You can plant radishes very quickly and easily from seeds and they will be ready to eat in just four weeks. These compact plants can be grown in even the smallest gardens and make great gap fillers in the vegetable patch. Sow small amounts every few weeks and harvest throughout the summer to add a crunch to your salads.
How to plant the radishes?
There are many different types of radishes you can plant in your garden. Which variety you choose depends on your taste and color preferences. But the best known are the red radishes. They have a spicy taste and a crunchy, juicy consistency. They taste good in salads and can also be eaten alone as a snack. Learn the secrets of cultivation here and find out how to harvest this delicious vegetable.
When should you sow them?
Radishes can be planted in spring or fall. Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost or 4 to 6 weeks before the first fall frost.Plant them directly in the gardenas soon as the soil is tilled. Because they mature so quickly, you'll want to sow a batch weekly to ensure a steady supply of radishes.
Planting radishes from seeds
Sow the seeds outdoors in the location you want them to grow. Choose a sunny spot with nutrient-rich, loose and well-drained soil. Growing in containers or even a grow bag is also an option.
Add organic matter before sowing, but avoid fresh manure or fertilizer high in nitrogen. Too rich soil promotes lush foliage at the expense of radish tubers.
Since the radishes afast growing vegetablesthey can be grown in the vegetable garden among slower growing plants such as carrots and peas. The radishes are harvested before the other plants need the space. They are also good for loosening the soil and improving it. Just be careful not to let any nearby plants obscure your radishes.
Sow the seeds about 1 cm deep and cover them loosely with soil. Space the seeds 2cm apart. If planting more than one row, keep them 15cm apart. If you follow these tips, thinning shouldn't be necessary. If this is necessary, it should take place as soon as possible.
Water the seeds thoroughly with a watering can. Keep the soil moist by continuing to water weekly to ensure rapid growth and harvest fleshy, tasty tubers that won't divide.
The radish seeds have a relatively long shelf life. So don't be afraid to sow seeds that are up to 5 years old. They may not all germinate, but you will have many that will germinate.
Thinning the seedlings
Thinning is undoubtedly the most important step in growing radishes. Once the seedlings are about a week old, you should thin them to 7cm apart.
Luckily, you can eat the seedlings you thin out. To avoid damaging the roots of neighboring plants, cut them at the base rather than pulling the tubers up. The thinned row may look sparse at first, but this is necessary so that the roots have a chance to develop. Don't waste the tips! Wash the greens and add them to a salad.
Planting Radishes: Common Problems
Unfortunately, not all radishes come out of the ground so perfectly. Here you will find the most common problems that can occur and the causes for them.
- Super spicy tubers:This is caused by high soil temperatures or if the radishes are left in the ground for too long.
- Woody and furry tubers:One reason for this may be irregular watering or high soil temperatures.
- Cracked tubers:The radishes were left in the ground too long and they were watered irregularly.
- No tubers:If you planted the radishes too close, the air temperature is too high, or they don't receive enough sun, they may not produce tubers.
Pests and diseases
- Flohkäfer:The leaves are covered in small holes and the damaged areas turn brown. The seedlings are particularly striking. If you notice a flea beetle infestation, water the radishes with nitrogen-rich fertilizer to help the plants overcome the pest.
- Snails and slugs:They feed on the young seedlings and can be recognized by traces of mucus on the ground and leaves. There are many ways,to fight them, including beer traps, sawdust or eggshells and copper tape.
- Downy mildew:With this disease, the leaves turn yellow, with white, downy spots on the underside. The tubers can also turn brown. Remove infected plants as soon as you see them.
