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Growing Organic Long Scarlet Cincinnati Radish in the Vegetable Garden

Long Scarlet Cincinnati is a cool-season crop and one of the fastest vegetables in the garden. Direct sow seeds 0.5 inch deep and 1 inch apart as soon as the soil can be worked in spring — soil temperatures as low as 45 F are acceptable, and the crop actually benefits from cool growing conditions. Thin seedlings to 2 to 3 inches apart once they emerge; crowded plants produce forked or misshapen roots. Sow in full sun in loose, deep, rock-free soil for the straightest roots. Make successive plantings every 2 to 3 weeks through spring, then again in late summer for a fall harvest. Avoid planting during the hottest part of summer, as heat causes rapid bolting and pithy roots.

Long Scarlet Cincinnati's compact tops mean plants can be grown relatively close together, maximizing use of bed space. Keep soil consistently moist throughout the short growing cycle — uneven watering can cause roots to crack or become pithy. This variety performs well in raised beds and containers with sufficient depth, and its fast turnaround makes it an excellent crop to tuck between slower-maturing vegetables. Radishes are also well-known companion plants, often used to deter pests from brassicas, cucumbers, and squash.

Harvesting Long Scarlet Cincinnati Radish

Begin checking roots at around 25 to 28 days, pulling one as a test to assess size and texture. Roots are ready when they reach 0.5 to 0.75 inches in diameter at the shoulder — at the typical 30-day mark for this variety. Do not leave roots in the ground beyond maturity, as they quickly become pithy, hollow, and overly pungent. Pull by grasping the tops near the shoulders and lifting straight up. Tops can be left on for bunching and market presentation, or removed immediately if storing in the refrigerator. Roots store well for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp cloth or sealed bag. The mild flavor and crisp snap of Long Scarlet Cincinnati make it excellent raw in salads and as a snack, and it also holds up well in quick pickles, stir-fries, and sliced thin into grain bowls or tacos.

About Organic Long Scarlet Cincinnati Radish Garden Seeds

Long Scarlet Cincinnati is an American heirloom developed in the mid to late 19th century around the Cincinnati, Ohio area, where it was grown extensively by market gardeners working in glass greenhouses — earning it the delightful nickname "Cincinnati Glass radish." Its flesh was said to be so delicate and brittle that the variety seemed as fragile as glass, and the name stuck for decades before eventually fading from common use.

The variety was described in the 1907 Landreth and Sons seed catalog as a historic variety and was still being celebrated in seed catalogs as late as the 1930s. One 1935 catalog described it as "the finest long red radish," noting that its tops were so compact that "the radishes may stand touching one another in the rows" — a practical virtue that made it a favorite of intensive market growers.

Over time, rounder, more uniform radish varieties came to dominate commercial production, and Long Scarlet Cincinnati faded from mainstream availability. Today, it is considered a rare but worthwhile heirloom, valued by home gardeners and specialty-market growers for its mild flavor, elegant shape, and as a genuine piece of American horticultural history.

Tips From Our Gardeners

For the straightest, smoothest roots, prepare your bed deeply — at least 8 to 10 inches — and remove any rocks or hard clods before sowing. Even a small obstruction will cause a root to fork or curl around it. A few minutes of prep work before planting makes the difference between a beautiful bunch and a tangle of forked roots at harvest.

- Jerry Sawyer, True Leaf Market Writer

Organic Long Scarlet Cincinnati Radish Seeds Per Package:

• 4 g Packet - Approximately 700 Seeds
• 1 oz - Bulk - Approximately 4,970 Seeds
• 4 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 19,890 Seeds
• 1 lb - Wholesale - Approximately 79,580 Seeds

Organic Radish Long Scarlet Cincinnati Radish seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.