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Best time to grow radishes


Growing radishes in home gardens

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Quick facts

Garden radishes and daikons 

Radishes come in many sizes, colors, and types. Most familiar are the garden radishes (Raphanus sativus var. radicula). Garden radishes have a spicy flavor and crisp juicy texture. They are good in salads and can stand alone as a snack.

Radishes may be spherical or carrot-shaped, and in a rainbow of colors: green, white, pink, red, purple and yellow. You may plant these small roots in the spring, but you can also grow them as a fall crop.

Home gardeners can also grow the long, white, Asian radish (R. sativus var. longipinnatus), often called daikon, its Japanese name. These roots can grow to large sizes, and are typically less spicy or hot than the garden types. Gardeners often plant them in the late summer for a late fall harvest. You can store them for fresh use for up to two months.

Radishes do best when grown in cooler conditions, and are tolerant of cold weather. You can grow tender, juicy, flavorful radishes if the plants grow quickly without stress. They may develop a flower that goes to seed, develop excessively hot flavor or become woody during the heat of a typical Minnesota summer.  

You should follow seed packet or catalog recommendations for individual varieties.

Planting

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How to keep your radishes healthy and productive

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Managing pests, diseases, and disorders

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Authors: Marissa Schuh, Extension educator, and Jill MacKenzie

Reviewed in 2022

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(Image credit: Debi Holland)

Ever wondered when to plant radishes and where to grow them? 

These petite rainbow colored root vegetables bring a vibrant taste sensation to myriad dishes. Radishes are a low maintenance crop which can be planted in the ground, in a greenhouse, on a patio or balcony, and are small enough to even be planted in pots indoors on a windowsill, making them perfect for novice gardeners to grow. They are also an extremely quick crop to grow – their root and edible leaves can be ready to eat, from seed to fork, in four weeks.

The most important first step in how to grow radishes is when to plant them. Get this right, and you can be enjoying a homegrown harvest, high in vitamin C and packed with antioxidants, year round. 

(Image credit: Debi Holland)

When to plant radishes

Whatever space you have available, however small, it is always possible to plant a pot or two of radishes, or direct sow seed on your plot as part of your vegetable garden ideas. But gardeners will often be wondering when to plant radishes, and if it too cold or too hot? 

'Radishes germinate quickly in early spring temperatures between 45-70ºF (7-21ºC). Plant radishes as soon as the soil can be worked, and consider using them to mark the lines of slower germinating summer crops, such as carrots,' explains Marianne Willburn, Virginia based gardening author, columnist and Small Town Gardener blogger.

'Many varieties can be harvested within three to four weeks,' adds Marianne. 'This makes them a perfect complement to early spring salads, and a terrific first crop for children who need only wait five to six days to spy the broad first leaves emerging from the soil.'  

Try sowing little and often; successional sowings in spring will ensure you have a continuous harvest with no hunger gaps. Try growing elongated ‘French Breakfast,’ round red ‘Champion,’ heirloom varieties ‘Sicily Giant’ or ‘Bunny Tail’ or carrot-shaped ‘White Icicle.’

(Image credit: Debi Holland)

What month is best to plant radishes?

The best month to plant radishes will depend on whether you are sowing seed direct outdoors, starting off the seeds under glass, and also the climate where you live.

A prime month for sowing radish direct in the ground is from April, once the soil warms up and the cold winter temperatures have given way to the warmth of spring. 

A fall sowing, in September, is also ideal as the heat of summer mellows and radishes are less likely to bolt.

To make the best and most productive use of growing space, particularly if you have a small vegetable garden, 'sow radish outdoors between slower crops, such as parsnip,' advises Mary Payne MBE, horticulturalist, garden designer and president of Fagus Gardening Club .

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When can I plant radish outside?

Radishes can be sown in spring and the fall, avoiding frosts and the dizzy heat of summer. Check local weather conditions, but in many USAD zones radish can be sown outside from April once the risk of frost has passed. 

As part of planning a kitchen garden, radishes are often sown between other slower growing crops as a ‘catch crop,’ where you get a quick harvest while you are waiting for other crops to mature. Most radishes prefer full sun so ensure they are not over shadowed by other crops. 

