Radish Violet de Gournay is a French Heirloom radish variety whose origin is difficult to trace. It was however listed sometimes in the 1860's in France in a book for market gardening by Courtois-Gérard. This radish is a mid-season winter variety with long purple root and a white flesh that is particularly sweet. It is great eaten raw, for carpaccio or in a salad, or roasted as an accompaniment to meat. The leaves are edible and can be added to the vegetables for a soups. The "no vaste vegetable" by excellence.
Scientific Name: raphanus sativus
Plant Life Cycle: Annual
Optimal Germination Temperature: 20C
Germination time in days: 4-6 days
Indicative Days to maturity: 60 days
Sunlight: Full sun
in Soil requirement: Light and well drained
Sowing and cultivation: Sow seeds in open fields from mid-March to September (north) and February to end of June then from mid-August to October (south) at 1-2 cm deep. Can also sow under cover from mid-February to mid-March (in the north) and mid-January to mid-February in the south.
