White Icicle

Family: Brassicaceae Root Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add White Icicle to a garden.

Crisp as fresh-cut glass, White Icicle radish offers a luminous, snow-white snap with a delicately sweet, mildly peppery finish.

At about 30 days, its slender, icicle-shaped roots stay tender and juicy—ideal for salad radish appeal, with a clean crunch that shines in fresh presentations and brightens quick pickling blends.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 30 DaysHabit: Taproot

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White Icicle Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Direct Sow	Jun 15th	Jul 15th – Jul 15th
Zone 1b	Direct Sow	Jun 1st	Jul 1st – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 25th	Jun 24th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 14th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 14th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Jun 18th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 14th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Jun 12th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Jun 7th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Jun 3rd – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	May 31st – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	May 25th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	May 20th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	May 10th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	May 1st – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	Apr 22nd – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	Apr 5th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	Mar 11th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Oct 31st – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	30
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Taproot
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	55
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	28
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

White Icicle is built for eating raw—its slender roots stay tender and stay snappy, so you get sweet, mildly peppery flavor without the harshness some radishes bring. Slice it thin and let it cut through creamy fats or sharp dressings without wilting into the bowl.

Best Uses

paper-thin slices or batons for salads where you want a glassy crunch
quick pickling (vinegar + sugar) that keeps the radish crisp instead of turning rubbery
ice-cold crudités with flaky salt to highlight its sweet-mild heat

Flavor Profile

clean, bright snap mild peppery bite with a sweet edge juicy, tender-crisp flesh

Kitchen Pairings

lemon juice sea salt butter goat cheese black pepper rice vinegar

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Raphanus sativus (white icicle radish) leaves turning yellow and holes appearing, and what should I do?

Yellowing with ragged holes is often flea beetle damage, while soggy spots and wilting can indicate damping-off in cool, wet soil. Cover seedlings with a fine insect net or row cover immediately after sowing, and keep the bed weed-free to reduce flea beetle habitat. Water at the soil level and avoid keeping the seed row constantly wet to prevent damping-off; if you see damping-off, remove affected seedlings and improve drainage before resowing in another spot.

How often should I water Raphanus sativus during the main growing phase to keep roots crisp and prevent splitting?

During the 3–4 weeks to maturity, keep the top 1–2 inches of soil consistently evenly moist so the roots swell quickly. In most home gardens this means watering about 1 inch per week total, split into 2–3 waterings, and adjusting to rainfall and heat. Letting the bed dry out then flooding it after will encourage cracking or pithiness, so aim for steady moisture from sprouting to harvest.

How can I tell when my white icicle radishes are ready to harvest?

Harvest at about 30 days, or as soon as the roots are clearly elongated and firm—typically when they reach roughly the size of a thumb and the shoulders show above the soil. Don’t wait too long after they’re full size, because Brassicaceae radishes (including Raphanus sativus) can become woody and hot-tasting. Pull one to check firmness; if it bends easily or feels soft, give the rest 2–3 more days and recheck.