Radishes do not grow well in heat. The baking temperatures of summer can cause plants to wilt, bolt and go to seed, so avoid planting radishes outside in summer. 

For fall sowings, Mary Payne advises using selected winter varieties, 'sometimes known as Daikon or Mooli, such as ‘China Rose.’ They will be much slower growing.'  

These varieties have been bred for winter cultivation. The name actually means ‘big root’ and has an additional benefit of breaking up compacted soil. ‘Mooli’ have long, white roots, which are slower to mature and develop over 60-75 days. Daikon radish has a mild flavor, great for winter salads.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When to plant radishes under cover

If you're wondering when to plant radishes under cover, you'll be pleased to learn that they are an ideal crop to grow indoors all year round. 

As temperatures plummet in colder zones, you can sow radishes from late fall and throughout winter in a heated greenhouse, propagator or on a sunny windowsill.  

You can even sow in the heat of summer under protection, just water them more throughly. 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Start early radish sowings indoors

To maximize the growing season, you can also start early radish sowings indoors and transplant seedlings outside once temperatures in your local zone have risen. Keep them well watered to allow their tap roots to swell.

'You can start sowing under glass, in a tunnel or even on a sunny windowsill from mid-February, once the light levels start to improve. Radishes need to be grown fast. I like ‘Cherry Belle,’ a round-rooted type,' explains Mary Payne.

Alternatively, sow pots of radish indoors from late winter as part of your vegetable garden container ideas, then move pots outdoors once the risk of frost has passed in your zone. Pots are a handy way to grow your own food on a balcony or patio and allow you the flexibility to change pot location if conditions change.

Seeds need heat to germinate so grow radish in a protected environment and you will be able to enjoy this crunchy addition to dishes even in the heart of winter.

Debi Holland runs her own garden business in the south of west of England, gardening in beautiful country homes, and also writes for numerous online and print publications and presents online talks advocating ‘Gardening for Wellbeing.’

Note to gardeners: at what temperature does radish grow, can it withstand frost?

Why are temperatures important?

Radish is a crop that is undemanding to heat; on the contrary, an increase in temperature is undesirable for it. It easily tolerates cold snap and even short frosts, but slows down growth.

At temperatures above +25°C the plant grows rapidly, forms powerful tops instead of roots, and begins to prepare for flowering. The appearance of arrows makes it hard and fibrous, unsuitable for food.

Is there a difference when growing at home, in the soil in a garden, in a greenhouse?

You can grow radishes in different conditions, but everywhere the main requirements will be temperature and lighting. At home and in the greenhouse, you can regulate the temperature regime; on the street, you should carefully choose the sowing time.

The best time to sow radishes outdoors is early spring or late summer when temperatures are low and daylight hours are less than 12 hours (this is a short daylight crop).

With any cultivation method, the temperature should not exceed +20–23°C. Desirable thermal regime with a temperature difference between day and night. The best conditions at night are +5–10°С. Therefore:

Minimum and maximum values ​​that radishes can withstand

Radishes can easily withstand low air temperatures and even mild frosts. At +1–2°С, it will grow, but very slowly. Heat for this culture is more harmful than cold. If the air warms up above + 25 ° C, the radish will not die, but will not yield a crop, it will bloom.

At what temperature can I sow outdoors?

Now let's consider at what soil temperature it is possible to sow radishes, at what degrees it germinates. Sowing radishes in open ground can be carried out in early spring, as soon as the soil temperature reaches + 2-3 ° C, that is, almost immediately after the soil has thawed. By this time, the daily air temperature already reaches +8–10°C. During the day it warms up, reaching +15°С, at night it drops to +5–7°С. Such fluctuations during the day for the culture are not terrible, but even useful.

Temperatures below 0°C will not harm plants.

Spring crops are also in an advantageous position due to the fact that daylight hours are still quite short and the main crop pest, the cruciferous flea, has not appeared (read about radish pests and how to deal with them in this material). At higher temperatures, it causes great harm to radishes.

Learn more about when to plant radishes outdoors in spring, as well as the features of such planting, here, and read about how to plant radishes outdoors in early spring, read separately.

