Asian Greens Seeds - Hong Vit, ORGANIC
$3.25 $1.63
Raphanus sativus
This variety is technically a radish, but is grown for its delicious greens rather than its roots. The baby leaves are almost totally hairless and have just a slightly spicy bite. Hong Vit does produce a root, but it’s not particularly good to eat. Instead, we love these greens added fresh to our salads for a mild kick, or braised and sautéed.
Hong Vit needs full sun, and can be direct-seeded in spring or fall. It takes approximately 30 days to harvest baby greens. 2 gram packet contains approximately 200 seeds.
Planting Information
| Avg. seeds/packet | Packet weight | Planting Season | Sowing Method |
| 170 | 2 g | spring or fall | direct seed |
| Seed Depth | Direct Seed Spacing | Soil Temp. Range | Days to Sprout |
| 1/2" | 1/2" | 40-75 ℉ | 4-11 |
| Mature Spacing | Sun Requirement | Frost Tolerance | Days to harvest |
| 2-3" | full sun | frost-tolerant | 30 |
Growing Information
Greens come in different varieties ranging in color, texture, and shape of leaves. These varying types of greens come from different regions of the world, including Asia, Africa, and the Southeastern US. Most greens grow best in moist, rich soil. To prepare the soil for planting, spread compost over the planting area, about 3” thick. Carefully turn the compost into the ground with a digging fork, loosening the soil. With a few exceptions like molokhia, amaranth, and summer spinach, all other varieties of greens (sold by Sow True Seed) thrive in cooler temperatures and do not grow well in summer. Aim to start seeds about four weeks before the last frost. Fall plantings can tolerate frost, which actually contributes to a sweeter flavor to the greens. Plant seeds just under the soil, about a half an inch apart. Once the seedlings sprout and grow their first leaves, thin them to about 8-12” apart. Your baby greens are delicious, eat your thinnings! Keep soil moist as they grow, at least an inch of water per week. Greens can be eaten at any stage, for cut and come again harvesting, pull a few leaves at a time from the outside of your plants and allow the main plants to continue to grow. When the plants are fully mature, you should cut the whole head at the base with a sharp knife. Your spring plantings will likely get bitter and/or bolt in the heat of summer, so harvest before that time and use the garden space for something else.
Seed Saving
Radish (Hong Vit greens), Raphanus sativus
Pollination, insect; Life Cycle, annual; Isolation Distance, ½ mile
An insect pollinated annual, radish can be a challenge to keep pure because in many areas there are an abundance of wild radish that will cross readily with your cultivated varieties. Being a small plant, they are easy to cage for isolation, and being fast maturing, time isolation is a great choice as well. Seed pods will form after the flowers die back, and you should allow the pods to dry on the plants for as long as possible before gathering. Pods are thick and do not shatter easily. Winnow to separate chaff.