds very well and won't produce good roots if they are crowded. Keep them well weeded. The best way to weed Radishes is by hand. Don’t use a hoe too near the plants as you can easily damage the shoulders of the roots.
Thinning, after sowing: 2" apart, after sowing, 1 time. Proper thinning is absolutely vital if you are going to grow good Radishes. If the plants are crowded they won’t produce useful roots. When all the seeds have germinated they should be thinned to 1 - 2" apart.
Support: No
Harvesting
Storage
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-14 days
Seed Viability in Years: 4 - 5 Years
Germination Percentage: 75%
Culinary
Great texture with a mild radish flavor
Culinary Use:
The roots are generally used raw in salads and sandwiches. They can also be cooked in soups or pickled.
The tender young leaves can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked as a potherb.
The immature seedpods are good in salads and can also be pickled.
Young leaves: raw or cooked. A somewhat hot taste, and the texture is somewhat coarse. As long as they are young, they make an acceptable addition in small quantities to chopped salads and are a reasonable cooked green.
Young flower clusters: raw or cooked. A spicy flavor with a crisp pleasant texture, they make a nice addition to salads or can be used as a broccoli substitute.
Seeds: raw. The seed can be soaked for 12 hours in warm water and then allowed to sprout for about 6 days. They have a hot spicy flavor and go well in salads.
Young seedpods: raw. Crisp and juicy with a mildly hot flavor. They must be eaten when young because they quickly become tough and fibrous.
Root: raw or cooked. Crisp and juicy, they have a hot and spicy flavor and are a very popular addition to salads. The summer crops do not store well and should be used as soon as possible after harvesting. The winter varieties (including the Japanese forms) have much larger roots and often a milder flavor. These store well and can be either harvested in early winter for storage or be harvested as required through the winter. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.
Medicinal
Companion Planting
Nasturtiums and mustard are supposed to protect radishes from flea beetles. Radishes are reputed to repel striped cucumber beetles from cucumbers and prevent borers in squash and melons. Chervil makes radishes hot.
Enemies: Some gardeners believe that radishes are harmful to grapevines. Hyssop is said to have a negative effect on radishes.
Problems
Flea Beetles
To attract Braconid Wasps to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf Yarrow, Common Yarrow, Dill, Lemon Balm, and Parsley.
Tachinid Flies: Preys on Gypsy Moths, Flea Beetles, Japanese Beetles, Mexican Bean Beetles, Cutworms, and Squash Bugs.
To attract Tachinid Flies to your garden you will need to grow: Carrots, Dill, Coriander, Lacy Phacelia, and Buckwheat.
Green Lacewings: Preys on Aphids, Flea beetles, Whitefly, Leafhopper, Mealybugs, and Caterpillars of pest moths.
To attract Green Lacewings to your garden you will need to grow: Dill, Angelica, Golden Marguerite, Coriander, Purple Poppy Mallow, and Dandelion.
Damsel Bugs: Preys on Caterpillars, Mites, Aphids, Flea beetles, Potato beetles, and Cabbage worms.
To attract Damsel Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Big-eyed Bugs: Preys on Aphids, small Caterpillars and Caterpillar eggs, Flea beetles, Fleahoppers, Lygus bugs, Mites, Thrips, Whiteflies.
To attract Big-Eyed Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Nutrition
The Health Benefits of Radish
Aid in Digestion: There is a high amount of dietary fiber found in radish greens, meaning that this vegetable can help keep your bowels regular. By eliminating symptoms of constipation and stimulating peristaltic motion, radish leaves can prevent a number of gastrointestinal problems, improve nutrient uptake efficiency, and even strengthen the immune response of the gut.
Lower Cholesterol: The high level of potassium, iron, vitamin C, and dietary fiber found in radish greens can help strengthen the heart in many ways, from lowering blood pressure and improving circulation to healing and repairing damaged blood vessels and arteries. By lowering overall cholesterol levels, you also reduce your risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.
Boost Immunity: Radish greens possess far more vitamin C per serving than the root vegetable on which they grow. These leaves are excellent ways to boost your immune health and keep your body free of infections and other foreign agents.
Improve Liver Health: Radish greens are known to detoxify the body by stimulating urination and improving liver function. By helping the body more effectively filter toxins from the blood, these leaves will further relieve unnecessary stress on the immune system.
