In winter, gardeners dream of the first harvests of useful and easy-to-care-for crops. Radish confidently occupies one of the leading places on the list of ultra-early plants. Even novice gardeners can quickly enjoy juicy and vitamin-rich radishes. Which varieties and hybrids will help reduce the waiting time?
A word from agronomist Petr Sinkovsky:
— Today, there are many varieties and hybrids of radish that meet two important requirements: the ability for ultra-early sowing and quick harvest. However, it is not so easy to highlight the 'super' options among them. Nevertheless, let’s try to do this.
Two of my favorite varieties, named 16 Days and 18 Days, have proven themselves quite well. The stated timeframes indeed correspond to reality, with slight fluctuations of a couple of days. This refers to the time from sowing to harvest. In 16 days, you can obtain a fairly decent yield of round root vegetables of bright red color, weighing about 20 g with a moderately spicy taste. The 18 Days variety will delight you with elongated cylindrical radishes, also weighing up to 18-20 g, but with a sweet taste, without bitterness. Both varieties are resistant to bolting and are undemanding in care. For the 18 Days variety, the root vegetables can become loose and hollow if sufficient moisture is not provided or if they are subjected to severe frosts (below -5 °C) for more than a couple of days.
For those who prefer larger root vegetables, I recommend the Diego variety. It matures a little longer than the first two, but the root can reach impressive sizes — up to 100 g, and in terms of taste quality, it surpasses many other varieties and hybrids.
It is also worth noting the Zhara variety, which has already proven itself. Its root vegetables reach a weight of up to 50 g and mature approximately 20-25 days after sowing. They have a pleasantly spicy taste, and Zhara is a record holder among radishes for vitamin C content.
For lovers of unusual color solutions, the varieties Bely Zefir and Zlata are suitable. Bely Zefir, as the name suggests, produces white root vegetables. It matures quickly — in 20-25 days, and its taste is very pleasant, moderately spicy. This variety can withstand frosts and is resistant to lack of moisture.
Zlata has root vegetables with a golden color and resembles mini-turnips. Their weight is small — up to 25 g, but the taste is very refined with various shades of spiciness. This variety matures longer than the previously mentioned ones — 28-30 days, is resistant to bolting, and has good storability — without losses in taste quality and appearance, it can be stored for up to 10 days.
