Easy to Grow Vegetables: Radishes

Everyone is familiar with the cherry red radishes found in the supermarket. Some grocery stores may even carry a small number of daikon or Japanese radishes. If you want more variety, you have to grow your own. Growing radishes is easy. You can do it in containers if you lack garden space. A quick look though a seed catalog reveals a plethora of radish varieties to choose from. I usually plant several different varieties throughout the spring and again in the fall.

Growing radishes

Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. They reach maturity in 30 days or less, making them a great plant for kids to start with. To plant radishes in the garden, simply sprinkle the seeds over the bed and cover with a thin layer of mulch or soil. I plant my radishes long before the last expected frost date. The plants are cold hardy and will withstand light frosts. Prior to planting your radish seeds, add bone meal and blood meal to the soil along with well aged compost.

To plant in a container, fill a container with garden soil and sprinkle the seeds over the top. Cover with a thin layer of sand or soil. Once the seeds sprout and the true leaves form, feed weekly with a dilute solution of fish emulsion. Stop feeding the plants once the roots start to bulb out.

Why grow your own?

I enjoy planting different varieties of radishes because each variety has unique characteristics. Cherry Belle, the type found in supermarkets, has a nice bite to it and they are ideal for making radish roses. But the ones in the supermarket are old, usually traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to reach the store. Grow them in a container on your patio instead and you will not believe the difference in taste.

The radishes you grow are healthier because you use them within a few hours after harvesting. If you practice organic gardening practices, you eliminate all risk of contamination from pesticides.

My favorite varieties

Black Spanish is hands-down my favorite radish variety. The dark, black skin contrasts beautifully with the white insides. These are larger than many types of round radishes, reaching the size of a golf ball. The radishes do not get pithy or woody, even after the temperatures become too warm for them. I like the fact that this is an open pollinated variety so you can let a few plants go to seed and use them next year. This is a very early maturing variety. The radishes are ready to eat just 28 days from the time the plants sprout.

French Breakfast is an oblong, bi-colored radish. They look more like short red and white carrots than a radish. I like the mild taste. This variety is particularly well suited to growing radish "pods." The pods are actually the seed pods of the radish. Harvest the pods when they are about 1/2 -inch long. They make wonderful additions to salads, sandwiches, and stir-fry dishes.

Zlata is an open pollinated variety from Poland. It has a yellow skin with white interior. I find the bulbs are resistant to splitting. This radish has a spicy taste and it goes great in salads and relish trays. The round shape makes them ideal for making roses. For a stunning table display, I carve radish roses from Cherry Belle and Zlata and set out colored bouquets. All you need is a paring knife and ice water.

Try growing several different radish varieties to see what works best for you. Seed packets are inexpensive and easy to find at local garden centers. Once you realize how versatile this vegetable is, you will make room in your spring and fall gardens for this quick growing garden gem.

Other gardening articles you may enjoy:

Choosing the Best Tomatoes for your Garden

5 Compost Myths Debunked

Summer Blooming Bulbs: Fire King Crocosmia