Garden Guides
How to Grow Radishes 101
Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow and I always recommend them as a crop for beginner gardeners. With a short 30-day period from seeds to harvest, radishes are a quick win in the garden and can boost a beginner’s confidence. However, it can be frustrating if they don’t bulb and all you end up with is a lot of greens (which are delicious and nutritious and you should absolutely eat radish greens). So here is a 101 guide for how to plant radishes successfully.
Step 1: The Soil
Before you plant, make sure the soil is loose with very little obstacles, roots, and rocks. Anything bulbous requires loose soil. You can loosen the soil by adding compost and peat moss.
Step 2: The Fertilizer
Radishes don’t really require much in this area. But if your fertilizer is too high in nitrogen, they will focus their energy on developing the greens and not the roots. I just fertilize with compost and a 3-4-4 organic fertilizer before I plant.
Step 3: The Seed Sowing
All root vegetables, including radishes, should be sowed directly into the soil for best results.
Throw the seeds in the ground as evenly as you can.
Cover them with a thin layer of dirt.
Water them to soak thoroughly.
Keep soil moist everyday. You should see sprouts in about 5-7 days.
Step 4: The Spacing
Radishes must have at least 2 inches of space in between each other or they will not bulb. Once seedlings have sprouted and before they grow two true leaves, use this method to gently space them out.
Step 5: The Temperature
Radishes are cool weather crops and will not bulb if the temps are constantly in the 80s or above. This is why they are planted immediately after the last frost in most places. Sorry if you live in Texas, Arizona, or Florida. You may want to have a cool house.
Step 6: The Water
All bulbous vegetables need regular watering for best results. Water regularly to prevent the soil from drying out.
Step 7: And finally, a little bit of luck
You can do everything right and Mother Nature just doesn’t want you to grow radishes this year. That’s okay. Grow something else and try again next year.