The Purple Rat's Tail radish is similar to the green rat's tail radish but with a purple color. This rare radish is a bit of an oddity and therefore is only for the adventurous gardeners! While most radishes are harvested as edible root vegetables, the unique Purple Rat's Tail radish is grown for its crispy and mildly peppery flavored pods that grow off the stem of the plant. The mature and ready to eat pods look just like a purple rat’s tail, which is how they got that funny name. Seeds grown and seed saved in Cork, Ireland.
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
Soil requirement: Light and well drained
Sowing and cultivation: Sow the seeds direct in early spring in full sun 1/2 inch deep. Once they have grown, thin the seedlings to space your plants about a foot apart. Harvest rat-tail radish pods when they are about as thick as a pencil and 4 or 5 inches long. They will begin to lose their tenderness and become fibrous as they grow and mature, so pick them early.
