Why are my radishes hot?

Radish

 Here is something I've always wanted to know and I found the answer in this months newsletter from Warm Earth magazine

Why are my radishes hot?
Q. My home grown radishes always develop a hot flavour and are unpleasant to eat. Is it my tastebuds, or am I doing something wrong? Christina, Vic.

A. The hotness of radishes is dependent on the length of time they take to grow. Slow growth causes a hot, unpleasant flavour. Fast growth gives a mild, sweet flavour. The aim is to get them to maturity as quickly as possible. Don't plant until the weather has warmed up, otherwise they will be set back by cold spells or cool nights. Maintaining adequate soil moisture will keep them moving steadily along so they don't have a chance to develop 'off' flavours. Harvest as soon as they are ready. The longer they stay in the ground, the more chance they have of developing a hot taste. French Breakfast is a reliable, fast maturing variety that can be harvested about 4 weeks after sowing.

*Planting Radish seed in a pot.


*10 tasty Radish recipes from Vegging Out blog.