About Radish
Radishes are an annual root vegetable planted in the cool temperatures of spring and autumn. Because of their small size and speed, radishes may be grown just about anywhere. The entire plant is edible, from the root to the leaves, and can be enjoyed during all stages of growth from microgreens to a mature vegetable.
From the day you sow your seeds to the date of harvest is typically about four to five weeks. That’s about the closest you can get to instant gratification in the vegetable garden! Radishes are quick and reliable, which makes them a fantastic vegetable to introduce children or novices to the vegetable gardening world.
When to Plant Radish Seeds
Plant your radish seeds four to six weeks before the average last spring frost in your area, or as soon as the soil is workable. In warmer zones that do not experience a frost, directly sow your seeds outdoors in your garden during the winter and spring. Once temperatures reach 70°F it is too warm to grow radishes.
For a fall harvest, cooler zones can sow the seeds four to six weeks before the first fall frost.
Where to Plant Radish Seeds
Radishes take up such minimal space, you can grow them just about anywhere. They are a cool season crop and perform best when planted in a sunny spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight. In hotter climates, they will appreciate being sown in partial shade. They prefer loose, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8. Planting radish seeds in pots produces the food quickly and keeps it within arm’s reach, but they can also be grown in the garden outdoors.
How to Plant Radish Seeds
Because of how quickly they grow, you can choose to plant a row of radish seeds, directly sow them in a container, or use them as a fill-in crop between or within rows of other cool season veggies. If you and your family really love radishes, consider planting seeds in succession every 10 days so that the harvest continues throughout the season.
Till the soil and remove any rocks so that the soil is loose and well-draining. Radishes grow roots that need room to stretch deeply, and they cannot do this if the soil is compacted or rocky. Sow your seeds directly about ½ inch deep and about one inch apart in rows 12 inches apart. Thin the seedlings out to two to three inches apart once they have sprouted. It is important to keep the soil evenly moist.
How to Harvest Radish Seeds
Harvest your radishes as they mature, usually within less than 30 days, even if you don’t plan to eat them quite yet. This will prevent them from growing fibrous or going to seed. *Rotate your radishes to a different spot in your garden every three years.
Radishes come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. French breakfast radishes are long and skinny with a nice gradient of pink to white. Daikon radishes are large, white, narrow vegetables similar to the size of a carrot. Many others like easter egg, purple plum, or sparkler white tip radishes are small and round with varying colors of pink, white, red, purple and even black (black Spanish round).
