WASHINGTON GARDENER
The “Other” Radish Harvests
.DWK\ -HQW] LV HGLWRUSXEOLVKHU RI :DVKLQJWRQ *DUGHQHU PDJ - D]LQH D JDUGHQLQJ SXEOLFDWLRQ SXEOLVKHG VSHFL¿FDOO\ IRU WKH ORFDO PHWUR DUHD²]RQHV ²:DVKLQJWRQ '& DQG LWV VXE - XUEV -HQW] LV DOVR WKH KRVW RI WKH SRSXODU *DUGHQ'& 3RGFDVW The magazine is written entirely by local area garden- ers who have real-world knowledge and practical advice with WKH VDPH SUREOHPV \RX H[SHULHQFH LQ \RXU RZQ JDUGHQV ,W¶V now published monthly online and includes timely informa- tion such as a local garden events calendar and gardening to- GR OLVW IRU WKDWPRQWK $ \HDU¶V VXEVFULSWLRQ VL[ LVVXHV LV 7R VXEVFULEH VHQG D FKHFNPRQH\ RUGHU IRU SD\DEOH WR ³:DVKLQJWRQ *DUGHQHU´ PDJD]LQH WR :DVKLQJWRQ *DUGHQHU 3KLODGHOSKLD$YH6LOYHU6SULQJ0' RUWRSD\YLD3D\SDOFUHGLW FDUGFOLFNRQWKH³VXEVFULEH´OLQNDWZZZ:DVKLQJWRQ*DUGHQHUFRP $OOSKRWRVE\.DWK\-HQW]
BY KATHY JENTZ
Radishes are the easiest vegetables to grow! This is the edible I rec- RPPHQGWRDQ\RQHVWDUWLQJR̆DVFKRROJDUGHQRULQWURGXFLQJFKLOGUHQ to gardening. Not only is it super-easy, but also it is very quick to germi- QDWHDQGFDQEHKDUYHVWHGLQDPRQWKRUVR GHSHQGLQJRQWKHYDULHW\ To grow radishes, you start from seeds. Pick a sunny spot in the HDUO\ VSULQJ RU HDUO\ IDOO <RX FDQ DOVR JURZ WKHP LQ FRQWDLQHUV 7DNH D VWLFN DQG GUDZ Dó´ GHHS OLQH LQ WKH VRLO WKHQ JHQWO\ GURS your seeds in. Try to space them out as best you can. Seed tape can help with this, but don’t get too obsessive about it. If the seedlings come up too crowded together, then you thin* them to make space IRU WKHVWURQJHVWRQHV WRFRQWLQXHRQDQGJURZ WR IXOOVL]H.HHS WKH radishes watered, but not overly saturated, if it does not rain regularly. <RX¶OO NQRZ ZKHQ WR KDUYHVW WKHP ZKHQ WKHLU VKRXOGHUV VWDUW WR VKRZ DERYH WKH VRLO VXUIDFH <RX FDQ KDUYHVW WKHP HDUO\ DQG HDW them if you like, or leave them in the soil for an extra week or so. Just don’t wait too long because they start to get tough and woody when left in the ground past their peak. It is best to harvest them and store them in your refrigerator where they can last several weeks. I like my radishes straight from the garden — fresh- ly washed and with a dash of salt. Some people like to slath- er on butter and layer them on good bread for a radish sand- ZLFK <RX FDQ DOVR VOLFH WKHP LQWR VDODGV DQG DQ\ VWLUIU\ GLVK There are milder forms of radishes, if the classic ‘Cher- U\ %HOOH¶ DQG µ)UHQFK %UHDNIDVW¶ DUH WRR ³KRW´ IRU \RX 7U\ VRPH of the white ‘Icicle’ or ‘Watermelon’ radishes. Some people say the more consistently you water and the faster the radish- HV JURZ WKH PLOGHU WKHLU WDVWH ZLOO EH <RXU PLOHDJH PD\ YDU\ If you notice your radishes are being chewed on, suspect slugs. Sprin- NOHVRPHGLDWRPDFHRXVHDUWKRU6OXJJR LURQSKRVSKDWH DURXQGWKHP Bonus Radish Harvests *Did you know you can eat the tiny radish seed- OLQJV WKDW \RX WKLQ RXW" 7KHVH ³WKLQQLQJV´ RU PLFURJUHHQV can be added raw to a salad or thrown on a sandwich. The radish foliage is also edible. I recommend wilting WKH UDGLVK OHDYHV JUHHQV DQG VDXWpLQJ WKHP LQ RLO RU EXW - WHU DQG JDUOLF WR FXW VRPH RI WKH VKDUSQHVV <RX FDQ HDW WKHP UDZ EXW , ¿QG WKHP WRR VWURQJ RQ WKHLU RZQ DQG SUHIHU WR DGG just a couple leaves to a mixed salad of milder lettuce greens. 7KHVHHGSRGVDUHHGLEOHWRR,IWKHUDGLVKHV³EROW´ JRWRÀRZHUDQG WKHQWRVHHG OHWWKHP7KHQFROOHFWWKHVHHGSRGVZKLOHWKH\DUHVWLOO fresh and green to eat them straight or use them in a stir-fry. They taste like — well, radishes! — although a bit milder and with a hint of cab- EDJHQHVV0DQ\SHRSOHDOVRSLFNOHWKHPZKLFK,SODQWRWU\WKLV\HDU There are even varieties of radishes that are grown for producing larger seed pods, rather than developing the radishes themselves. /RRN LQ VHHG FDWDORJV IRU µ5DW¶V 7DLO¶ RU Ɠ(GLEOH 3RGGHG¶ UDGLVK *HW the kids involved, too, by letting them pick what they’d like to grow. %\ WKH ZD\ WKH UDGLVK ÀRZHUV FDQ EH HDWHQ WRR %XW GRQ¶W KDUYHVW WRR PDQ\ EHFDXVH \RX ZDQW SOHQ - ty of those seedpods to grow and develop as well. <RX FDQ DOVR FROOHFW WKH GULHG VHHGV WR HDW 6SULQNOH WKHP RQ D cold pasta salad for a bit of nutty crunch. Of course, save some RI WKRVH H[WUD GULHG VHHGV WR XVH IRU WKH QH[W JURZLQJ VHDVRQ %H sure to label your seeds and keep them in a dry spot, like a small glass jar, to start the process all over again next fall or spring.
Early radish harvest.
Radish bonus edibles include seed- pods and flowers.
Thinning out radish seedlings.
PATHWAYS—Fall 21—61
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