Annette, I grow them. The ones I grow range from pale green to almost red. Every year I eat lots at first and then get bored with them. Just four or five plants can produce lots and lots of pods for quite a while. Every year, I promise myself to pickle them but have never got "a round tuit". I don't know about varieties. I know Baker Creek has seeds.

Rat tail radish has a long history as an heirloom, but personally I did not like the pods. To me, even the immature pods of "White Icicle" (if let go to seed) were more succulent. I tried "Madras" (see link below) and really enjoy it... the pods are fat, and very slow to develop fiber.

I tried to list a review of Madras on the Cornell "Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners" site several years ago, and they stated that 'Munchener Bier' (already listed) was synonymous. I question that, since most reviews of 'Munchener Bier' state that the root is eaten. Madras is bred for use as pods, and does not form a bulbed root.

Here is a link that might be useful: Madras podding radish

I did a search for "madras radish" and came up with this web site
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/products.asp?dept=96&pagenumber=1&sort_on=number&sort_by=ASC. It lists two varieties, the rat tail podding radish and madras radish. Can you please tell me if the "rat tail" listed there which they list as "8-10" long", is really that long. That variety in India is known as "singra" and is eaten stir fried and not raw. Raw it tastes slightly bitter and does not have that radish spiciness as opposed to the Madras radish pods which are spicy just like the radish root.

Any way, if any of you can spare some seed of the 8-10 long variety, i would appreciate it. Please send me an email with your address so I can send you a SASE or you can pick something from my list to trade. Thanks.

Thanks Zeedman, I ordered a packet of both radishes, their rat tail might be different from the one I'm growing now.

Annette

I have to agree with you zeedman, in amongst the rat tail seed I planted one plant is producing short fat green pods, Madras? Whatever it is it's quite succulent and nicer than the long skinny purple ones, I still like them but not as much as the short fat green pods. In any case I received my Madras seed from Bountiful Gardens today and have already planted a few seeds. Thanks for the heads up on this one.

Annette

Picking up this thread as I am looking for purple long rat tail radish seeds. Looks like Bountiful Gardens is now Sundial Seed and I dont see radish listed there. Would anyone be willing to trade/SASE purple rat tail radish seeds? Burpee is also out of stock on this one. Ever since I set eyes on a salad picturing the purple and green rat tail radish I have been wanting to grow both. I bought seeds for the green one, looking for the purple one. Thanks!

Yes, almost all radishes that bolt give out pods that are edible but the Madras variety is juicier and longer. Just like Singara (The one Baker Creek carries). They look more like long beans than peas. More visual appeal and they are grown just for the pods, but yes you are right, they taste pretty much the same as the ones that bolt. I've heard Spanish black can be used for both pods and roots same time...

I'm intrigued by these podded radishes. I'm especially interested in hot climate plants, as root radishes are very much not a summer (or even spring or fall) crop here. How much sun do they need? I have a spot where they could get four hours. Do I understand that both Rat Tail and Madras taste like radish roots, but Rat Tail is more pungent? The plants get tall, I gather. Do they climb? Would like to plant them alongside a wall on a trellis.

Madras is my favorite, 2 plants were more than enough for two of us. I don't know about the amount of sun they need mine were in full sun, they don't climb but might need a stake to stop them from flopping over in a shadier position.

OK, thanks. So if I want them on a trellis, I would tie them up. That works.

Rareseeds.com/ Baker Creek has Rat Tail Radish now
Singara Rat's Tail Radish

Sounds very easy to grow, suppose you could use outside the main veg garden as "edible landscape" as long as they got some sun. Don't have to worry about the root radish problems of root pests, heat, and bolting. Maybe they attract other summer pests.

You can munch on them raw. You can stir fry in oil like Chinese cook snap beans. Can you steam/boil like snap peas or snap beans?

If your intention is to grow radish pods that are delicious, purchase a variety bred to produce pods rather then edible roots. The difference is night and day.

I've never tried to steam or boil them. Mine end up in salads, stir fries, as a component in a veggie dip tray, pickled, and sliced up to use in my fresh sushi rolls. Many end up eaten as soon as harvested.

I don't know what variety I grow, as I am harvesting the seed from year to year of whatever my dear Korean (RIP) neighbor grew in her big garden.

But no one has told me what they taste like. I hear they are better than edible radish roots (which I like very much) and they are delicious, and can be prepared in many ways. OK, that's nice. But what do they taste like? Do they taste like the edible roots? If not, how is their taste different? I found one reference where someone said that some, as picked, are spicy hot. Is that normal? I would like to slice them for salads, like with root radishes, but that doesn't appear possible with Rat Tails. Maybe possible with Madras. Are the pods solid or hollow? Are there big seeds in them like with peas or beans? There are pictures of these things up the kazoo online, but none show what the insides look like.

Radish pods are spicy like the roots can be but never hot, hot. When harvested in a timely fashion, the pods remain crisp and crunchy. The texture is quite like a green bean. The seeds inside are small and soft and not noticeable in a young pod, after which they become hard and larger.

