Gadenin日本語Get the appShoulders and length, not diameter
Round radishes are ready at 0.8 in (2 cm) across. A long white radish hides most of itself underground, so diameter tells you nothing. The cue is the shoulder rising about 0.8 in (2 cm) above the soil and the root reaching finger thickness, roughly 30 days after sowing in spring and about seven weeks for an early-fall sowing. Pull one, measure it, and if it matches the variety's length, start harvesting.
Left too long, a long radish turns pithy in the center, then splits, and the texture goes. Japanese seed companies say the same: overgrown roots crack, hollow and lose flavor. Plan to clear the bed within one to two weeks of pulling the first root.
| Variety | Length to look for | Thickness | Window to clear the bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shirahime | Shoulder 0.8 in up; a slender cylinder on the test pull | A finger | One to two weeks from the first pull |
| White Icicle | 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) | A finger; do not let it fatten | Pull young, before it gets woody |
| Shironaga hatsuka daikon | About 3 in (8 cm) | Close to 0.8 in (2 cm) | One to two weeks from the first pull |
The test pull
Once shoulders show, pull the fattest-looking plant and check the length and the inside. If it is at the target length and the cut face is solid white, the bed is ready. If it is short, wait a few days and pull another. Because the root is invisible underground, this one plant is your most reliable information.
- Pick the biggest shoulder Pull the plant whose shoulder looks largest. If that one is not ready, the rest are not either.
- Cut it lengthwise Slice the root in half top to bottom. Solid white means harvest time; a small hole at the center means you are already a little late, so clear the bed quickly.
- Write down the length Note the date and length of the test pull. Next season you can predict harvest from the sowing date, keeping spring and fall figures separate.
Pull by the crown, straight up
The greens are part of the harvest, and yanking by the leaves snaps the stalks. Grip the shoulder of the root, wiggle it gently side to side to loosen the soil, then pull straight up. A long root pulled at an angle breaks off in the ground, so always go vertical. If the soil is hard, water first and wait half an hour.
- Grip the shoulder and wiggle Hold the shoulder between thumb and forefinger and rock it a little to loosen the surrounding soil. Leave the leaves alone.
- Lift vertically Once loose, draw it straight up slowly. Pulling sideways snaps the tip. If it resists, slide a trowel in alongside and lever the soil up.
- Largest first Do not clear the whole row at once. Take the biggest shoulders, and the remaining plants fill out with the extra room. Finish within one to two weeks.
- Do not disturb the neighbors Push soil into the hole you leave so the next root's shoulder stays covered. An exposed shoulder turns green and tough.
Separate root and leaf right away
Left attached, the leaves draw water out of the root and it goes limp. As soon as you pull, cut the greens off about 0.4 in (1 cm) above the crown, rinse the root, dry it and store the two parts separately. Roots keep about a week in the crisper, leaves two to three days, and the greens are best eaten the day you pull them.
- Cut 0.4 in above the crown Leaving a stub of leaf base on the root slows water loss from the cut. Rinse the greens, shake them dry and wrap them in a damp paper towel.
- Rinse roots and bag them Wash off the soil, pat dry and put the roots in a plastic bag in the crisper. Slice the salad portion the same day while the skin is at its whitest.
Overnight pickles, salads and sauteed greens
Long white radishes shine where their tender, juicy flesh is the point. Easiest is the overnight salt pickle: slice the root lengthwise or leave it whole, chop the greens, toss with salt at 2 percent of the weight and leave until morning. For salad, cut rounds or thin diagonals to show off the white skin and gentle bite. Greens sauteed in sesame oil with a splash of soy sauce make a good rice side.
| Dish | Cut | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight salt pickle | Thin lengthwise slices or whole; greens chopped | 2 percent salt by weight, overnight, a strip of kelp if you have it |
| Salad | Rounds or thin diagonals | Salt and olive oil; soak in water if too peppery |
| Sauteed greens | Leaves and stems chopped to half an inch | Sesame oil, soy sauce, bonito flakes |
| Miso soup | Thin half-moons; greens chopped | Add the greens just before turning off the heat |
| Raw and whole | Small roots as they are | Dip in salt or miso; the classic way to eat White Icicle |
Heat varies with variety and weather. White Icicle gets hotter in dry spells; if it bites too hard, slice thin and salt it, or soak the slices in water for ten minutes.
Overgrown roots and bolted plants
A root that went pithy is still usable. Trim away the hollow part, slice thin and salt it for a pickle or drop it into soup. A spring plant that bolted has a tough root, but the tender flower stalk and buds cook like broccoli raab, blanched for a side dish or tossed into a stir-fry.
- Pithy roots become pickles Cut lengthwise to find the hollow, trim the worst, slice thin. Salting or a sweet vinegar pickle hides the coarse texture.
- Split roots: eat today Rot starts at the crack, so do not store them. Trim the split and use the rest in salad or soup.
- Bolted plants: eat the stalks The root hardens, so pick the flower stalks while the buds are tight and blanch them briefly. Leave a plant or two to set seed if you want to save it.