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Plant a radish


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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How to Grow Radishes

When you think of a radish (Raphanus sativus), you most likely imagine the root vegetable that's small, round, red, and tangy. The most popular radishes fit this description, though there are several varieties that differ in appearance. They can be round or oblong; hot or mild; red, pink, purple, white or bicolor.

Radishes are annual vegetables that are members of the Brassicaceae family, along with broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and collards. They are planted in the spring (for a spring harvest) or late summer (for a fall harvest). And they have a quick growth rate. Some of the smaller varieties mature in as few as 30 days. The larger varieties can keep you waiting for up to 60 days.

Common Name  Radish, common radish, garden radish, rabone
Botanical Name  Raphanus sativus
Family Brassicaceae
Plant Type  Annual, vegetable
Size  6 - 8 inches tall
Sun Exposure  Fun sun
Soil Type  Loamy, sandy, moist, well-drained
Soil pH  Acidic, neutral (6 to 7)
Bloom Time  Summer
Hardiness Zones  2–11 (USDA)
Native Area  Asia

How to Plant Radishes

When to Plant

Direct seed radishes in the garden in the early spring as soon as the ground is workable. Because they mature so quickly, plant them weekly (succession sow) to ensure you have an ongoing supply of radishes. You also can plant them again toward the end of summer and early fall at least four to six weeks prior to your first fall frost. When spring temperatures reach 65 degrees, stop planting, as they will bolt in the heat.

Selecting a Planting Site

Pick a sunny spot with rich, loose, well-draining soil. Container growing is also an option. Because radishes grow quickly, they can be squeezed in between slower-to-sprout plants, such as carrots, in the vegetable garden. The radishes will be harvested before the other plants need the space. Plus, radishes are good for loosening and cultivating the soil. Just make sure no nearby plants will shade out your radishes.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

Sow seeds around 1/2 inch deep and 1 to 2 inches apart. Thin seedlings to 3 inches apart. Rows should be spaced three inches apart. A support structure won't be necessary.

Radish Plant Care

Light

Radish plants need full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days. Radishes grown in too much shade will put energy into leaf growth rather than root growth.

Soil

Radishes do best in rich, loamy or sandy, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH. The soil must not be heavy or compacted, as the roots won't grow well in those conditions.

Water

Radish plants typically need 1 inch of water per week. Soil that's too dry can cause the plant to bolt (go to seed) and ruin the taste of the radishes, making it pithy, and soil that's too wet can cause the roots to split and rot. A layer of mulch around the plants can help to maintain soil moisture.

Temperature and Humidity

Radishes like temperatures between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with temperatures in the low 60s being best. Hot weather can cause the plants to bolt and decline in quality. They can get tough and woody or spongy with hollow centers. Also, once a radish bolts, the bulb stops forming. Humidity typically isn't an issue as long as adequate soil moisture is maintained and there's good air flow around the plants.

Fertilizer

If you’re already starting with rich soil, you typically won’t need to fertilize radishes. If you need to improve your soil, work in a few inches of compost prior to planting.

Pollination

Bees and other pollinators will pollinate radish plants. And radish varieties will cross-pollinate with one another. 

The Spruce / K. Dave

The Spruce / K. Dave

The Spruce / K. Dave

The Spruce / K. Dave

Types of Radishes

There are many radish varieties that differ based on their appearance and when they can be grown. They include:

Radishes vs. Turnips

As root vegetables, radishes and turnips have a similar look to them. But there are some notable differences. For one, radishes are generally smaller than turnips.

Harvesting Radishes

Take note of when your radish variety should be ready for harvesting. In general, harvest when the roots are around 1 inch in diameter. You can often see the shoulders of the radish rising slightly above the soil line. You might have to pull one out to see whether it’s ready. Don’t wait too long to harvest to ensure a pleasant flavor and tender texture. 

To harvest, pull up the plants, and cut off both the tops and the thin roots. Leaving the leaves on will draw moisture and nutrients from the radish bulb. The greens can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days and can be eaten fresh or cooked. The bulbs can be stored in the refrigerator's vegetable crisper for one to two weeks. They also are good fresh or cooked in salads, soups, and more.

How to Grow Radishes in Pots

Container growing is a good option if you don’t have garden space or the loose soil that radishes need. Common radish roots are shallow, so they don’t require that deep of a pot. But it’s best to grow a round variety, rather than a long one, to make sure it has enough room to develop. A container that’s around 8 to 12 inches wide and deep should be fine. It also should have ample drainage holes. Unglazed clay containers are beneficial because they’ll allow excess soil moisture to evaporate through their walls, helping to prevent root rot. Use any high quality potting soil. Containers dry out more quickly and need more watering than in-ground gardens. Monitor moisture closely.