Slicing them up in a salad is the primary way we eat them. Why would you think not? They are not hollow. Those new to rat-tail radishes are caught off guard by how prolific they can be and how quickly they grow past the crisp stage. I sow them at different intervals throughout the spring and summer in order to keep a steady supply coming on.

Edited to add that I grow mine in tall tomato cages.

Thank you. That helps. So I gather they taste kinda like radish roots. Seem to me that slicing a Rat Tail would make for itsy bitsy tiny slices, unless maybe you shredded them longitudinally. The Madras ones would produce macroscopic slices. So you're saying that the productivity lifetime is limited? As in, after a while, during a given growing season, the plants just get tired of producing? Also, older pods become chewy rather than crispy? Tomato cages are a good idea.

Rat Tail radishes have a very short harvest window before they become tough, and the toughness of the "tail" was a turn-off for me. IMO they are little better than any other radish if allowed to bolt - and the pods of some root radishes (such as White Icicle) were actually more succulent.

Madras has wider, juicier pods that stay tender for days. The flavor is similar to the root radishes, slightly spicy, with a hint of sweetness. If kept picked (which can be a challenge!) - mine bear until frost.

I discovered by accident that radishes will bolt more quickly if Fall sown, or cold treated. When I grew Salad Rose, I let some go to seed, only part of which I harvested. The volunteers next Spring bolted much faster than usual.

If you keep some Madras pods on the vine, is that how you harvest usable seeds? Since as far as I can tell there is only one supplier of seeds, it would be nice to know how to collect my own. If the mature pods fall off, do you end up with volunteers? Yes, I like the width of the Madras pods, in that you can slice them for salads as you would prepare root radishes.

I had never heard of these things, and I'm looking forward to trying them this summer. I've been bedazzled by Malabar spinach for the last few years, and its strength and productivity in my fierce summer, so anything else that sounds tasty from the South Indian subcontinent has a strong attraction for me.

They taste very much like radishes. I've never cut them in tiny pieces. Halves or thirds for salads. Mostly eaten whole in our household.

Supposed to be an authentic type from Myanmar
Burmese Rat-tail-radish

Here is a type chosen for thin purple pods
Purple Rattail

not real sure what all of these sources are like, just want something good to eat

The Burmese rat rail looks a lot like the Thai rat tail radish I grow. Bumpy, medium length. The purple pods from Prairie Garden in Canada, look so pretty almost like beans. Less bumpy and longer. In India, both the green and purple pods are available in the winter months...https://twitter.com/ChefTZac/status/1060421803653312513

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/intriguing-yet-forgotten-pod-the-blue-purple-lila-mogri/articleshow/11851785.cms

daninthedirt I let mine mature and dry in the plant and save seeds. Yes you are right, these are rare to get and last year Burpees was out of the purple variety.

That's good to know about saving seeds. Thank you, Jey. As far as I can tell, only Quail Seeds sells the Madras variety.

OK, I have my Madras radish seeds. When to plant? I understand these plants like heat. Does that mean they shouldn't go in until the weather gets hot? I have to assume that they aren't freeze tolerant. Useful online information about these things is very scanty.

You should be able to plant Madras whenever you can plant salad radishes. They will tolerate a light frost. The pods will still be produced in warmer temperatures, but IMO, they are milder & more succulent late in the season, when the temperature begins to cool.

Thanks. For me, that means NOW. I was assuming as a native to the south Indian subcontinent, they wouldn't like frost, and thrive in heat. My Malabar spinach is pretty frost intolerant, and that comes from the same part of the world.

My Madras seeds from Quail were impressive. 100% germination.

OK, now have loads of Madras radishes. But they don't seem to want to get any larger than about an inch. Is that harvest size? Very little online about them. The bountifulgardens.org site is gone. They went out of business a few years ago.

As in ...

These are supposed to be full sized Madras radishes? They just don't seem to grow any larger.

My source was Bountiful Gardens, I was sorry to see them go under. Your pods look about like what got. Most of mine were harvested in cooler weather, which made them fairly mild. I'm guessing yours might be a little spicier? Great snacking, or to toss into a salad or a jar of pickles.

I got my seeds from Quail, which is where Jamie has moved, after the demise of Bountiful. Not clear where else you can get them. I have an e-mail in to her. But your observation is appreciated. For those interested in these things, see also the parallel thread at https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5697453/madras-radishes#n=2. 

Not much spiciness in mine.

I purchased the rat tail radish that Baker Creek is selling. The plants have been flowering for a while now, but there are no pods forming.

Do I need to hand pollinate them?