What is the optimal temperature range?

Despite the fact that radishes grow even in the cold, the best conditions are at +15-18°C, moderate heat allows you to grow large, juicy, dense root crops. In the heat, the radish grows rapidly, but immediately begins to shoot and it will not be possible to use it for food - it becomes hard and fibrous. At low temperatures, it grows more slowly and the harvest will have to wait longer.

End of summer or beginning of autumn - the second convenient season for sowing radishes:

At what temperature do radishes sprout and grow?

Germination of radish seeds occurs at different temperatures at different times. The lower the temperature, the longer the waiting time for seedlings will be.

Germination of seeds

You can sow radishes immediately after the snow has melted. The minimum soil temperature for sowing is +2–3°C, respectively, the air is warmed below +10°C. Under these conditions, seedlings will appear no earlier than two weeks. In a week, seeds will sprout when the air warms up to + 10–15 ° С and the soil + 7–10 ° С. In warmer conditions (+15–20°C), germination will occur in 3 days. To prevent seedlings from stretching, it is better to sow radishes early.

In a greenhouse, it is recommended to sow immediately after the soil has thawed.

One way is to sow in the snow. A layer of snow is poured on the surface of the soil and seeds are scattered on it. Together with melt water, they flow into the ground.

Seedling growth

Plant growth begins after emergence. At +10°C, radishes grow well outdoors. Differences in day and night temperatures by 5°C are favorable for it, which is typical for spring. The best conditions for growth are + 15 ° during the day and + 10 ° C at night.

If the cultivation takes place in a greenhouse, then when it is strongly warmed up, after the emergence of shoots, it is recommended to open the windows or the door for the day in order to reduce the temperature, otherwise the shoots will stretch out a lot.

Intensive development

With further warming, the growth naturally intensifies, the leaves intensively gain mass, and the palatability of the root crop decreases.

At a temperature of +25°C and above, the roots become friable, and the plant quickly starts flowering.

Is the vegetable afraid of frost or not?

The main advantages of radishes are their frost resistance and precocity. Seeds sown in early spring easily tolerate frosts down to -5–6°C and then give good seedlings. Radishes can be sown before winter, the seeds remain in the soil and germinate in early spring. Seedlings and adult plants do not die when frosts down to -6°C.

At the same time, root crops do not lose their qualities, but become even more juicy and tasty. Radishes tolerate short-term frosts easily , but with prolonged cooling, growth slows down or stops sharply and the taste of the root crop deteriorates.

Consequences of violating the optimal regime

In case of deviation from the optimal for radish + 15–18°C:

Radishes are easy to care for and require little attention. But in order to get a good harvest, so that the vegetable grows faster, and the root crop is large and tasty, it is important not only to properly prepare the seeds for sowing, but also to follow the rules of watering, as well as feed them in time.

Radish is an undemanding horticultural crop. When growing, one should remember first of all the temperature regime that is favorable for its growth and the duration of daylight hours. Following these simple rules will allow you to grow a good harvest.

How and when to plant radishes in open ground and greenhouse in 2022

Radishes are grown almost all year round in various ways, and it will not be superfluous to know when to plant radishes in open ground and greenhouses in 2022 according to the lunar calendar, depending on the region and variety .

Choosing the right planting time

To choose the right planting time, you must first decide what kind of crop we want to get and how much. And then pay attention to several factors that affect this:

  1. Variety and season of planting. Using different types and time periods, you can provide yourself with fresh fruits for almost the entire season, and maybe even a year.
  2. The climate of the region. Depending on weather conditions, radishes are planted earlier, later, or artificial approaches are used to create the necessary conditions for growing.
  3. Landing place - open ground, greenhouse, balcony or under the film.

To correctly calculate the planting dates for radishes, they first determine when the first harvest is to be obtained. From this subtract the time for seed germination (3-5 days) and the rest of the time required for cultivation (3 weeks). So you can calculate a fairly accurate date.

When to plant radishes in 2022

Radish seeds germinate at a temperature of +1..2ºС, but the air temperature should be within 15-20ºС for normal development.