Pruning

You won’t have to do any pruning on your radish plants beyond thinning seedlings. If the radishes remain crowded, they won’t develop properly. Fortunately, you can eat the seedlings you thin. Snip them off at ground level rather than pulling up their roots to avoid disturbing the roots of neighboring plants. 

Propagating Radishes

Radishes are typically grown from seed. And it’s possible to collect seeds from mature plants for future growth. You just have to make sure the plants haven’t cross-pollinated with any nearby relatives. Here’s how to save the seeds:

  1. Rather than pulling the radishes as they mature, allow the plant to remain in the ground. Eventually it will send up a flower stalk and produce seed pods. 
  2. Remove mature seed pods once they’ve turned brown and dried out. Crush the pods to release the seeds. Separate the seeds from the rest of the pods.
  3. Place the seeds in a paper envelope, and store them in a cool, dry spot. They should remain viable for five years. 

How to Grow Larger Radish Varieties From Seed

Sow seeds of large radish varieties slightly deeper than the small varieties. Gently firm the soil around the seeds, and keep it evenly moist but not soggy. Germination should occur in around three to 10 days. Make sure to remove any weeds around your seedlings to prevent competition for moisture and nutrients. 

Overwintering

Radishes are annuals, meaning they complete their life cycle in one growing season. So no overwintering will be necessary.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Cabbage maggots are common pests for radish plants, as they will tunnel into the radishes. Cutworms also feed on radishes. And flea beetles will feed on radish leaves, but they won't injure the bulbs. Monitor to catch these insects before they destroy the whole crop. Growing your radishes under floating row covers can help to prevent pest issues. Wood ash mixed into soil can help deter root maggot. Some diseases that can affect radish plants include downy mildew, black root, and scab. But maintaining proper growing conditions can prevent many problems with diseases.  

When to plant radishes in the spring of 2021, planting radishes in Ukraine

Many summer residents like to grow radishes on their plots. This vegetable crop ripens quickly, so that at the end of spring you can already enjoy fresh fruits. And the radish is also unpretentious in terms of care, it grows quickly, so you can sow the seeds of the crop several times a season. Gardeners, whose hands itch to start sowing something, start with sowing radishes.

It would seem that you have sown radishes - and wait for it to yield. But not everything is so simple. Experienced gardeners will confirm that for a good and high-quality harvest of radishes, efforts must be made. Even if you choose seeds of high-yielding varieties, it is difficult to get the crop you expected without observing agricultural technology.

Seed selection, watering, plant care are important. But many forget that the timing of sowing each crop is no less important. By when to sow radishes , so that the yield is as high as possible, we will talk below.

Cultivation features

Radish is a cold-tolerant crop that is sown earlier than others more dependent on heat. By the time heat-loving crops need to be transplanted to the garden, the roots of this vegetable crop have already been harvested. This makes it easier for the gardener, since there is no need to allocate a separate place for the radish.

In addition to the fact that radishes easily survive the cold, they also develop with a short daylight hours. With a 10-12-hour day, the culture grows root crops. Root growth stops when the days get longer. The radish begins to multiply, causing the plants to shoot. If you plan to sow radishes again in the summer, consider this factor when choosing late varieties or varieties that are resistant to bolting.

How to be successful in growing radishes:

Let's talk about when radishes are planted in open ground and in a greenhouse in more detail.

When to sow seeds in the beds

The best time to plant radishes is in the spring. This is due to the biological characteristics of the culture. Since the radish is quite cold-resistant, the seeds in the ground tolerate temperatures as low as -5 °C. In addition to sowing in the spring, summer sowing (harvest is harvested in autumn) and winter sowing (fruits are harvested in spring) are also practiced. Why choose spring sowing of radishes:

As for the time when to sow radish seeds, it depends on the specific growing region. We recommend to focus on the air temperature. Since radishes are quite cold-resistant, the minimum temperature at which seeds begin to germinate is 5 °C. Radish seedlings can withstand short-term temperature drops to -5 °C. But for the cultivation of vegetable crops, 18 ° C are considered the most optimal. At 10°C, the plant continues to grow, but more slowly.

For early spring cultivation it is important to choose the right variety. Pay attention to ultrananny and early hybrids and varieties of radish, for example:

How to plant radishes according to the lunar calendar

Many vegetable growers practice planting according to the lunar calendar and get good crop yields. It is known that the Moon affects all life on Earth. Depending on the phase of the moon and the sign of the zodiac in which it is located on a particular day, it depends on whether the plants will fully develop and produce a good harvest. Moreover, you need to take into account what kind of culture you are going to plant, what period of development it has and what fruits it gives (underground or aboveground).

