Growing Radish

Raphanus sativas : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P     P        

(Best months for growing Radish in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 3 - 5 cm apart
  • Harvest in 5-7 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Chervil, cress,lettuce, leeks, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes
  • Avoid growing close to: Hyssop, gherkins
  • Cherry radish
  • French Breakfast radishes

Small, spicy tasting root vegetable usually round but some longer varieties. Available in a range of colours between red and white.

Very easy to grow. Good for a child's first garden as seedlings appear in two or three days. Sow between other vegetables as they will mark the rows until the slower germinating plants appear.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Radish

Wash well and remove leaves and roots.
Use raw in salads or on their own with bread and butter.

Your comments and tips

10 Apr 08, Sophie (Unknown climate)
Long Scarlet radishes are good in a stirfry. All radishes make a great pickle.
30 May 08, Rex (Unknown climate)
Could I please know why my radishes are so bitter? Last year tasted nice!
30 May 08, Chris (Unknown climate)
Rex, I've found lack of water at any stage during growth will make radish turn bitter. It's also a dreadful problem with cucumbers - one day of wilting makes them completely inedible!
10 Jun 08, christine (Unknown climate)
Can you eat the leaves of radish e.g. in salad or cooked
11 Jun 08, Chris (Unknown climate)
Christine, you can probably eat them without harm (they're a brassica), but the leaves are usually covered in prickly hairs, so why you'd want to is the main question - I would rather just eat the radish. You can certainly eat turnip and beetroot leaves, so radish leaves might be ok cooked? Perhaps you can let us know how you go with them?
07 Aug 08, amy maloney (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
tips for growing radishes?
07 Aug 08, sal (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
how long will it take for the radish seeds to be visible??
18 Sep 08, Michelle (Australia - temperate climate)
Make sure radishes have enough water and don't let them become too enormous. If they are water deprived or get too big, they can become bitter. From sowing to harvesting, they are one of the quickest growers (if happy...6-8 weeks). They also love a dose of potash.
03 Nov 08, Eugenia (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Does anyone know why some of my radishes are splitting? Only some came out perfect.
01 Dec 12, Ruth (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
The most likely reason is that you have left them in the ground too long.
Showing 1 - 10 of 144 comments

My radishes came out too small or not developed a full bulb/root at all. I used a peat based potting soil and compost + vermiculite also amended with fish/kelp emulsion. I am growing them in 6 inch deep flats with proper drainage holes. The variety is Cherry Belles, Rover, French Breakfast. Planted them in late summer for fall.

- Gerty

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