Grow a garden thats filled with Purple Plum Radish crops, from freshly harvested Raphanus sativus seeds. Purple Plum is a heirloom variety of Radish which produces roots that measure 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The outer skin is purple, while its inner flesh is a solid white. Purple Plum Radishes go great with other colored radishes and also add a splash of color to boring salads as well. The roots can be harvested in roughly 30 days.
Purple Plum was originally released in 1985, by the Alf Christianson Seed Company, located in Washington. Purple Plum Radish is grown as an annual crop. Annuals will grow quickly, producing leafy tops and small roots within a single growing season. If left to bolt, the plants can produce seeds for the following growing season.
Sowing The Seed
Radish plants are cool weather crops, so the seeds are best established directly outdoors, 8 to 10 weeks prior to the first frost. Start be clearing your sowing area of all unwanted plant life & weeds. Turn the dirt, or replace it with fresh, new soil. Sow your seeds at a depth of 1/2” under topsoil, in groups of 2 or 3, in a triangle formation.
Growing Conditions
Because Radish plants enjoy the cooler temperatures of the Autumn season, you should make sure that temperatures stay between 55F and 80F. Plant them in an area that will receive full sunlight for the majority of the day. The soil should be rich, but also well drained. To increase drainage, try adding a bit of light compost to areas containing hard, compact soil. Water daily in the morning, but avoid overwatering as this can cause your Radishes to become waterlogged.
Germination & Growth
Radish seeds will begin to show signs of life within as little as 7 to 14 days after sowing. The plants will grow 4 to 6 inch tops, producing 2 inch, purple colored roots. The seeds, as explained above can be sown in groups of 2 or 3, while spacing each group roughly 4 inches apart from one another. The rows will be spaced about 8 inches apart. Harvest when young, just as the roots measure 2 inches in diameter.