Radish Blauer Herbst und Winter [Raphanus sativus var. niger]

The annual Radish 'Blauer Herbst und Winter' is a historically traditional and rediscovered vegetable variety. This variety forms elongated roots up to 25cm long. Fresh, spicy to sharp taste. Excellent for storing and consuming raw consumption. Ideal for direct sowing, pot cultivation possible, sowing spring-autumn-winter, good for mixed culture, harvesting the roots.

 Description 
The Radish 'Blauer Herbst und Winter' is a annual, historically traditional and rediscovered vegetable variety. It has been passed on from generation to generation for centuries and has been cultivated in ecological agriculture since the 1920s. Originally from Central Europe, this variety is one of the classic winter rettes.
Their elongated, up to 25 cm long roots with strong, violet blue shell, which not only stands out visually, but also convinces with its excellent storage capacity is particularly characteristic. The variety is ideal for autumn and winter cultivation in mild layers and can be stored and used until spring. Typical for radishes is the strong, sharp and spicy taste, which is characterized by health -promoting mustard oils.
In the kitchen, the blue autumn and winter use a variety of use, raw as a spicy side dish, grated in salads, cooked in soups or inserted to mitigate the sharpness. It is also traditionally used in naturopathy, to support digestion or in the event of a cold complaints.

 General information 
Plant family: Brassicaceae
Life cycle: Annual
Days to harvest: 90 days
Plant height approx.: 40 cm
Root type: Deep rooter
Nutrient requirements: Medium
Water requirements: Medium
Winter hardiness: Up to -5°C
Location: Sunny
Soil: Permeable, humus-rich loamy soil

pH value: 5.5 to 7.5

 Sowing and planting information 
Germination type: Dark germinator
Sowing depth: 1-2 cm
Optimal germination temperature: 12-20 °C
Germination time: 4-10 days
Plant and row spacing: 10x30 cm

Germination ability of seeds: 4 years

 Mixed culture 
Optimal mixed culture: Bean, Pea, Lettuce, Nasturtium, Chard, Parsley, Spinach, Carrot, Leek, Tomato, Salsify
Unfavorable mixed culture: Cucumber, Cabbage, Radish, Rocket, Mustard, Zucchini, Corn, Potato

 Sowing by climate zone 
Subtropic climate (Mediterranean) (e. g. B. Portugal, Spain, Italy)
Direct sowing is recommended from January to May and in autumn from September to December. The plants should ideally be planted in a sunny location.
Moderate climate (e. g. B. Germany, Switzerland, Poland)
Direct sowing from April to August is recommended. The plants should ideally be planted in a sunny location.

 General recommendations 
Due to the simple and uncomplicated germination, direct sowing in rows is recommended. Do not sow the seeds more than 1-2 cm deep so that the roots can develop. The seeds can be sown close together, and by thinning them out later, the small and too densely growing young radishes can be harvested early to give others the space they need to grow.
Radish 'Blauer Herbst und Winter' prefers a permeable, nutrient-rich, evenly moist, sandy to humus-rich loamy soil. Doesn't tolerate waterlogging.

 Additional tips 
For a continuous harvest, staggered sowing every three weeks is recommended. Soil conditions determine the tuber's pungency. Calcareous, heavy, and compacted loam and clay soils are less suitable for cultivation, as they can impair tuber formation. In order to quickly obtain a fine, crumbly and permeable soil with good nutrient and water retention capacity, we recommend incorporating biochar and primary rock flour.

 Type of propagation 
Propagation occurs via seeds.

 Plant care 
Regular watering during dry periods is necessary to minimize the roots from splitting. Occasional weeding helps the young plants develop. Loosened, nutrient-rich and moist soil is sufficient. No fertilization necessary.

 Other names 
Botanical names: Raphanus sativus var. niger
English names: Radish, Black Spanish radish
German names: Rettich, Winter-Rettich, Langer schwarzer Pariser Rettich, Erfurter Rettich, Schwarzer Spanischer Rettich
Portuguese names: Rabanete, Rábano, Raiz-forte
Spanish names: Rábano picante
French names: Radis noir long d’été, Radis noir rond d’hiver, Radis noir long d’hiver, Raifort

 Origin 
Country: Germany