Regulate Blood Sugar: One of the best parts of a high-fiber diet is the impact it can have on your blood sugar levels. Fiber is able to regulate the release of insulin and glucose in the body, which is important for diabetic patients who suffer from regular spikes and drops in their blood sugar levels.
Weight Loss: Radish leaves are low in calories, but high in fiber and are packed with nutrients. This means that a salad of these greens will help you feel full, thus reducing your tendency to snack between meals and overeat. In fact, eating an entire salad of these leaves wouldn’t make a major dent in your caloric intake for the day.
The Health Benefits of Radish Seeds
Lower Blood Pressure: Certain flavonoids found in radish seeds are able to protect your cardiovascular system from coronary heart disease and can lower your blood pressure. This further reduces your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
Improve Bone Health: One of the most notable minerals found in radish seeds is calcium, which is a key component in bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. There are also lesser amounts of other critical minerals for improving bone mineral density found in these seeds, such as phosphorous, manganese and copper.
Treat Kidney Stones: For centuries, radish seeds have been prescribed as a traditional remedy for kidney stones, thanks to their diuretic properties. This can help to break down clumps of oxalic acid and other hardened stones in the kidney, while regularly flushing the kidneys and detoxifying them.
Protect Liver Health: Similar to these seeds’ effects on the kidney, they can also stimulate the function of the liver and reduce the levels of toxins in your blood. However, as more toxins are filtered through the liver, it becomes less efficient. Research has shown that the active ingredients in radish seeds can help to clear out the “blockage” in the liver filter and improve overall health and metabolic functions.
Aid in Digestion: Like most seeds, radish seeds are high in dietary fiber, which is one of the most important components for digestive processes. Not only can fiber bulk up the stool, thus preventing diarrhea, it can also stimulate peristaltic motion, which moves food through the gut smoothly, keeping you regular. Finally, dietary fiber can also lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar.
Prevents Cancer: One of the most exciting developments in the study of radish seeds is their connection to preventing certain types of cancer. Rich in flavonoids and other polyphenolic antioxidants, radish seeds are able to help the body seek out and neutralize free radicals, the natural by-product of cellular metabolism. This ability to slow down oxidative stress and prevent cellular mutation is aided by the presence of folic acid and vitamin C, which can have similar antioxidant effects on the body.
Suggested Varieties
(Angelica atropurpurea ‘American')
American Angelica is a native perennial herb that grows in swampy areas and along rivers and streams throughout the northeastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-10' and features dark purple stems, green oval, toothed, compound leaves, and large compound umbels of greenish-white to white flowers. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps, tolerates deer, and is edible and medicinal!
(Melissa officinalis ‘Lemon Balm’)
Lemon Balm is a perennial herb that is native to Southern Europe but can be commonly found growing throughout the northwestern, southcentral, and eastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 2' and features 3” oval, medium green, wrinkled, lemon-scented leaves, and tiny white flowers that have two lips. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, birds, butterflies, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and tachinid flies, repels ants and flies, is resistant to deer, tolerates drought, is used to make essential oils and potpourri, self-sows, and is also both edible and medicinal!
(Carum carvi ‘Caraway')
Caraway is a biennial herb that is native to Europe and Asia but can be commonly found growing in meadows, prairies, and along roadsides throughout the northern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-18” and features feathery fronds and umbrella shaped clusters of tiny white flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, damsel bugs, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and predatory wasps, and is also both edible and medicinal!
(Daucus carota 'Chantenay Red Cored')
Only a few left!
Chantenay Red Cored Carrot is a heirloom, hardy, cool weather annual vegetable that is native to France, but is commonly grown across the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-18” and features a 7" long, orange, nearly coreless carrots. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts earwigs and tachinid flies, is rabbit safe, tolerates light frost, is used to flavor perfumes and make alcohol, and is both edible and medicinal.
(Daucus carota 'Cosmic Purple')
Only a few left!
Cosmic Purple Carrot is a hardy, cool weather annual vegetable that is native to Wisconsin, where it was developed in Madison by Dr. Philipp in 2005. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 6-12” and features 7" purple skinned carrots with orange and yellow flesh. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts earwigs and tachinid flies, is rabbit safe, tolerates light frost, is used to flavor perfumes and make alcohol, and is both edible and medicinal.
