Radish 'Zurich Market', Organic

Radish 'Zurich Market' is a white elongated radish for early summer through to early autumn for bunching or for individual use. Sow from April to August it can be harvested from May to October.
The white flesh is crisp and mild and less pungent than that of the round varieties, they have a spice that warms the tongue, but doesn’t bite back. They add crispness and spice to salads and appetisers and are great with fish and seafood.

Radish 'Zurich Market' can be sown early under cover, this can be done from early March to April and will be ready for harvest only about 25 days after planting. And while radishes are a cool-season crop usually planted in early spring, 'Zurich Market' radishes are more heat tolerant and also suitable for planting in early summer.
Like all radishes, they are easy to grow even in a postage-stamp sized garden with well-drained soil and plenty of bright sunlight. Plant a small crop every two weeks to guarantee a continuous harvest.
Available throughout Europe, where it can be found similarly named: 'Zurcher Markt' in Germany, 'Marche De Zurich' in France and 'Mercato Di Zurigo' in Italy

• The European SAVE Foundation
  Certified as a rare and old variety, Radish 'Zurich Market’ has been awarded the ProSpecieRara foundation’s seal of approval. ProSpecieRara makes a valuable contribution to the conservation work of old varieties with robust pure-line seeds from niche varieties that cannot be found in mass outlets. It is a network partner of the European SAVE Foundation (Safeguard for Agricultural Varieties in Europe), dedicated to preserving the diversity of rare plant varieties and traditional crops from extinction.
• Certified Organic Seed.
  This seed has been organically produced. The seed has been harvested from plants that have themselves been grown to recognised organic standards, without the use of chemicals. No treatments have been used, either before or after harvest and the seed is supplied in its natural state.

Prepare the site:
Radishes prefer regular garden soil, especially soil that was heavily manured in a previous season and allowed to rest. Radishes can handle a little shade, especially if the temperatures are creeping up, but they need several hours of direct sun to fully develop.

Sowing:
Sow indoors from late winter or sow directly from late spring through to early autumn
Radish can be planted from as early as the soil can be worked. Make successive plantings of short rows every 10 to 14 days. Plant in spaces between slow-maturing vegetables (such as broccoli and brussel sprouts) or in areas that will be used later for warm-season crops (peppers, tomatoes and squash).
Sow thinly, 0.5in (1.5cm) deep in rows 9in (25cm) apart.
Keep moist and thin as necessary. Proper thinning focuses the harvest and avoids disappointing stragglers that have taken too long to develop. Slow development makes radishes hot in taste and woody in texture.
Repeat sowings every two to three weeks to ensure a continuous supply. Remember, it is much more economical to sow little and often rather than have a long row of radishes all coming to maturity at the same time.

Cultivation:
If you want good-tasting radishes also pay close attention to the watering regimen you provide. Moisture stress can result in the same woody, hot radishes that poor soil conditioning and lack of fertiliser or humus will result in.

Harvesting:
Plants will be ready to harvest when they are of usable size and relatively young from 21 days, starting when roots are less than 1 inch in diameter. Radishes remain in edible condition for only a short time before they become pithy (spongy) and hot.
In dry weather the bed should be watered the day before they are pulled. Gently hold the tops twist and lift. Remove the tops by twisting them off with your hands. The tops are very tasty and can be cooked and eaten like spinach.

Storage:
Save the young thinnings of both summer and winter radishes. They are delicious with tops and bottoms intact. Both summer and winter radishes store well in the refrigerator once the tops have been removed. The radish leaves cause moisture and nutrient loss during storage.
Store greens separately for 2 to 3 days. Refrigerate radishes wrapped in plastic bags for 5 to 7 days. Store roots in dry sand, soil, or peat for winter use.

Culinary Use:
As with any Brassica member, mustard oils are responsible for the tangy taste of radishes. All varieties are excellent sources of Vitamin C and, ounce for ounce, have about 42% as much as fresh oranges.
Just like carrot tops, radish greens can be used in a variety of dishes, including raw in blended drinks or in salads. Radishes are high in Vitamin C, folate and potassium. They are known to relieve indigestion and flatulence, as well as being a good expectorant.

Origin:
Radish is a native of China, Japan and all the western parts of Asia. The Zurich Market radish is a variety of Daikon root vegetable with a peppery, hot flavour. Thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region, by 500 B.C. it was cultivated in China.
Much like miniature daikon radishes in appearance, 'Zurich Market' radishes are longer, slimmer and taper off. They were traditionally grown in Switzerland.

Nomenclature:
The genus name raphanus, from the Latin raphanus (also raphanos meaning ‘radish’), derives from Ancient Greek ῥάφανος (raphanos), ῥαφανίς (raphanis).
See also rháphys or rhápys meaning ‘turnip’.
The species name sativus is taken from the Latin sativus meaning 'sown" or 'that which is sown', meaning cultivated. It is found in the binomial names of many domesticated plant species - sativus (masculine), sativum (neuter), or sativa (feminine).
The common name radish is from Middle English radiche, from Old English rædic, (compare Old French radise or radice), derived from Latin rādīx, or rādīc meaning 'root'.