Daikon radishes are a radish cultivar native to Southeast Asia (Raphanus sativus var. Longipinnatus). Their taproots are long and thick, ranging in size from eight to 24 inches. Although the Korean type of Daikon can be partly green, the roots are usually wʜɪᴛe. Watermelon is a popular Chinese cultivar. The roots are green on the outside and bright pink on the interior, similar to watermelons. The flavor of these larger radishes is softer than that of the smaller, more common red radishes.

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Both the root and the leaf are used in many Southeast Asian dishes. Raw, pickled, stir-fried, cooked in soups, or shredded and dried are all options for the roots. The leaves are frequently eaten as a green vegetable. When sown as a cover crop, daikon radishes are also known as “tillage radishes.”

The long, thick taproots penetrate dense soils, generating opportunities for other crops whose roots are unable to penetrate dense soils. Long roots can also reach nutrients in the soil that are too deep for shallowly rooted crops to reach.

The taproots are then let to decompose in the soils so that those nutrients can be released into the soil and nourish spring crops.

When planted in rotation with potatoes, tillage radishes are extremely beneficial. Over the winter, the taproots are left to die in the soil. When the potatoes are planted the next spring, the rotting taproots generate gaps in the soil that help the potato plants to produce more and larger tubers.

Tillage radishes’ tops (foliage) are frequently fed to farm animals as feed. Because of their large roots, loosening the top eight inches of soil and amending it with compost before planting Daikon seed is a smart idea.

Late in the summer, sow your seeds directly into your garden. The seeds can be planted in the spring when the soil temperature is as low as 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

But they will take longer to germinate and may decay before they have a chance to germinate. Germination takes 3 to 6 days when the soil temperature is between 600F and 850F.

Seeds should be planted 2 to 3 inches apart in rows 8 to 12 inches apart. 12 inch of soil should be used to cover the plant. Thin your seedlings to 5 to 6 inches apart once they have their first set of genuine leaves.

Those seedlings can be composted or used in salads. Regularly water your plants. Mulch your garden with a thick layer to keep moisture in and weeds out. Radishes are a favorite of flea beetles!

In fact, radishes are frequently utilized as a flea beetle trap crop, luring them away from cruciferous crops like cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. According to the belief, radishes are grown for their roots, thus it’s fine if the flea beetles eat their leaves.

Daikon radishes mature more slowly than their red counterparts. To flourish, those long taproots need their leaves to be intact.

Cover your seedlings with floating row covers until they are established plants to prevent flea beetles from eating the leaves and slowing the growth of the roots. The flea beetles will move on in their search for a meal if they don’t find soᴍᴇᴛʜing to eat.

When the roots are 8 inches long, you can start collecting Daikons and keep going until the foliage is ᴅᴀᴍᴀɢᴇd by frost. At that moment, you should harvest all of your garden’s remaining roots.

They will decompose if you leave them in the ground throughout the winter. It’s best not to just grab the plants and pull when harvesting. The roots and the foliage will separate. Carefully loosen the soil surrounding the roots, then reach down into the soil, grasp the root, and pull it out.