When to plant radishes according to the lunar calendar ? This is definitely not worth doing on the days of the new and full moon, since at this time it is better to refrain from sowing. Also bad will be the crop sown in Aquarius. Radishes will grow well if sown in the spring of 2021 on these days:

How to sow in the garden

It is advisable not only to sow radishes in time, but also to do it correctly by choosing a suitable site and preparing the soil. Choose a place where radishes will grow, so that it is illuminated by the sun in the first half of the day, or after lunch. The site should be protected from drafts, with loose soil and neutral acidity.

Since planting will take place in early spring, it is better to prepare the site in the fall. Introduce rotted humus or compost and dig up the ground. Mineral water can also be added: superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfide.

A week before sowing, in order for the earth to warm up faster, it can be covered with a film or white agrofibre. The most popular way to sow radishes is in rows in furrows. Make them 2-3 cm deep, the distance between the furrows is 15 cm. The soil is first watered and allowed to soak, then the seeds are laid out. Seal the furrows and compact the soil. If the weather is cold or return frosts are expected, you can sow radishes under film . Crops are covered with covering material and when the weather is dry with winds. So you will avoid the appearance of a soil crust. Shoots will appear in 3-14 days, depending on the weather. When the sprouts get a little stronger, the film is removed.

Growing seedlings of radishes

Since radishes are cold-resistant, most often the seeds of the crop are sown immediately in open ground. But there is also a less popular way to grow a crop: sow the seeds for seedlings, followed by transplanting into the garden. This method has its advantages over the traditional one, which should be mentioned:

When choosing seeds for seedlings, give preference to early varieties that are resistant to bolting.

Get the harvest as soon as possible if you sow seeds for seedlings in February-March. If the sowing is carried out correctly, seedlings will appear in 3-5 days.

Choose a light soil with good water and air permeability for growing seedlings. As for containers, sow seeds in small-mesh cassettes to grow per plant separately. If it is not possible to buy cassettes, they use egg trays or small boxes for seedlings.

How to plant radishes for seedlings:

Keep seeds at 20°C for good germination. During the growth of seedlings, they are watered from time to time and gently loosened. Radishes do not need any additional feeding or supplementary lighting, which makes it easier for the gardener.

The film is removed when sprouts appear. Then the temperature is reduced to 8 °C. After a few days, the plants are again transferred to heat. It is not difficult to transplant seedlings into beds. Make grooves and transplant each plant with a clod of earth. Watered with warm water and left under the film for 2-3 days.

When to plant in protected ground

Growing radishes in a greenhouse allows you to harvest root crops earlier than from garden beds. But you need to know the features of cultivating a crop in protected ground.

First, choose your seed, because not every variety or hybrid is suitable for protected ground. What hybrids or varieties can be chosen:

When you have chosen the seeds for sowing, proceed to the actual procedure. It is recommended to prepare the beds from the fall, so as not to wait in the spring, but to sow immediately. With the advent of spring, 2 weeks before sowing, you need to streamline the greenhouse. Clear it of snow, repair the frame, if necessary, stretch the film. This will help the earth thaw faster. As soon as the upper layers of the soil become soft, you can sow radishes. If the beds are not ready in the fall, you will have to wait until the soil has completely thawed, fertilize, dig and level the soil. Then you can sow the seeds.

When and how to sow radishes in a greenhouse :

In a greenhouse, seeds are sown when a favorable microclimate is established. Radishes are sown when the snow melts, the sun warms and the temperature is close to 0. It is recommended to sow radishes both in stationary greenhouses and in polycarbonate greenhouses. Depending on the stability of the temperature, seedlings will appear in a few days.

If your greenhouse is not heated, you can achieve an early harvest by making "warm" beds. As bioheating, use hay, fallen leaves collected in autumn, under the beds. Lay the dead wood in a dense layer, pour over with boiling water and let it steam. Then backfill with planting soil. Seeds can be sown in a week.

Both experienced summer residents and those who are just starting to understand vegetable growing like to grow radishes. This is due to the simplicity and speed of growing culture. And radishes are rich in vitamins C and group B, fiber, calcium and iron. Root crops increase hemoglobin and have a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, everyone who has at least a small plot of land strives to harvest a crop.

In order for the harvest to please every year, you need to understand when to sow radishes in open ground t or for seedlings. So you will not only make it easier for yourself to take care of the plants, but you will be able to please yourself and your loved ones with delicious fruits as soon as possible.

Growing radishes: how to achieve a harvest

Radishes have always been considered the easiest vegetable in agricultural technology - planted, watered, covered from the cruciferous flea, and after three weeks it is already time to harvest the first crop. So that our grandmothers do not grow radishes? This has never happened before!

Recently, however, gardeners are increasingly complaining about the difficulties in growing radishes. Seeds do not sprout, root crops do not form, or plants immediately go into the arrow - and after winter you can no longer crunch fresh juicy radishes. Let's understand the intricacies of growing radishes in order to avoid failures and unnecessary troubles in the future.