This is one of the most important conditions that affects the timing of planting.

Consider other factors in more detail.

Depending on variety and season

In early spring, early varieties are planted first, but several can be planted at once. This will make it possible every 10 days, after the first harvest, to receive a new one. Varieties are suitable for this - French Breakfast, Heat, Dungan.

To extend the harvest, radishes are replanted when the first 2 leaves appear on the previous batch.

This can be done in the first half of May. In the future, due to the long daylight hours, root crops will not develop properly.

Still, radishes are sown in the summer, but they are covered in the evening and at night with a dark cloth or film. Here it is better to use varieties that do not let the arrow in:

The deadline for sowing radishes is mid-August. Late varieties for autumn and winter consumption are suitable here - Red Giant, Zlata, Cherriet F1. You can plant early varieties, but they will not be stored, they must be consumed immediately.

Radishes are also planted before winter in pre-prepared beds. This is at the end of November beginning of December. The main thing is that the seeds do not have time to germinate. The varieties Zarya and Zhara have proven themselves for this method.

The best varieties of radish that are sown all summer:

Depending on the region

In the middle lane and in the Moscow region, radishes begin to be sown from the last days of March to the last days of May. Approximately taking breaks between crops of 10 days. But first they use greenhouses, and from the end of April, open ground.

In the Leningrad region, radishes are planted immediately in the ground in May. It is better to start from mid-May, and in the greenhouse you can sow a month earlier.

The south of Russia, for example, in the Kuban, radishes can be planted from the end of February, even if the soil has not yet warmed up. In unheated greenhouses, this can be done all year round.

In Ukraine and Belarus, the timing of planting radishes in the northern regions is comparable to the Moscow region. In the southern regions of these countries, they begin to plant both the Krasnodar Territory and the Crimea - the beginning or middle of March, but this month they mainly use the greenhouse.

Video. When to sow radishes in Siberia and what varieties

Depending on the planting site

You can start planting in a polycarbonate greenhouse in March, when the temperature during the day is within + 15-18ºС, and at night + 8-10ºС.

In the last days of March, radishes can be sown in foil greenhouses, and from the second decade of April - in open ground under foil on arcs. Just planted in an open place at the end of April.

Radishes are grown at home on a balcony or windowsill

Here it is important to provide the necessary temperature and lighting conditions. In order to have enough natural light, they begin to sow it in the third decade of January, placing boxes on the southern windows. And in the first decade of February on the eastern and western sides.

It is very important to fulfill these conditions, otherwise only leaves will grow.

Lunar calendar for planting radishes in 2022

It is very convenient to use favorable days according to the lunar calendar for sowing radishes. First of all, you need to pay attention to the days of the full moon.

All auspicious days:

In 2022, unfavorable days fall on the following dates:

How to plant radishes in the greenhouse and soil

In spring, radishes are one of the first vegetables in the garden. Its cultivation is not the most difficult thing in the garden, but it has its own recommendations.

How to prepare seeds

Before sowing, the largest seeds with a diameter of 3 mm or more are selected first. And the rest can be sown separately for greenery or thrown away if they are not needed.

Good seeds are planted directly in moist soil or treated for diseases and for better germination. Some recipes:

  1. Seeds are germinated during the day on a damp cloth.
  2. To protect against dry rot, they are placed for 15 minutes in water at a temperature of +45°C. The same recipe will help for a friendly and earlier germination.
  3. The third method involves soaking seeds in a solution of a special preparation to stimulate growth.

Which seat to choose. After that it is possible and impossible to plant

It is better to plant radishes in sunny places, with light shade. It grows at a temperature in the range of + 18-20ºС. Before planting, you need to take into account the fact that this vegetable ripens quite quickly. Therefore, after harvesting, other plants can be planted in its place.

Any kind of greens or Chinese cabbage are perfect for this purpose. But it is more convenient to plant it next to other crops using row spacing to save space. Suitable - onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, white cabbage and carrots.

Then plant radishes:

After that no need to plant:

In summer, radishes are planted in places with shade, as they need shorter daylight hours to ripen.

