Radish
Where can you grow radishes?
Radishes like loose soil and a location that is not too hot and sunny. Growing radishes is a good way to test the soil – if the radishes turn out well, it means the soil is good. Radishes need a certain depth to grow (different amounts depending on the variety), but otherwise can be grown anywhere.
If you are growing in a very sunny spot, such as a south-facing balcony, you should protect the radishes from the sun.
Sowing and caring for radishes
Sow your radishes as soon as spring arrives and the soil settles. We usually sow in batches during spring and late summer to get a steady harvest. Avoid sowing in the height of summer, as radishes don’t grow well if it’s too hot.
Sow with 30cm row spacing, 2-3cm plant spacing and 1cm deep. Don’t sow too densely – it will make you have to thin like crazy. Water regularly, radishes exposed to drought will not be good. Be careful to clear away weeds.
Covering with some grass clippings will help retain moisture and also keep weeds away. But wait to cover until the radishes have come up a bit.
Radishes are a good so-called ‘intermediate crop’, meaning that they are suitable for sowing between other slower-growing crops. The radishes come up quickly and can be picked up before, for example, the kale next to them needs the space.
Harvesting radishes
Radishes take about a month to fully develop, so you can often start harvesting in early May. Even before then, you can use radish leaves in your spring salads – they have a slightly peppery flavour. However, the leaves are only good to eat when they are tender, after which they become woody.
Finished radishes shouldn’t be left in the ground for too long, as they’ll crack after a while and lose their vigour. We usually pick some for our breakfast sandwich every day in season and also use in salads. Radishes don’t do well in storage as they quickly become spongy, so harvest just before you’re going to eat them.
Radish pods
If you leave some radishes in the ground and let them flower, radish pods will develop. They have a fairly mild radish flavour and are great in stir-fries. A single radish can produce a whole bunch of pods. However, it may be necessary to give the plant some extra nutrition during the summer in order for the plant to survive long enough to develop the pods.
Author: Johanna Damm
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2022-10-14