Radishes — French Breakfast Heirloom

$3.99

Bright rose scarlet at the top with white blunt tips, this popular heirloom radish is 5cm (2") long and perfect for enjoying raw in salads. This variety grows well from spring through summer with upright tops that grow to about 15cm (6") tall. Gather and refrigerate for best storage. This variety has been in cultivation since the 1880s, which speaks to its reliability, flavour, and charm. Learn when to plant radish seeds in our How to Grow Radishes instructions below. Be sure to sow some French Breakfast radish seeds in your organic vegetable garden.

Matures in 25-30 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Quick Facts:

Perfect for raw eating
5cm (2") long
Fast growth
Open-pollinated seeds
Matures in 25-30 days

Size: 5g (approx. 400 seeds)

How To Grow: Time radish plantings one to two weeks apart for a longer harvest period. The secret to growing a great radish is to plant when the soil is cool, to not plant too close together, and to harvest promptly before the roots get woody and bitter. Every part of the radish is edible. Before they are fully mature, radish seed pods are tender and juicy with a wonderfully sharp flavour that is excellent in stir-fries and soups. The immature seeds themselves have a flavour and texture reminiscent of caviar. Continue reading below for our favourite tips on how to grow radishes from seed.

Difficulty
Easy

Season & Zone
Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full sun

Timing
Radishes can be grown all season but they’re easiest when sown just after the last frost date and again at the end of summer and into the fall. Optimal soil temperature: 18-24°C (65-75°F). Seeds should sprout in 5-7 days.

Starting
Sow seeds 1cm (1/2″) deep, 10 seeds per 30cm (12″), in rows 30-45cm (12-18″) apart. Thin to at least 5-8cm (2-3″) between plants, or further if you want larger leaves.

Days to Maturity: From direct sowing.

Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Radishes are moderate to heavy feeders. Best in rich, loamy soil amended with composted manure. Add 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row for background fertility. Lime beds the previous fall. The real secret to growing this little vegetable is speed. Sow a short row frequently, thin them quickly, keep them watered, eat them quickly, and sow some more.

Harvest
Harvest promptly when radishes are the size of large marbles. The leaves and developing seedpods are also tasty.

Seed Info
In optimal conditions at least 80% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 4 years. Per 100′ row: 1.2M seeds, per acre: 522M seeds.

Diseases & Pests
Root maggots and flea beetles can be a problem. Expect to lose 20-30% of your crop to maggots if you don’t use a floating row cover.

Companion Planting
Plant radishes near beans, beets, celeriac, chervil, cucumber, lettuce, mint, parsnip, peas, spinach, squash, and tomatoes. Avoid planting near Agastache or potatoes. It is said that planting 3 or 4 icicle radishes around the mound where you plant squash, and allowing them to grow and bloom, will prevent most pests of squash and cucumber.

Rating: 5.0 stars based on 15 reviews from westcoastseeds.com