Watermelon Radish Seeds

Heirloom Watermelon Radish Seeds – Great for Pickling & Slicing
Raphanus sativus
Listing is for 1 packet of minimum 50 seeds

Watermelon radish is a stunning heirloom variety that brings a pop of color and flavor to your garden and kitchen. While the outside looks pale green or white like a typical daikon, the inside reveals a vibrant pink to fuchsia center—just like a watermelon! These radishes have a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of spice, making them perfect for raw slicing, pickling, or adding crunch and color to salads, slaws, and charcuterie boards. They grow best in cooler weather and take a bit longer to mature than regular radishes, but they’re well worth the wait. A visual showstopper and flavor favorite, watermelon radishes are a must-grow for home gardeners and food lovers alike.

Ideal Growing Conditions

Sun: Full Sun

Water: Allow the soil to dry out a little bit in-between watering

Soil & Fertilizer: Prepare the soil by mixing in compost and a balanced fertilizer. Once seedlings emerge, side-dress with phosphorus and potassium rich fertilizer every few weeks, and avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can lead to lush tops but small roots. Stop fertilizing once the roots begin to size up for harvest.

When & How To Sow Seeds: Direct sow seeds starting in fall, and continue sowing more seeds throughout winter. Cover with frost protection if temperatures are expected to fall at 28F or below. For a spring crop direct sow seeds after your last spring frost date. Follow square foot gardening guidelines and plant 9 per square foot. Or if growing in rows, space them 6 inches apart in rows that are 3 feet apart. 

Germination: 7-10 days

Days To Maturity: 65 days after direct sowing the seed

How & When To Harvest: When you notice the top of the radish sticking out of the ground, push the soil back and check how wide the top is. Harvest if the top is 2 inches in diameter or more.

Common Diseases: The most common diseases when growing radish are downy mildew, root rot, and bacterial soft rot. Downy mildew appears as yellow or brown spots on the leaves and thrives in cool, damp conditions—improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and spray with 1 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water. Root rot, often caused by overly wet or compacted soil, can be prevented by ensuring proper drainage and avoiding overwatering. Bacterial soft rot causes the roots to become mushy and foul-smelling; this can be minimized by harvesting promptly, rotating crops annually, and avoiding injuries to the roots during growth. Practicing good garden sanitation and crop rotation is key to preventing most soil-borne diseases.

Common Pests: Common pests that affect radish include flea beetles, root maggots, and aphids. Flea beetles chew small holes in the leaves, which can stunt young plants—protect seedlings with row covers and apply neem oil or diatomaceous earth if needed. Root maggots, the larvae of certain flies, tunnel into the roots and can ruin the crop; prevent them by rotating crops, and using row covers. Aphids cluster on leaves and stems, sucking sap and spreading disease—treat with insecticidal soap or a strong spray of water. Consistent monitoring and early intervention are key to keeping these pests under control.

Do I have a YouTube video tutorial on how to grow this? Not yet