(Daucus carota 'Danvers')
Danvers Carrot is a heirloom, hardy, cool weather annual vegetable that is native to Massachusetts, where it was developed in Danvers and was first marketed by Burpee Seed Co. in 1886. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-18” and features a 7" long, nearly coreless orange carrot. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts earwigs and tachinid flies, is rabbit safe, tolerates light frost, is used to flavor perfumes and make alcohol, and is both edible and medicinal.
(Daucus carota 'Rainbow Blend')
Only a few left!
Rainbow Blend Carrot is a heirloom seed mix consisting of Cosmic Purple, Atomic Red, Lunar White, and Solar Yellow Carrots which are hardy, cool weather annual vegetables that are grown in the United States. These carrots can be grown in a container, attracts earwigs and tachinid flies, is rabbit safe, tolerates light frost, is used to flavor perfumes and make alcohol, and is both edible and medicinal.
(Daucus carota 'Scarlet Nantes')
Only a few left!
Scarlet Nantes Carrot is a heirloom, hardy, cool weather annual vegetable that is native to France, but are commonly grown across the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 16” and features a 7" long, bright red-orange, fine-grained fleshed carrot. These carrots can be grown in a container, attracts earwigs and tachinid flies, is rabbit safe, tolerates light frost, is used to flavor perfumes and make alcohol, and is both edible and medicinal.
(Daucus carota 'Tendersweet')
Tendersweet Carrot is a heirloom, hardy, cool weather annual vegetable that is native to Europe, but are commonly grown across the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 6-18” and features a 9-10" coreless, deep orange carrots. These carrots can be grown in a container, attracts earwigs and tachinid flies, is rabbit safe, tolerates light frost, is used to flavor perfumes and make alcohol, and is both edible and medicinal.
(Coriandrum sativum ‘Leisure')
Leisure Coriander is a warm-weather annual herb that is native to the western Mediterranean and southern Europe but can be found growing throughout meadows and fields in the coastline and border states of the U.S. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 24-36” and features fern-like, finely-divided upper leaves, lobed lower leaves that resemble Italian Parsley, and 2” compound umbels that have white to pale lavender flower blooms. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, predatory wasps, and tachinid flies, repels aphids and spider mites, is horse and rabbit safe, is used to flavor perfume and soap, tolerates light frost, is used to make fungicides, and is both edible and medicinal!
(Anethum graveolens ‘Dukat')
Dukat Dill is an annual herb that is native to the Mediterranean and Asia but can be commonly found growing throughout the Midwest, northeastern, and west coast of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-5' and features stiff hollow stems, sweet-scented, bluish-green, feathery foliage, and compound 10” umbrella-shaped umbels that are topped by yellow aromatic flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, predatory wasps, and tachinid flies, repels aphids, spider mites, and squash bugs, is rabbit safe, tolerates deer, its leaves are used as an insect repellent, tolerates drought and light frost, is used to flavor soaps, is used to make insecticides, is both edible and medicinal and self-sows!
(Foeniculum vulgare ‘Florence')
Only a few left!
Florence Fennel is a perennial herb that is native to the Mediterranean but can be commonly found growing throughout most of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 3-5' and features a rounded, branching, celery-like stalk, yellowish-green, feathery foliage and umbrella shaped heads of tiny yellow flowers. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, damsel bugs, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and predatory wasps, tolerates deer, is used to flavor air fresheners, perfumes, soaps, and toothpaste, the leaves are used to repel insects, tolerates drought and light frost, is used to make dyes, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows!
(Mentha spicata ‘Spear’)
Spearmint is a perennial herb that is a native from Europe and China but can be commonly found growing in wetlands and along streams throughout most of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 24-36” and features erect, hairy stems, 3” aromatic, oval-shaped, sharply toothed pointed leaves and 4” tapering terminal spikes that bare pale purple or pink flowers. This plant can be grown in containers, attracts bees, butterflies, and damsel bugs, repels ants, aphids, cabbage loopers, flea beetles, mice, squash bugs, and white flies, is resistant to deer and rabbits, is used to make essential oils and potpourri, its leaves are used to repel rodents, is used to flavor toothpaste, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows!
(Petroselinum crispum 'Italian Giant')
Italian Giant Parsley is a heirloom, hardy, cool weather biennial vegetable that is native to the Mediterranean region, but can be commonly found growing in gardens throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 18-16” and features flat, dark, glossy green leaves. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts hoverflies, predatory wasps, and tachinid flies, is rabbit safe, tolerates light frost, is used to flavor perfumes and repel insects, and is both edible and medicinal!