Major problems when growing radishes

Planted seeds do not germinate

Possible cause: Most likely, the seeds have rotted and rotted in too damp and cold soil.
Solution: A week before planting, dig a small hole twenty centimeters deep, place the seeds in a cloth bag and bury them. In the ground, the seeds will get wet perfectly, but thanks to the bag they will not rot. After a week, they need to be dug up, dried for two hours and planted.

No root crop

Possible causes: Lack of potassium in the soil, shaded area.
Solution: Planting radishes in a sunny spot, adding ash to the soil when planting.

Radishes are formed, but the fruits are fibrous, hollow

Possible causes: Excess nitrogen in the soil, lack or excess of moisture, too deep planting or overexposed radish in the garden.
Solution: Timely watering. Do not overdo it with nitrogen fertilizers, do not add manure when planting. Sprinkle the seeds no deeper than 0.5 centimeters and remove the ripened root crops in time.

Plants go to the arrow and bloom

Possible causes: Too hot weather, long daylight hours, damaged roots, small or old seeds.
Solution: Early or late boarding. Shelter with dark material. Thinning by pinching, not pulling. Selection for planting large and fresh seeds.

Radish sowing dates

In fact, there are quite objective reasons for poor radish harvests in recent years. The fact is that for several years in a row there has been practically no spring in central Russia. In mid-April there is still snow, and in early May there is already a thirty-degree heat. The optimum temperature for growing radishes is +15°C - +18°C. It is not surprising that by planting a radish in early May, we get only flowering "tops" and not a single "root" - it's too hot.

When to plant radishes? Based on the current realities, we can conclude that in May it is already too late. It is necessary to sow either in March-April, or in July-August. Radishes are not planted in June because of the short nights. As you know, radish is a plant with a long daylight hours. During the period of long days and short nights, it tends to bloom and produce seeds, and we need this least of all. Therefore, radishes are sown when the daylight hours are short, or this day is artificially shortened for her.

Radishes can be sown before winter or even directly in winter on the ice crust. With winter or winter sowing, seedlings will appear much faster and root crops will have time to ripen before the onset of heat.

So, what are our options for planting radishes?

When to plant radishes to get a harvest

How to sow radishes?

Radish must be planted in a sunny place, there will be no good root crops in the shade. The best predecessors for radishes are cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, legumes, tomatoes or potatoes. The main thing is not to plant radishes after cabbage and other cruciferous plants, even if they are green manure (mustard, oilseed radish, rapeseed).

It is not necessary to dig a bed for radishes, it is enough to loosen the area with a flat cutter to a depth of five centimeters. Then make the required number of furrows with a depth of 2 centimeters (if the soil is fertile) or 4 centimeters (if the soil leaves much to be desired). At the bottom of the groove, first, a small layer of sand is poured, and then ash. On depleted soils, first of all, a small layer of compost is placed in the furrow, then sand and ash.

It is better to sow immediately at regular intervals, about 4-5 centimeters between plants and 15 centimeters between rows. Then it will not be necessary to pull out extra plants in the future. The seeds are covered with loose earth, peat or coconut substrate, lightly, without undue zeal. The optimal seeding depth is half a centimeter. Deep planted radishes become fibrous.

Choose only early-maturing varieties for sowing, late varieties simply do not have enough time to gain weight, and they will go into the arrow. It is highly desirable to carry out a preliminary selection of seeds. Radishes planted with large seeds form roots faster. And if you are not too lazy and soak the seeds for 10-15 minutes before planting, the radish will rise the very next day. When sown with dry seeds, seedlings appear after 3-5 days.

Radish care: watering, mulching, sheltering

Right after sowing, radishes are well shed and mulched between the furrows to avoid moisture loss. Sawdust, needles, mowed grass are well suited for mulch. Water for radishes is essential, without moisture you can not even dream of a crop - the plants will immediately bloom. Therefore, radishes need to be watered abundantly every two days.

If you did not observe the distance between the seeds during planting, then the radish that has grown to five centimeters in height will have to be thinned out. It is recommended not to pull out weak and superfluous shoots, but only pinch them from above. In this way, it will be possible to avoid damage to the roots of plants remaining in the ground, because radishes with a damaged root go into color.

And the biggest challenge in growing radishes is dealing with the voracious cruciferous flea. The best method in this difficult matter is shelter. Immediately after sowing, it is necessary to cover the bed with a moisture- and breathable covering material and do this until the tops coarsen and cease to attract a flea.

During the period of formation of root crops, daylight hours can be artificially reduced for radishes - after six o'clock in the evening, cover the bed with radishes with dark covering material.

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