How to Grow Radishes

Growing radishes is fun and the easiest vegetable to grow. A great healthy vegetable eaten raw – radishes are in the same family as cabbages and mustard greens. They are high in vitamin C, used for detoxing, low in calories, and helps in digestion, among many other benefits. Radishes come in many colors: red, purple, white. The cool season varieties are the most popular. Additionally, there are summer and winter radishes, which produce larger roots.  I’m addressing the more common cool weather radishes.

Temperature and Season

Radishes are a cool weather crop that won’t tolerate heat and likes a sunny location. Once it gets hot, they “bolt” and become bitter and non-edible. Bolting is the term used when the plants start to flower. Planting them in the spring or fall in the Northeast is the ideal time.

Planting Medium

From a growing point of view  they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. The important factor is to have a loose growing medium. I use a nice raised bed with lots of compost to accomplish this goal. They need to be direct seeded.

See video about potential problem of growing radishes.

Timing and Harvesting

Radishes germinate quickly and have to be thinned out to 2” – 3” apart. They are ready to eat within 25 – 30 days depending on the variety. Harvest them when they get to 1.5” to 2” diameter, while they are young and before they get woody.

They make a great companion plant to carrots. Radishes are fast growers. Plant them where tomatoes or other summer crops will follow. Read the blog on companion planting.

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For more information take a look at the video on How to grow radishes.