Today’s Garden Ideas | How to Grow Radishes

How to Grow Radishes

Radishes are one of the easiest and fastest plants to grow. Radish plants come in 2 varieties; spring radishes and winter radishes. Spring radishes are harvested in the spring. Spring radishes are fast growers and they come in red, white, pink, and black. Spring radishes can be round, oval, or cylindrical. Spring radishes have a more subtle flavor than their winter counterparts. Winter radishes take a longer time to grow and are divided in to 4 groups. Daikon radishes are like white carrots. Chinese or lo bok radishes are white and long. Spanish radishes are tart with black skins and white flesh. German Beer Radishes look like turnips.

click on picture to enlarge

Purchasing & Planting

When purchasing radishes buy several different types of radish

seeds. Do not purchase seedlings as they will not transplant well. To sow the radish seeds begin by mixing in well rotted manure over the radish bed. Sow eight to ten radish seeds per foot
at a depth of 1\2 inch and cover with soil. Space radish rows 6-12 inches apart. If your radish garden has heavy clay soil mulch with sand to help with drainage. Thin radish plants after they grow their first set of leaves. Allow about 4 inches between plants. Keep well watered but do not allow water to collect around the base of the radish as this can cause rot.

Growing Tips

Radishes prefer full sun. Spring radishes prefer cool, rich soil so sow these seeds in an area that will have cool soil for four or more weeks. Let some radishes flower as their pink, white, and yellow blooms are very lovely and make a delightful addition to your vegetable garden. The whole radish plant is edible. The young leaves can be steamed or stir-fried and the flowers can be
added to a salad. Keep an eye out for root maggots on your winter radishes. These yellow maggots, about 1\2 inch long will burrow into the winter radishes. To prevent these pests add wood ash when planting winter radish seeds.

Seasonal Care

For seasonal care begin in early spring. Sow spring radish plants as soon as the soil can be worked. Plant new seeds about every eight days for a continuous crop. Plant seeds until the hot summer weather arrives. In mid to late summer plant winter radish seeds. In fall leave winter radishes in the ground until they mature in late fall or early winter. When the cold weather sets in mulch with straw.

Radishes are a great plant for children to grow. Because they require minimum effort and grow quickly they make a wonderful addition to a child’s garden. Spring radishes are best as they grow the fastest. Include your children in picking out the radish seeds to they can enjoy the entire gardening process.

click on picture to enlarge

Seasonal Care

Winter radish varieties include April Cross, Mantanghong Hybrid, Black Spanish, Munich Bier, Summer Cross, & Cherokee Hybrid. April Cross is a Daikon radish with a sweet flavor and about 18 inches long. This radish takes 60 days to ripen. The Mantanghong Hybrid is a Chinese variety with white skin and magenta flesh. This radish has a nutty flavor and is about the size of a tennis ball. The Mantanghong Hybrid radish will be ready to harvest in about 65 days. Black Spanish radishes, as their name implies have black skin. The Black Spanish radish is round with white flesh and ripens in 58 days. Munich Bier radish plants are of the German Beer variety and are the size and shape of a turnip. The Munich Bier radish is ready for eating in about 68 days. The Summer Cross radish plant is another Daikon radish that can grow up to 14 inches long but tastes best when it is about 6 inches lone. The Summer Cross radish will be ready in about 65 days. Cherokee Hybrid radish plants are of the Chinese variety. The Cherokee Hybrid radish is large, round, and red with white flesh. This radish is tart and matures in about 65 days.

Spring radishes include: Cherry Belle, Crimson Giant, Easter Egg, Flamboyant, French Breakfast, and Snow Belle. Cherry Belle
radishes are round with bright red skin and white flesh. Cherry Belle radishes are mature in 24 days. Crimson Giant radishes have a red skin and mild white flesh and are ready to harvest in 29 days. Easter Egg radishes are oval and the seed packet comes in a mix of red, purple, and white. The Easter Egg radish plant ripens in 28 days. Flamboyant radishes are cylindrical and red on top and white on the bottom. Flamboyant radishes are tart, about 2-3 inches long and are ready to harvest in 28 days. French Breakfast radishes are cylindrical and are scarlet and the top and white at the base. The French Breakfast radish will be ready to eat in about 23 days. Snow Belle radish plants are round with white skin. The Snow Belle radish matures in 28 days.

click on picture to enlarge

Quick Facts

Radishes are an annual that grows well in all zones. Radish plants like full sun and cool, sandy soil. They grow to a maximum of 8 inches in height. The whole radish plant is edible. By planting a variety of radishes you can harvest them year round.