Who knew, Radish Pods?

[Fooley0401]

I just found out yesterday that when you let radishes bolt, that the radish plants eventually form these little green pods with radish seeds inside. Even though radishes are easy to grow, they have never done well in my garden, but I have ripped them out to use the greens before they grew pods. Does anyone else grow these radish pods? Has anyone out there ever cooked with these radish pods? I have heard of other people pickling them, but does anyone have other ideas/recipes from experience? Thanks!

(the photo is not mine, I got it from here- http://beekman1802.com/general/pickle...)

[DonShirer]

Hmm. Just saw some Radishes I didn't harvest in time which had developed the pods, so we tried them. Neither DW or I were enthusiastic about the pods, either green or cooked. Not yay, not ugh, just meh.

[mamananash]

I got some in my CSA share box last week. Per one of the suggestions on their newsletter pureed them to make some sandwich spread. I just threw them into my Vitamix with some mayo, apple cider vinegar and salt. I think it would make a great veggie chip dip too.

[huiray]

These were also discussed on another thread. Some refs here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7995...

[peanuttree]

Oh yeah! I remember that now.
I've gardened in the past, with a particular interest in obscure fruits and vegetables. I grew these one year. Planted too late, never got a bunch at once, but was able to nosh on them now and then as they came out. Quite good! Nice and crisp, sharp flavor of radish, but also with a green salad veg flavor.

You don't want to use normal radish seeds. Get a variety bred for the pods, not the roots like normal radishes. Maintaining seed is straightforward as radish is an annual (obvs), just don't allow cross-pollination

[Pipenta]

Will cross pollination have an impact on the structure of the seed pods in that generation? Doesn't the maternal plant determine the structure of the ovaries and all? I didn't think so, but I sure could be wrong. I am NO botanist!

[Fooley0401]

I bet that heirloom radish seeds would work- no added hybrid root growing genes. After that, though, I guess you just let the plants run their course.That is the impression I got from the website- the pods are just the fruit (if you will) that comes from the radish flower.

[small h]

I can report that my French breakfast radishes were good solely for their pods this year. I don't know whether these qualify as "normal" radish seeds, but they did absolutely nothing below ground. Instead, I got an impressive radish hedge. I ate some of the greens, but I'm not a huge fan - I think they taste like hair. But the pods rock, crisp and juicy, with the flavor of a spicy snap pea. So glad to get some use out of those slacker radishes.

[coll]

Thank goodness, because I planted a ton of radish seeds, and then just when they started coming up, got a tick bite, went on meds, during which I got another tick bite that turned into a bullseye and went on more meds; luckily my garden isn't a complete disaster....despite a new fear of ticks and extreme sun sensitivity due to the antibiotics. I notice the radish and beet seeds that I sowed are pretty funky, due to my not thinning. I'll have to think outside the box.

[Fooley0401]

yeah- I had the same tick problem a few years ago (but I didn't have any radishes). I personally have not grown radish pods before, but the website where I learned about them said that each plant grows like, twelve pods- so you will have a lot! You can always sautee the greens with garlic and olive oil too- that is another one of my favorite things to do with "funky" radishes.

[coll]

Oh I have some rice with radish greens on hand right now, plus a ton more cleaned and chopped in the freezer, just from the grocery store. My husband thinks it's parsley when I add it to dishes. That and beet greens are my favorite, not that I don't LOVE beets and radishes.

[Pipenta]

So sorry to hear this. Lyme disease is brutal and the ticks are sneaky.

I have a pair of pants I wear for outdoor work and hiking. And I have absolutely sprayed the living bejeebers out of them with permethrin. The poison is supposed to stay on for a couple or three dozen washings. But, to be honest with you, I don't wash these pants but once or twice a season. I don't want to make the any less toxic to the ticks, and I don't want the pesticide going down the drain.

Permethrin, in my experience, is kind of useless for mosquitos. They bite fast and then leave. But ticks have to crawl around for a while to find a good place. And when they do bite you, they stay on for hours. So the poison usually kills them before they can bite or give you a dose of Lyme disease.

I was gifted a fancy ExOfficio bug shirt that came pretreated and I do not wear it, it makes my skin twitch (although I am very fond of ExOfficio's regular shirts like their DryFlyLite). So EVERY time I come in from being out where the ticks might have gotten me, I shower and scrub like mad and I shampoo and just GLOP conditioner on my hair. I figure conditioner will suffocate any the little horrors who get on my hair. Will just clog up their respiratory passages. I mentioned this to a tick researcher once, and he said it sounded like a good idea.

Anyway, I hate the idea of you or anyone having to give up gardening or any outdoor activity because of those yucky ticks. So I figured I would share just in case some of my methods are of use to you.

Oh, and you spray your clothes before you put them on. I lay mine out on the driveway and spray and then hang the clothes up to dry. And like I said, even washing it, the poison is supposed to be good for a month or two.

[coll]

This is all so new to me, I started out going to the garden in my shorts, tank top and flip flops, now I dress like I'm going into combat, Desert Storm hat and all. Hopefully I will find a happy medium. Thanks, some good tips. I do get dressed in the garage, although since my indoor cats also go out there, don't know if it's any help. But just in case, I'm tired of scanning my body constantly!

[HillJ]

They are great as a cocktail garnish, and most unexpected by people. Pickled is my fav way to enjoy them.

[tcamp]

I just discovered these at the farmers market several weeks ago. They are good both raw and lightly cooked. I tossed some sliced pods into a faro salad, stir fryed a few others with beef and pok choy, and my kids ate some dipped into a blue cheese sauce. Then I pickled a jarful. They are really cool, aren't they?

[Fooley0401]

They are really cool- I had absolutely no idea that my bolted radishes could produce something more than greens. It's got me wondering what other delicious "mess-ups" in my garden could lead to...