Planting soil

Loose, sandy soils are best suited for radishes. He does not tolerate high acidity.

Land preparation begins in autumn, and it does not matter how the radish will be grown - open ground or greenhouse. They dig a plot to the depth of a bayonet shovel and apply organic fertilizers - humus, compost. In the spring, the soil is again dug under the beds, but not so deep by about 2/3 of the bayonet. This time, phosphorus and potassium are added.

Planting radishes

Radishes are planted directly in the ground or seedlings are grown. The second method saves up to 1.5 weeks. Seeds for seedlings can be grown in the ground, or in a snail on a wet cloth without soil.

Seedlings are transplanted 5-6 days after sowing. To do this, furrows are made, seedlings are placed at a distance of 6-8 cm and sprinkled with earth. After planting, the crops are watered. If the soil is fertile, then fertilizers do not need to be applied to the holes.

Video: How to plant radishes for seedlings without soil (in a snail)

How to plant radishes in a greenhouse

Not every variety is suitable for planting radishes in a greenhouse or greenhouse. So this is where you need to start.

Which radish varieties are best planted in a greenhouse:

If the greenhouse is heated, then the vegetable can be grown throughout the year. The preparation of the premises begins 2 weeks before planting: they are repaired and covered with a film. In this case, the earth in the beds will have time to thaw and warm up. Planting can begin as soon as a five-centimeter layer of soil becomes soft.

Rows are made with a distance of 10-20 cm, the seeds are deepened by 1 cm. If the seeds do not need to be saved, then they are sown quite densely and then thinned out or transplanted. And if not, then the distance between them should be about 5 cm.

It is important to maintain the humidity level and temperature in the greenhouse:

In general, care is not difficult. Watering seedlings is carried out as needed, but not less than 1 time in 2-3 days. At the same time, the earth should get wet up to 15 cm deep.

How to properly plant radishes in open ground

Before sowing radish seeds in the ground, furrows are first made to a depth of 3 cm, 20 cm are left between rows, and sown at a distance of 5-6 cm in a row. But you can first plant quite densely, but thin out after seedlings, leaving these distances.

After planting, the beds are mulched and covered with foil. This will allow you to get earlier shoots and, accordingly, an early harvest. In the future, it is necessary to ensure regular watering (every day). Otherwise, the fruits will be small and bitter.

Which radish varieties are best to plant:

Video: How to plant radishes in a greenhouse in egg cells
Video from Yulia Minyaeva: How to plant radishes in open ground

Peculiarities of sowing radishes before winter

. And also with this method of planting, the plant is less sick and shows better growth rates than with spring planting. The main thing is not to miscalculate the deadlines - they are indicated earlier. Otherwise, the radish may simply freeze.

The beds are prepared as early as possible, preferably a month in advance, but it is also possible 1-2 weeks in advance. It would be good if all this work could be completed by mid-October. The same steps are carried out as for any other type of landing. The soil is dug up, fertilizers are applied, if the earth is hard, then peat or sand is added.

Furrows are made to a depth of up to 5 cm and at a distance of 10-20 cm. Since the ground may be frozen during planting, the part necessary for filling the seeds is stored in a warm place or simply bought in a store. The beds before planting are covered with a film to avoid erosion of the soil by rains.

Seeds are sown in the furrows as thick as possible, the amount should be 2 times more than with normal sowing. They are sprinkled with a two-centimeter layer of warm soil, mulched with grass, 5 cm thick. If possible, you can sprinkle the beds with a 20-centimeter layer of leaves for the winter.

If all the conditions are met, then you can get a good early birth of radishes in the spring.

Gardeners' advice

Experienced gardeners advise growing radishes for sale, as they grow relatively quickly. And if you apply the frequency of sowing in 10 days, use different varieties and methods of cultivation, then you can have a constant income all year round.

Experience has shown that it is best to avoid sowing radishes whenever possible during months with long daylight hours and hot days. A lot of costs are spent on growing, and the result is far from always pleasing. It is better to skip June and July.

Tricks of planting radishes in a greenhouse by Yulia Minyaeva

Harvesting

Radishes ripen from 20 to 30 days, depending on the variety.

Learn more