Radishes have this stellar reputation of being one of the easiest veggies to grow, and they can be. But, they can also be a little bugger who never bulbs (overcrowding & weather are often factors). But I cannot fathom my garden without these cheery, cute orbs.

Radishes (Raphanus sativus)

When to Sow Radishes:

The key to happy radishes is to grow them in loose, sandy, Potassium-rich soil in cool weather. The tricky part is, that in order to germinate, the seeds need warmth. A way to work with this is to cover your planting area with black plastic for 4-5 days prior to sowing. Then, pull back plastic, sow and recover with the plastic. After 3-4 days, take a peek under to see any germination. If you see sprouts, remove the plastic and let them grow on their groovy way.

Radish Sowing Tips:

Toss with carrot seeds and grow together. Radishes help keep the soil aerated, which aids in carrots developing strong root growth.
Have radishes all season long, by sowing a row or two every two weeks. Best to skip sowing during the peak of summer as they’re more likely to bolt than bulb.
Use as row markers. Radishes are an easy and edible way to delineate between sowings.

Days Until Radish Seeds Germinate:

4-6 days

Days to Radish Maturity:

22-45 days

Radish Planting Phenology:

Start sowing your radishes once your crocus blooms.

Radish Companion Plant:

Radishes are a terrific companion plant. Sow a few with your cucumbers & squash to help repel cucumber beetles & squash borers.

Other planting pals include peas, spinach, carrots, lettuce and nasturtium.

Do Not Plant Radishes By:

Keep radishes away from spinach, bell peppers and hyssop.

How Many Radishes to Grow to Feed a Family of Four:

60

Favorite Radish Varieties to Grow:

French Breakfast is the variety that won’t let you down. Struggled to successfully bulb up your radishes, try this variety.
Easter Egg, Cherriette, and Cherry Belle are all constants in my garden every season.
For Fall plantings, consider longer to mature varieties like Round Black Spanish or Daikon.

When to Harvest Radishes:

As soon as you see the top of your radish bulb popping out of the soil, it’s ready for munching. Usually, as soon as they’re around 1” in diameter, they’re ready. If left to grow too big, they’ll be tough and not as tasty.

Eat More than the Radish Bulb:

Save those greens! They’re full of vitamins and antioxidants. And if you’re not a fan, but you have chickens, share with them.
Let them bolt! They’ll go to flower. Once the flowers drop, plump delicious seed pods will form. They have the texture of a snap pea with a radish bite—crisp happiness. I love them in salads & pickled, but they’re also great in stir-fries or sautés. All varieties produce these, but if you still can’t get enough, there is a variety called Rat’s Tail radish that is grown just for these delicious pods.

How to Store Radishes:

Remove radish leaves before storing. Once harvested, the leaves draw out the moisture from the roots, making your formerly crisp bulb spongey. So, as soon as you harvest your radishes, snip off the greens right above the root. Place the unwashed bulbs in an airtight bag & they should keep for 1-2 weeks.

Another great way to keep their garden freshness is to store them in a mason jar. Stem and wash the radishes. Put in a mason jar. Fill the mason jar with water and store in the refrigerator. Replace with fresh water every other day.

Succession Planting Radishes:

For a continuous supply, sow a row every two weeks until early summer (the warmer weather may cause more bolting than bulbing).
Sow longer season varieties come mid-summer for fall harvests.

“Our vegetable garden is coming along well, with radishes and beans up, and we are less worried about revolution that we used to be.”—E.B. White

Your Complete Guide to Growing Radishes