18-Day BIO Radish Seeds Packet

Vilmorin BIO 18-Day Radish Seeds (Reference: 3883542) represent the excellence of traditional French varieties. This heritage variety, selected by Vilmorin experts, offers semi-long radishes with an elegant pink coat ending in a characteristic small white tip. Certified organic, these seeds ensure a garden that respects both the environment and your health.

A versatile root vegetable for all gardens

The 18-Day Radish is the ideal choice for beginner gardeners, children discovering gardening, and anyone looking for quick results. Its lightning-fast growth allows for an express harvest, perfect for filling empty spaces between main crops or for spreading harvests throughout the season.

These radishes adapt perfectly to urban gardens, planters and window boxes on terraces and balconies. Their compact size and short cycle also make them excellent companion plants for intercropping, particularly with lettuces, carrots and spinach. Market gardening professionals appreciate this variety for its profitability and rapid rotation.

In the kitchen, these pink radishes reveal a mild and refreshing flavour, without bitterness. They can be eaten raw in thin slices in mixed salads, in rounds with butter and a pinch of salt, or grated to add crunch to sandwiches and wraps. Their tender tops can also be cooked in soups or sautéed like spinach.

Varietal characteristics and performance

This semi-long variety features an elegant cylindrical shape of 4 to 5 cm in length, with a regular diameter of approximately 1.5 cm. Its bright pink colouring contrasted by the white tip makes it easy to identify at maturity and adds an aesthetic touch to culinary preparations.

The rapid growth rate is the major asset of this variety. Under optimal conditions, germination takes place in 3 to 5 days, and harvesting begins just 18 days after sowing. This exceptional precocity allows for up to 8 to 10 production cycles between March and October.

Vilmorin organic seeds benefit from a high germination rate of over 85%, ensuring uniform and regular emergence. The variety shows excellent resistance to cracking and premature bolting, providing a comfortable harvest window.

Sowing techniques and growing guidance

Direct sowing in open ground takes place from March to September, as soon as the soil temperature reaches 8°C. Draw furrows 1 to 2 cm deep, spaced 15 cm apart. Sow thinly by placing one seed every 2 cm, then cover lightly with fine soil. Too dense a sowing would require tedious thinning.

Partial shade is perfectly suitable, especially during warm periods. A cool, loose and well-drained soil promotes optimal root development. Avoid heavy, clay soils which deform radishes and complicate harvesting.

Regular watering is the key to success. Water stress causes radishes to become hard and pungent. Keep the soil constantly moist with daily fine-spray watering, particularly during germination and bulking phases. A light mulch retains moisture and limits thermal fluctuations.

Companion planting and expert advice

Companion planting optimises space use and improves garden health. Intercalate rows of radishes with lettuces, spinach or lamb's lettuce for a beneficial ground-cover effect. The radishes are harvested before these leafy vegetables reach their maximum development.

Sow radishes along the edges of carrot beds: they germinate quickly and mark the rows, making early weeding easier. This traditional "marker sowing" technique proves particularly effective with slow-germinating vegetables.

To extend harvests, practise staggered sowings every 15 days. During summer, favour cool and shaded spots, or install shade cloth. Autumn sowings, carried out under tunnels or cold frames, extend the season until the first frosts.

Avoid growing radishes after other brassicas (cabbages, turnips, rocket) to prevent specific diseases. A three-year rotation with legumes and solanaceous plants preserves soil fertility and limits phytosanitary problems.

Technical specifications