Nelson Radish is a refined French Breakfast type that delivers crisp, mild roots in just 21 days. This open-pollinated variety thrives on speed and moisture, producing tender radishes that stay in prime eating condition only briefly after harvest, making it a genuine test of a gardener's timing and attention. Grown for its delicate balance between French elegance and practical quick harvest, Nelson rewards consistent watering and cool-season timing with roots that are mild, crisp, and genuinely attractive on the plate.
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Nelson is bred for refinement rather than raw speed alone. As a French Breakfast type, it delivers the sophisticated flavor and texture that heirloom radish enthusiasts seek, yet does so in a compact 21-day window. The real distinction lies in its sensitivity to growing conditions: Nelson demands rich, well-drained soil with pH between 5.8 and 6.8, plenty of consistent moisture, and cool weather to stay tender and mild. Neglect any of these, and the roots turn pithy and aggressively spicy. Gardeners who master Nelson's particular needs find radishes worth the fuss.
Nelson radishes are eaten fresh and raw, sliced thin for salads, or served whole with good butter and sea salt in the classic French Breakfast tradition. Their refined texture and mild flavor suit raw preparations where the radish's subtle character can shine, rather than cooked applications that would mute their delicate profile.
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Sow Nelson directly into garden soil in spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in late summer for a fall crop. Direct sowing is the standard approach for radishes; they germinate quickly in cool soil and don't transplant well.
Harvest Nelson radishes at 21 days or when roots reach full size, typically 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Pull gently from loose soil; roots that are left too long in the ground may become pithy and overly peppery. Radishes are best eaten within days of harvest when they're most crisp and mild.
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