Radishes are one of the most underrated vegetables because not enough gardeners know how to cook and use them. But once you find the radish you love, you’ll realize how amazing they can be. Soon enough, you’ll want to grow all the radish varieties in your garden.
I started growing radishes a few years ago, and I’m hooked. Whether raw or roasted, radishes taste delicious and grow fast in the garden. Some radish varieties mature in as few as three weeks.
Let’s take a look at some of the best varieties of radishes to grow in your garden.
15 Best Radish Varieties
If you’ve never grown radishes in your garden, now is the time. Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, and with so many different radish varieties available, you can try a few to see which ones you like the most.
1. Bartender Mammoth
At first sight, ‘Bartender Mammoth’ looks like pink or red carrots, but they’re actually radishes that reach up to nine inches long. Compared to carrots, these heirloom radishes are crispier and less dense, perfect for dipping in hummus, yogurt dip, or many other sauces.
‘Bartender Mammoth’ is perfect if you live in a warm climate or want to grow radishes in the summer because it tolerates warm weather – unlike most other radish varieties. This radish is ready to harvest 35-40 days after sowing.
2. Cherry Belle
If you want a veggie that looks like a classic radish, then ‘Cherry Belle’ is the one for you. This heirloom radish produces round, bright red roots that measure one inch across.
‘Cherry Belle’ is one of the quickest radishes for beginner gardeners because it only takes 22 days to reach harvesting size. That means in three weeks, and you’ll have your first crop. Kids love to grow these radishes because they receive satisfaction so quickly.
3. Chinese Rose
‘Chinese Rose’ is a popular pink daikon radish variety that produces long rather than fat roots. These radishes measure six to eight inches in length and two inches in diameter.
It takes 55 days for ‘Chinese Rose’ radishes to reach a mature size for harvesting. They’re perfect for salads, and if you slice them thin enough, they work great on toast or other dishes.
4. Crimson Giant
‘Crimson Giant’ radishes aren’t large; they typically measure two inches wide and one or two inches long. But they’re large when compared to other globe radishes, which are smaller.h ey grow in a short time, reaching mature size in just 30 days. Most gardeners have enough time to grow two or three crops of this radish variety.
‘Crimson Giant’ radishes taste great when added to salads or roasted. They make delicious radish pickles as well.
5. Early Scarlet Globe
Without a doubt, the quintessential radish is ‘Early Scarlet Globe.’ If you want a round, red radish that is crispy and mild, this is the one that you want to grow in your garden.
Not only are ‘Early Scarlet Globe’ radishes some of the best-looking radish varieties, but they’re also some of the earliest maturing as well. They mature in 20-28 days after sowing.
6. French Breakfast
‘French Breakfast’ is one of the most popular heirloom radish varieties. Originating in the late 1800s, they measure two inches long when mature and almost an inch wide. They’re elongated with red roots and white tips.
Gardeners love this radish because it has a mild flavor that is easy to enjoy, especially if you aren’t used to eating radishes often. The French eat them with butter and salt on toast as a quick and delicious snack.
It’s important to note that, oftentimes, people refer to any cylindrical red radish with white tips as ‘French Breakfast’ radishes, but that’s not true. This is a specific radish variety that comes from France.
These radishes take 28 days to reach harvesting size. While they might not be the earliest maturing radish, they’re one of the best tasting.
7. German Giant
If you allow most radishes to get too large, they become tough and stringy with a bitter flavor, but not ‘German Giant.’
This is one of the best hybrid radish varieties because it is sweet and crispy even at a large size. Within 30 days, they measure one to two inches wide, but they often reach up to the size of a baseball without changing the texture or flavor.
8. Golden Helios
‘Golden Helios’ is a radish variety that stands out because it’s yellow. It’s named after the Greek sun-god Helios because of that sunny yellow hue. They mature in only 25 days, and the greens are just as pretty with purple streaks. These radish greens look and taste great in salads.
If you live in an area with unpredictable weather, ‘Golden Helios’ is a great choice because they tolerate hot spells. It’s also a good choice if you accidentally plant your radish seeds later in the season then is ideal.
It’s best to harvest these radishes when they’re one to two inches in diameter because that’s when they’re at their peak. But if you let them become larger, it’s no big deal. They won’t become bitter.
9. Hailstone
‘Hailstone’ radishes look like baby turnips, and they taste great when roasted. They’re mild and juicy when raw with a firm, crunchy flesh. Gardeners can harvest ‘Hailstone’ radishes in only 25 days.
These radishes won’t handle hot weather, so it’s best to grow them in the spring and fall. They won’t thrive in the summer heat because the roots become hollow and bitter. Only your livestock will enjoy ‘Hailstone’ radishes at that point.
10. Matanghong
‘Matanghong’ is one of the few fall red meat radish varieties. They have a white outside and a green shoulder, but when you cut into this radish, you’ll find vibrant, dark pink flesh.
‘Matanghong’ is a hybrid radish that was created to produce high-quality, large roots. They measure three inches in diameter when mature, but some weigh as much as a pound at harvesting. The larger they are, the longer this radish takes to mature. Expect to wait 65 days after sowing for ‘Matanghong’ radishes to be ready at a large size.
One of the best things about this radish is that it germinates well in cold temperatures. You can plant them in the fall to extend your gardening season because they will tolerate some light frost.
11. Red King
‘Red King’ is a daikon type of radish that is particularly beautiful, with a candy apple red skin. The roots grow five to eight inches long and two inches wide. Expect them to measure one pound at harvest time. Despite their large size, ‘Red King’ radishes are juicy and delicious.
Like other large radish varieties, ‘Red King’ takes 55-60 days to reach maturity. They work for spring and fall planting, and they’re known for being slow to bolt. That means if you leave these radishes in the garden after reaching maturity, they hold their flavor and texture well.
12. Round Black Spanish
If you’re looking for a winter radish, try growing ‘Round Black Spanish.’ It’s best planted in the late summer and harvested in the late fall.
You cannot grow ‘Round Black Spanish’ in the summer because it bolts quickly when the temperatures increase. But as long as you match this radish variety with the right season, it’s reliable and beautiful.
As the name indicates, ‘Round Black Spanish’ produces radishes with a mahogany-to-black skin and cream-colored flesh. These radishes have a strong, peppery flavor that tastes best shredded into salads or fritters.
Expect to wait 50-70 days after sowing for these radishes to reach a harvestable size. They stay well in the ground, so you can harvest as needed in the fall, and they store well in the refrigerator.
13. Royal Purple
‘Royal Purple’ is an exclusive Burpee radish variety that produces brightly colored, sweet radishes in different shades of purple. They reach a mature size 33-35 days after planting, which is only a little longer than some of the early varieties.
Adding ‘Royal Purple’ radishes to your garden gives you some pops of color in your salad or recipes. Some gardeners prefer only to grow heirloom plants, but this hybrid has the advantage of being resistant to many common radish diseases.
14. Rudolph
When you think of Rudolph, what you imagine? I’m betting that you said his red nose!
That’s why ‘Rudolph’ radishes have this particular name – they’re bright red. This is a hybrid cultivar that produces uniform roots in as little as 25 days after sowing. ‘Rudolph’ is a classic red radish that is crack resistant and perfect for spring and fall gardens.
15. White Icicle
Last but not least, ‘White Icicle’ is a fast-growing radish variety that does best when planted in the spring. These radishes have crispy flesh with a slight hint of pepper. They reach up to five inches long and mature in 23-30 days.
Many other white radishes need to be planted in the fall, but ‘White Icicle’ is different. This also has a milder flavor that’s juicy and perfect for a variety of uses.
