Skip to main content

White Icicle Radishes

Icicle · Brassicaceae

White Icicle is a long tapered spring radish with bright white skin, crisp flesh, and a mild refreshing bite. Roots commonly reach 4 to 5 inches long while staying fairly slender and tender, making them useful for salads, snack plates, and bunching harvests. It is a reliable cool-season radish for gardeners who want a longer root shape without the size and slower maturity of daikon types. Key facts: 30–40 days to maturity, 4+ hours of sun, 2–3 " spacing. Container-friendly (minimum 2-gallon pot).

Updated April 19, 2026 · Backed by 2 cited sources
Overview

At a Glance

The essentials first: timing, light, spacing, seed-starting, container fit, and overall size.

Days to maturity
30–40 days
Sun
4+ hours
Full Sun To Part Shade, 6 8 Hours
Spacing
2–3 "
between plants
Seed start
0 weeks
before transplant
Container
Yes
2+ gallon pot
Height
0.5–0.75 ft
at maturity
Planting window

Zone Planting Guide

Switch zones to see whether this plant is a strong fit, what frost timing looks like, and any extra notes worth planning around.

This card updates instantly with viability, frost timing, and any planting notes for your selected zone.

Resilience

Plant Health

Stress tolerance, resistance notes, and the most common problems to watch for as plants mature.

Tolerance
Heat: Low Cold: Moderate Drought: Low

Common Issues

Pithy Roots

Cause: Heat and delayed harvest make roots hollow or spongy.

Prevention: Sow in cool weather and harvest promptly.

Poor Shape

Cause: Crowding prevents round roots from sizing evenly.

Prevention: Thin seedlings early to final spacing.

Root Cracking

Cause: Uneven watering during rapid growth splits roots.

Prevention: Keep soil evenly moist.

Feeding & picking

Nutrition & Harvest

How hungry the plant is, what ripe harvest looks like, and how long the crop keeps after picking.

Feeding
Nutrition
Feeding intensityLight feeder
RecipesWorm Castings Topdress, Compost Tea
Timing
Harvest

Harvest when roots are bright white, smooth, and about finger-thick, before they become pithy or overly strong.

Expected yield0.05–0.12 lbs/plant
Storage14 days — Remove tops and refrigerate roots promptly for best crispness.
Plant relationships

Companion Planting

Helpful neighbors can support growth or deter pests. Keep antagonistic plants separated to reduce stress and competition.

Avoid planting near
Herb Fennel
What you'll need

Growing Supplies

Based on White Icicle's growth profile -- recommendations matched to this variety's specific requirements.

Drip irrigation / soaker hose kit

Every gardener benefits from putting water at the root zone instead of on the leaves, because drip and soaker systems reduce foliar disease pressure by limiting leaf wetness and soil splash. A quality kit should include a backflow preventer, filter, pressure reducer, and UV-resistant tubing.

Source: Iowa State University Extension; Colorado State University Extension; UMass Extension

Soil test kit

A soil test gives a baseline for pH and nutrient status so gardeners can add only what the soil actually needs. Prioritize a mail-in or lab-affiliated kit whenever possible because extension guidance notes that laboratory testing is more accurate than instant readers.

Source: University of Maryland Extension; Purdue Extension; Montana State University Extension

Quality bypass pruners

Extension guidance favors bypass designs because they make cleaner, closer cuts on living tissue than anvil types. Look for hardened steel blades that can be sharpened, a comfortable grip, and a cutting capacity matched to real home-garden stems.

Source: University of New Hampshire Extension; Iowa State University Extension; Purdue University Extension

These are Amazon affiliate links -- if you buy through them, SoilStack earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's how we keep the app free and the calendar ad-free. We only link products that match what the research says you actually need.
Research

Sources

Reference material and extension guidance used to build this growing guide.

seed_catalog Seeds Nowuniversity University of Minnesota Extension
Internal links

White Icicle Radishes Planting Dates by Zone

Jump to your USDA zone for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.

Ready to grow White Icicle?

Get a personalized planting schedule based on your exact zone with frost dates, task reminders, and feeding plans.

Start Your Garden Plan