Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Radishes
Fast growing and bright, these easy-care veggies are great for kids and bring plentiful color to a fall or spring garden
If you want to get kids started gardening, radishes are a great choice. Most varieties are quick to grow, fun to harvest and tasty raw or cooked. They come in a number of colors (white, red, pink, rose, black, gold, lavender, purple) and can even be striped. They have great shapes, from small and round to carrot-like long ones. They’re also fairly disease free.
Though regular radishes are relatively small, Japanese radishes, or daikon, can be huge. These take longer to grow (up to five months) but are worth it for the range of flavors.
Though regular radishes are relatively small, Japanese radishes, or daikon, can be huge. These take longer to grow (up to five months) but are worth it for the range of flavors.
Planting and care: Start with soil that is well amended, loose, and free of clods and rocks, and that drains well. Sow seeds about a half inch deep and an inch apart, leave more room if the plants are larger, or simply throw them into the bed and thin them out as they grow. Keep the bed consistently watered and weeded. You may run into problems with root maggots and beetles, but those aren't common.
Harvest: The earlier you harvest, the milder radishes tastes. Pull them up when they are relatively small or they will become tough. You will probably need to dig up the larger varieties.
More: How to grow cool-season vegetables
More: How to grow cool-season vegetables
Days to maturity: 21 to 150
Light requirement: Full sun is best, but they can take partial shade
Water requirement: Consistent water, but don’t flood the garden bed
Favorites: April Cross (daikon), Champion, Cherry Belle, Crimson Giant, Easter Egg, French Breakfast, Hailstone, Long Black Spanish, Minowase (daikon), Plum Purple, Sakurajima (daikon), Scarlet Globe, Snowbelle