Daikon (also known as Japanese radish and Chinese radish) is a winter radish that’s native to East Asia. The word “daikon” comes from the Japanese word for “big root.” It’s also common in South Asian cuisines (where it’s known as mooli) such as Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi.

The root veggie, which usually resembles a large white carrot, is subtly sweet and slightly spicy. It has a mild flavor that mellows even more when cooked. When it’s eaten raw, it’s delightfully crunchy. When it’s cooked, it becomes soft and tender — kind of like a cooked turnip.

Daikon Radishes grow to form thick, yellow-white tap roots that can reach lengths of 8-14 inches. Most of the radish is underground. Daikon Radish (Raphanus sativus longipinnatus) have proven to efficiently break up shallow layers of compacted soils. Many have nicknamed Daikon Radishes “biodrills” or “tillage radishes.” The advantages of using this radish seed as a cover crop doesn’t stop there. As the roots die over the winter they add nutrients and leave channels so that the soil dries and warms up faster in the spring.

Harvest some for eating around 50 days, then let the rest grow until they flower or die back. Snap or cut them off at ground level and let them rot. These magicians break up clay and build humus as they rot. The flowers attract beneficial insects, too!

Plant 4-10 weeks before frost. (Late August is ideal. Early September in warm sites.)

A handful of seeds per pack. From Peter’s garden