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The best radish varieties to grow

The best radish varieties to grow

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

We pick nine of the best radish varieties to grow.

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Radishes are incredibly easy to grow, as they tolerate most soil types and are quick to crop.

They're delicious eaten raw, offering a fiery burst of flavour to salads. There's a wide variety of cultivars to choose from, ranging from near spherical red-and-white roots, to long, thin white radishes, also known as mooli.

As they're so quick to grow, you can sow radishes continually throughout spring, summer and early autumn for continual harvests. They're generally ready to harvest after around four weeks.

'French Breakfast'

'French Breakfast' is a popular old variety with crisp, crunchy, cylindrical roots with a strong, peppery flavour.

'Ilka'

'Ilka' is a Russian heirloom variety that can grow to a diameter of 7.5cm without becoming pithy.

'Mirabeau'

'Mirabeau' has bright red, cylindrical roots with pretty white tips. Roots have a crunchy texture and a good peppery flavour.

'Stela'

'Stela' has crunchy, globe-shaped roots with bright red skins and white, crunchy flesh.

'Plum Purple'

'Plum Purple' has an unusual bright purple skin and white flesh. Its flavour is sweet but spicy.

'Rougette'

'Rougette' has globe shaped roots with bright red skins and crisp, succulent flesh.

'Scarlet Globe'

'Scarlet Globe' is an easy variety to grow, with bright red, sperical roots with white, crisp flesh and a mild flavour.

'Tarzan'

'Tarzan' is a good variety to raise early. Its round, crimson red roots remain non-pithy for weeks.

'Tsukushi Spring Cross'

'Tsukushi Spring Cross' is a mooli radish, an Asian version of the European radish. Roots are long and cylindrical and come in a variety of colours. 'Tsukushi Spring Cross' has peppery roots suitable for winter storage.