A CHINESE VEGETABLE POTPOURRI - Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard - page 114

sizes of some Asian varieties. They are all deliciously edible and, in season, are an
everyday feature of an Asian meal. Some varieties have decorative foiliage.
How to Grow
Getting started. Check each variety to determine whether to sow in spring, summer,
or fall. Aside from planting dates, all radishes are cultivated the same way and are the
easiest of all vegetables to grow. They germinate practically overnight.
The larger varieties need loose, loamy soil, so dig down 2 feet when preparing the
planting area, as you do for carrots. Incorporate compost and balanced fertilizer before
planting. Planting. Sow seeds ½ inch deep and 2 inches apart. How much you thin de-
pends on what variety you planted; obviously a radish that reaches 5 inches in diameter
needs more space than small varieties. Thin in stages and eat the thinnings.
Growing needs. Like any root vegetable, Asian radishes need ample and deep water-
ing, and they benefit from mulch to keep down weeds. The long-season fall and winter
radishes need supplemental feeding. Side-dress with a balanced fertilizer (ideally one
lower in nitrogen, such as 4-6-6) or water with a fish-and-seaweed product every three
to four weeks.
Pest potential. If root maggots have been a problem, grow under row covers. Mound-
ing wood ashes or powdered cayenne pepper around seedlings may discourage these
pests, but row covers offers the best protection.
DID YOU KNOW?
The cultivation of radishes is ancient. The Egyptians have known and used them for over 5,000 years, the
Chinese perhaps even longer. Although we don't think of radishes as containing much nourishment, they
were part of the diet the pharaohs fed the builders of the great pyramids — along with garlic and onions
— to get more work out of them. The Chinese consider radishes marvelously healthful, and throughout
the centuries radishes have had a reputation for stimulating the appetite. Some old herbals recommended
it as a cure for melancholy, and I can see how the crisp, pleasantly pungent nibble of a chilled radish
might have a cheering effect.
How to Harvest
Since you can eat the leaves, roots, pods, and seeds, the time of harvest depends entirely
on your appetite and patience. Late-season radishes even hold in the ground for some
time after reaching maturity. They also store well in the refrigerator or in moist sand in
a cool, but not freezing, environment. They keep indefinitely if pickled or dried.