Radishes are a tasty root vegetable that also grow quite quickly. You can add radishes to you garden plans this year easily when you give these simple growing tips a try. Radishes are cool weather plants, so they are perfect for starting several weeks before the spring season begins. In about 30 days, you can have a harvest of radishes perfect for serving on salads or for canning. Here are some helpful tips for growing radishes in your garden.
How to Grow Radishes in Your Garden
How to plant radish seeds:
Direct sow seeds ½ inch to an inch deep and two inches apart 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Plant radishes in a sunny location, ensuring they are not being shaded by neighboring plants.
Don’t sow all of your radish seeds at once, instead plant consecutively every two weeks while the weather is cool to ensure a continuous harvest of radishes.
Don’t forget to plant more radishes in the fall once temperatures have started to cool.
How to grow radishes from seeds indoors:
Begin starting the radish seeds indoors, using seed starters, about 4 weeks before the last frost of the season. When starting your seeds use a nutrient rich soil, and plant seeds about ½ an inch deep.
How to transplant your radish seedlings:
Once your radishes are ready to be transplanted, or if you are starting with seedlings, you will want to find a spot in your garden that gets full to partial sun. Because radishes are root vegetables, make sure the soil is soft and free from any debris (rocks, hard clumps) that could affect the growth of the plant.
You should plant your seedlings about 1 inch apart, and in rows that are about 10-12 inches apart. This will give not only your radishes room to grow, but room for you to get in and harvest.
How to care for radish seedlings:
You might need to thin out your radish seedlings 2-3 weeks after planting. Remove the weaker seedlings to make room for the stronger.
You want to be sure the soil stays moist, so be sure to water every few days. Use some compost or mulch to help the roots retain moisture and stay cool, which is what they like! The more water your give your radishes, the more quickly they will grow.
General tips for producing a good radish crop:
There are a few factors that can greatly hurt your radish crop. First, don’t allow the plants to get too hot. If it seems they are getting more than 6 hours of sun, find a way to offer them shade through coverings.
Aphids love radishes. Be sure to remove any you see and remove any damaged greenery on the plant. By removing the decaying greenery, it will keep new pests from coming to dine. Other than these issues, you can ensure success by keeping the soil moist, the growth of the root un-obstructed, and be sure to thin out as needed.
When and how to harvest radishes:
It might be hard to tell when the radishes are ready to pick, so gently move the sides of the plant and clear away some soil. If the radish is about one inch in diameter, it is ready to be pulled. If not, simply replace the soil and allow the radish to rest awhile longer.
To harvest your radish, simply pull from the base of the plant until the radish is free.
Once you bring in your haul of radishes, you can clean them up and slice them for salads or even pickling. Keep these tips for growing radishes in mind when you plant your own vegetable garden this year!
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