How to Grow Radishes

Time your radish plantings a week apart for a longer harvest period. The secret to growing a great radish is to plant when the weather is cool, to not plant too close together and to harvest promptly before the roots get woody and bitter. Every part of the radish is edible. If you leave some of your radishes to go to seed you’ll find the pods before seed set are tender and juicy with a wonderfully sharp flavour that is excellent in stir-fries and soups. If you harvest the seeds before they dry they have a taste and texture reminiscent of caviar. Imagine the fresh seeds lightly sautéed with garlic and thyme on a bed of radish leaves. A gourmet delight! Follow along with this handy How to Grow Radishes from seed Guide and crunchy salad delights.

Latin
Raphanus sativus
Family: Brassicaceae

Difficulty
Easy

We Recommend: If you don’t already have a favourite, go for variety! The certified organic Easter Egg Mix (RD676) can’t be surpassed for showing everything a radish can be. Not only do you get a mix of colours, but you’ll come to appreciate subtle flavour differences, and differences in piquancy, or “hotness.”

Season & Zone
Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: All

Timing
Radishes can be grown all season but they’re easiest when sown March/April and again August through October. Optimal soil temperature: 18-24°C (65-75°F). Seeds should sprout in 5-7 days.

Starting
Sow seeds 5mm (¼”) deep, 25 seeds per 30cm (12″) in rows spaced 30-45cm (12-18″) apart, and thin to 6-12 plants per 30cm (12″).

Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Radishes are moderate to heavy feeders. Best in rich, loamy soil amended with composted manure. add 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row for background fertility. Lime beds the previous fall. The real secret to growing this little vegetable is speed. Sow a short row frequently, thin them quickly, keep them watered, eat them quickly, and sow some more.

Harvest
Harvest promptly when radishes are the size of large marbles. Leaves and developing seedpods are also tasty.

Seed Info
In optimal conditions at least 80% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 4 years. Per 100′ row: 1.2M seeds, per acre: 522M seeds.

Diseases & Pests
Root maggots and flea beetles can be a problem. Expect to lose 20-30% of your crop to maggots if you don’t use a floating row cover.

Companion Planting
Plant radishes near beans, beets, celeriac, chervil, cucumber, lettuce, mint, parsnip, peas, spinach, squash, and tomatoes. Avoid planting near agastache or potatoes. It is said that planting 3 or 4 icicle radishes around the mound where you plant squash, and allowing them to grow and bloom, will prevent most pests of squash and cucumber.