Daikon, Oilseed Radish, Tillage Radish, Fodder Radish
NEW! I'm happy to bring you this dual-purpose cover crop/ winter food crop. The large roots break up hard, compacted soil, capture nutrients from deeper layers, improve water penetration, repel some pests, fight fungal diseases, and make a huge amount of biomass. Used as a winter cover crop; the long roots make a channel for water and other roots to follow, as well as adding lots of organic matter. The plants freeze out when there are several nights below 20 degrees; the long roots then decompose in place during the winter. Especially in demand in clay soil--these are standbys in vineyards, along with bell beans, wheat, and mustard. 30 g packet plants 100 sq ft.
Of course they are edible as well! Daikon are used raw, pickled, and cooked in Asian cuisine, and make a high-yielding winter crop. This variety is bred for strong, long roots as a cover crop, so not every root will be as tender as select food varieties, but the large quantity of seed means you can plant plenty and pick the best for food.
Tip: try planting these beneath winter squash vines in late summer. They repel pests and grow in the shade during the summer, then when the vines die back and get cleared away, you already have part of your winter rotation in place. Raphanus sativus