Author Topic: Radishes grown for their seed pods (Read 3930 times)

Anke · « **on:** September 16, 2020, 05:57:57 pm »

I every so often binge-watch Huw Richards on youtube.... he mentioned in one of his videos that he likes to keep some of his radishes on to flowering/seed setting and eats the seed pods - I was intrigued and left some of my radishes to go to flower.... and I have to say the seed pods taste amazing - small but nice, crunchy and quite spicy. Only problem is... very few of the plants set seed, despite loads of flowers... my question is: Does anyone do this with their radishes and if yes, have you found a particular good seed-setting variety to grow? Are early ones better than mid-summer sown ones (as were mine). I am keen to grow enough for a funky ferment next year...

Terry T · « **Reply #1 on:** September 16, 2020, 10:26:17 pm »

It may be that you had poor seed set as a result of pollen beetles eating the pollen rather than radish variety - we certainly have problems setting seed from rocket in mid summer for this reason. Try sowing at different times to see if this can help.

Anke · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2020, 09:42:48 am »

Yes, I will do a more structured experiment next year, lack of pollinating insects (or eating of the pollen) may well be an issue....

Q · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2020, 08:48:30 pm »

[member=3211]Anke[/member] I have some radishes at this stage - are you eating the green pods or waiting till they go brown?

Fleecewife · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2020, 12:11:55 am »

Thomson&Morgan used to sell a variety specifically for eating the pods, which were larger than normal radish seed pods. I think it might have been called Munchen Bier (apologies for the lack of an umlaut - I don't know how to make my keyboard spit one out) I didn't find them any superior to normal radish pods. I let a patch go to seed this year too, but only a couple of plants actually set seed at all, so I let them mature and sprinkle themselves around - my idea of perennials

Anke · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2020, 07:22:11 am »

Quote from: Q on September 17, 2020, 08:48:30 pm

[member=3211]Anke[/member] I have some radishes at this stage - are you eating the green pods or waiting till they go brown?

No, you eat them green. Just a wee snack here, not many have set seeds, though the bees and other insects are very busy in there just now.

Anke · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2020, 07:25:27 am »

Quote from: Fleecewife on September 18, 2020, 12:11:55 am

Thomson&Morgan used to sell a variety specifically for eating the pods, which were larger than normal radish seed pods. I think it might have been called Munchen Bier (apologies for the lack of an umlaut - I don't know how to make my keyboard spit one out) I didn't find them any superior to normal radish pods. I let a patch go to seed this year too, but only a couple of plants actually set seed at all, so I let them mature and sprinkle themselves around - my idea of perennials

Thanks, I have checked München Bier out, will give them a try next spring. (German keyboard has "Umlauts" on its main set of keys....)

naturelovingfarmer · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2021, 12:44:23 pm »

Mustard seed pods are more prolific and self fertile. I've been eating them for years. Honestly thought nobody else did that.

Q · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2021, 08:59:36 am »

Quote from: Anke on September 18, 2020, 07:22:11 am

Quote from: Q on September 17, 2020, 08:48:30 pm
[member=3211]Anke[/member] I have some radishes at this stage - are you eating the green pods or waiting till they go brown?

No, you eat them green. Just a wee snack here, not many have set seeds, though the bees and other insects are very busy in there just now.

That reminded me.. - I followed your advice last year and ate many many severals of them - I also enjoyed myself introducing between 6 and 10 other people to the experience.
It was amusing to look at the doubt on their face about eating them until I did.
Most of them enjoyed it but I doubt if any of them will remember for this year though.

Anke · « **Reply #9 on:** May 29, 2021, 12:44:58 pm »

Quote from: Q on May 29, 2021, 08:59:36 am

Quote from: Anke on September 18, 2020, 07:22:11 am
Quote from: Q on September 17, 2020, 08:48:30 pm
[member=3211]Anke[/member] I have some radishes at this stage - are you eating the green pods or waiting till they go brown?

No, you eat them green. Just a wee snack here, not many have set seeds, though the bees and other insects are very busy in there just now.

Well I didn't get any München Bier seeds either.... and lost my first batch of my usual radishes to the snow in April... I will leave a few of the next batch to go to flower and hopefully have some seed pods again, however the rest of the family is not enamoured with them, and fermenting them wasn't my cup of tea either.... so a few for snacking on will be enough I think.
That reminded me.. - I followed your advice last year and ate many many severals of them - I also enjoyed myself introducing between 6 and 10 other people to the experience.
It was amusing to look at the doubt on their face about eating them until I did.
Most of them enjoyed it but I doubt if any of them will remember for this year though.