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White Hailstone Radish is a heirloom radish variety that gets its name from the small uniform round shape and color that makes it resemble hail. This radish variety is frost tolerant and prefers the cooler months of the spring and fall. Hailstone radishes have a pungent peppery flavor that adds a nice kick to any dish. They can be served raw or cooked and compliment a large variety of flavors and meals. They also keep quite well in the fridge making them a great end-of-season staple to use into the end of fall and start of winter.
NAME: Radish (Raphanus sativus)
VARIETY: White Hailstone
DAYS TO MATURITY: 22 – 28
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Annual
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 3 – 9
SUNLIGHT: Full sun recommended
SOIL: Rich, loose fertile soil with a pH 5.9 – 6.8
PLANT HEIGHT: 6 – 8 inches
SPACING: 2 – 3 inches
TEMP: 38 – 75 ºF
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
It is not recommended to start Hailstone Radish indoors due to their strong root system and preference for direct seedings.
If you choose to sow Hailstone Radish seeds indoors, start 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost date in your area.
Plant seeds in deep containers or seed trays filled with well-draining potting mix.
Sow seeds ½ inch deep and keep the soil consistently moist.
Maintain a temperature of around 50-70°F (10-21°C) for optimal germination, which typically occurs within 5-10 days.
Once seedlings have developed true leaves and are large enough to handle, they can be transplanted outdoors.
Directly sow into your prepared beds immediately after your last local frost in the Spring.
If sowing in the fall, plant 2 months before your first fall frost.
Sow seeds in rich, deeply worked soil, 1/2 inch deep and spaced 1 inch apart.
Once the seedlings are 2 inches tall, thin them out so they are 3 inches apart.
Plant another round of seeds every 10 days or so while the weather is still cool for continuous harvest of radishes in the late spring and end of summer, leading into fall.
Before sowing, be sure the soil bed you are planting in is fertile, well aerated, and tilled; compacted or infertile soil will not allow the radish bulbs to fully develop.
Radishes need plenty of sun, so grow them in an area where they can get 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
Radishes do well with consistently moist soil and the addition of organic matter such as compost; do not allow the soil to dry out, but also avoid overwatering as this can cause splitting.
Radishes do not tolerate high temperatures, which will cause them to bolt and get tough.
Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, as they can promote excessive foliage growth at the expense of root development.
Hailstone radishes have the best taste when harvested at 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter, which is generally 25 to 30 days after sowing.
To harvest, gently pull upward on the greens when the soil is damp.
Cut off the tops and store wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge.
Hailstone Radish has a pungent spicy flavor that adds a nice kick when used raw or cooked.
Use fresh thinly sliced, chopped, or shredded and combined with tart and sweet ingredients to balance flavors.
