Radishes are fast-growing plants that can mature and be ready for harvesting in three weeks. Not only are they tasty, but they are also sturdy and require little maintenance. Radishes can be used to add a nice flavor to your salads and soups. To grow radish, all you need to do is:
1) Select a Variety of Radish
There are different kinds of varieties of radishes and each variety has its specific properties. Just like how some varieties are best grown in summer, some other varieties are best grown in spring or winter.
The most common variety of spring radishes is Cherry Belle which matures in 22 days. It is delicious with a pleasant flavor. Cherry Belle can be grown in spring and fall.
Summer radishes and spring radishes are similar just that summer radishes take longer to mature and can take between 6 – 8 weeks before they can be ready for harvesting.
As for winter radishes, they are slow-growing plants when compared to spring and summer radishes. Due to the fact that they are bigger in size, they take longer to mature. Examples of winter radishes are Daikon and Champions and these two are the most common varieties of winter radishes.
Tip: Learn more about choosing good seeds
2) Choose a Good garden Spot for growing your radish
To grow radishes, you will need well-drained loose soil. You can also plant them in a spot where they can receive direct sunlight. A partial shade can be okay too. Before planting, ensure to clean the planting site and remove all rocks and weeds.
Also, add some compost, leaf mold, or manure to the soil. Even though radishes require sunlight for growth, however, too much sunlight can be detrimental.
Radishes require a high level of soil pH of between 7.0 – 7.4. The high level of soil pH will help in deterring clubroot, crack, rot too. To increase the soil pH, you just need to add lime or organic matter such as compost.
Tip: Learn more about choosing a garden spot
3) Radish Seeds Sowing
To sow your radish seeds, dig half-inch deep hole for each seed. For large radish variety, ensure the hole is at least one inch deep for each seed. Leave a distance of at least one inch between the holes.
Plant your radishes in rows and keep a gap of one foot between each row. Cut your radish plants when they are one inch above the soil and cut them to the soil level using a pair of scissors.
Tip: Learn more about planting seeds
4) Watering your radish
Radishes love moist soil and so ensure the soil never gets dry and the soil is always kept moist. However, water moderately and avoid excess water to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged.
Water your radish plants frequently and evenly. Failure to water your radish plants frequently and evenly can make them develop a hot, woody taste. You can use compost to preserve the moisture. Using compost can be quite effective.
5) Pests and Diseases Control
Fungi can be nasty and are the most dangerous which can infect your plants. Common signs indicating that your radish plants might be suffering from fungus diseases include:
The appearance of pale yellow and grey spots on the radish leaves can give a signal that your plant has a Septoria leaf spot.
The appearance of pale green spots indicates that your radish plant is suffering from downy mildew.
A turn of the color of the radish leaves to yellow between their veins is a sign of blackleg. Not only can pests attack your radishes, but bugs can also too so beware of them too.
6) Harvesting your Radish
Start harvesting your radishes when the roots are one inch in diameter. To harvest your radishes, pull out the whole radish plants with your hands.
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Conclusion
Growing radish is quite easy. All you need to do is to follow the steps and you will have a great yield of these delicious plants.