OK, Jamie from Quail Seeds (where I got the Madras radish seeds) gave me a nice rundown. Her Madras radishes, in her experience, get 1-2 inches long. Mine are maybe a little more than an inch. So that's whatcha get. Not to be confused with the rat-tails that grow much longer. Not clear what conditions make them longer or shorter. I was also a little perplexed about when to harvest. Should I just wait for them to try and get bigger? NO! She said that when the pods stop growing, that's when you pick them. They won't get bigger. In fact, it's pretty obvious when they stop growing. If you leave them on the vine much longer after that they get fibrous and tough. I have noticed, BTW, that it is best to eat them immediately. If you refrigerate them for a few days, they just get soft. I consider my Madras radish questions answered now. Thank you, Jamie!

cindy_7, re radish pollination, jut be aware that radish plants are self-incompatible. Flowers from one plant can't fertilize flowers on the same plant. So you HAVE to have more than one plant if you want fruit/seeds. You refer to your "plants" plural, so I guess you must be OK, though ideally the plants should be close to each other. I have no problem with natural pollination, though I've never noticed any pollinator insects busy on mine.

Dan - I have a small cluster of plants, probably about 10 or so. Lots and lots of flowers, no pods.

In this link below, there is a pic of Madras pods, they don't look any bigger than 2", so maybe that normal... in this excerpt from William Woys Weaver's Heirloom Vegetables book
Heirloom Radishes

Cindy, have you tried planting a smelly flowering plant very near them?

Just starting to get radish pods, not sure how the weather affects if the pods form, or if having a few plants in flower hurts pollination. My Madras has not made any pods so far but has flowers. The Madras plant is different with thicker stems, not as thin and "weedy" as the other "Rat tails".

Burmese Rat Tail Radish ... the two short green bumpy ones below, not sure how long they get but small so far. Good to eat. The seed bumps pop spiciness into your mouth when you bite, which is surprising and may turn some people off. Reminds me more of a mustard plant taste. Had only a few fill out, but I like these so far. Something you could snack on right in the garden.

Purple Rattail ... have had a few of those, the longer ones below. Haven't let any grow large yet. Look good, but not as good for fresh eating as the green bumpy ones. Tougher and not as good taste. Might be good chopped up in a stir fry.

I'm growing Madras this year. Loads of fruit. I'm a little disappointed in that the pods are barely an inch long, including the "tail". I posted a picture above, with scale. Flavor is nothing special.

Be aware that radishes do not self-pollinate. As noted above, radishes are self-incompatible. That is, one plant with lots of flowers won't get you anything at all. You need multiple plants to pollinate.

One thing to keep in mind about these things is that the stems are VERY fragile. A slight bend, and they'll snap. As a result, they have to be tied up with some care. I set up a trellis for them after they started getting big, and it took a great deal of delicacy to tie them up without breaking them.

Kate and Dan - It turns out that I just didn't wait long enough. Now we have more than enough!!

Madras are the smaller pods on the left above, Burmese Rat Tail longer on the right.

Madras has more succulent, less smooth pods that stay small. Burmese get longer but you get all sizes. Burmese are slicker (as you can see they look shiny compared), sort of like a greasy bean smooth compared to the more matte bush bean like pods of Madras.

Burmese Rat Tail is better for fresh eating IMO with a better taste so far and easier to pick. The Madras is more succulent with a thicker hull and I would think is better for stir fries and pickling.

The bumpy seed part is what is good to eat, the rest is tougher, so I'm not sure having 12" long pods is that desirable.

I've been getting loads of Madras, but I'm disappointed in the taste. Not much. Also, the size is such that you have to pick a while to have enough for a salad. I'll try a larger variety next year.

This business of radish plants being self-incompatible, in that flowers from one plant can't be fertilized by flowers from the same plant, was bothering me. If I have a seed packet of these things, and the seeds all came from one plant, how would your crop ever fertilize? I was talking to a botanist, and got some interesting answers. First of all, the seed provider ALWAYS gets their seeds from MANY PLANTS, and is careful to mix those seeds before packaging.

Also, self-compatablility is a bred-in characteristic. Many native plants, including native vegetable plants, are self-incompatible. Self-incompatability is genetically advantageous. All human cultures have strong intolerance of incest for exactly this reason. But you'd really rather not have plants that can't self-fertilize. So that characteristic is bred out. It can be done. For plants like radishes that are only rarely asked to bear fruit, no one has ever bothered to do that.

So if you have one plant, the seed pods never form? Or the seed pods grow with infertile seeds? These radish plants are very productive, multiple plants produce more than can be eaten unless somehow someone could get many people to eat them.

I was disappointed in the Madras too, I ended up with over 100+ pods from one plant, hard to pick and they were hard to tell which ones were fresh and which ones were older/ tough. I prefer the taste of the Burmese Rat Tail and they are much easier to pick and tell if they are edible.

These radish plants grow somewhat similar to sprouting broccoli, they grow faster and "bolt" more in the July heat but seed pods are a good thing. Like broccoli, you can keep cutting off the old pod branches, but the plants keep trying to flower so it seems like you can keep getting some pods.

That's correct. One plant gets you NOTHING. I gave a friend one Madras plant before I realized that.

Yes, with just a few plants they are very productive and, as I said, they don't have much taste. I'm not even picking them anymore. I'm going to do Rat Tail next year.

In fact, I believe that most broccoli is self-incompatible also.