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Unlike the more familiar radish, which is grown for its roots, the rat's tail radish is harvested for its crunchy pods. The pods resemble chillies, but taste like a young rooted radish. Rat's tail radishes are quick to mature - you can expect to harvest your crop within six weeks.
Rake an area level to remove stones and weeds. Using a wooden guide make sowing channels 1cm deep.
Sow radish seeds 2-4cm apart, cover with a thin layer of soil. Sow from March to August for regular pickings.
Water well to help germination – lots of moisture is needed by this fast-growing crop, which should appear in 2-3 days.
Thin out emerging seedlings to leave plants about 2-4cm apart. Then water to settle soil around remaining roots.
Allow flower stems to form. The small, pretty blooms attract aphid-eating hoverflies and other beneficial insects.
Pods should be picked while small and tender. You can collect seeds for next year’s crops once the pods dry out.