Radishes are vegetables that are relatively easy to grow in your garden. The growing season can start any time after the last frost in early spring and can last into the month of September. If you wish to extend the growing season, then cloches can be used.
Radishes are uncomplicated vegetables that are not picky about the ground they are planted in,but they do have a preference for ground that is made up of organic substances, such as manure or compost. The organic material should not be added to the soil in the spring but the autumn before for best results.
When you plant the radish seeds, prepare the row by loosening the soil and raking it gently. Then take a bamboo stick or hoe, and mark out a spot that is approximately half an inch deep. Sow the seeds thinly along the spot you have prepared, and then cover them with a thin soil layer. You then need to water the freshly planted seeds.
Radish seeds generally take anywhere from four to 10 days for the process of germination to take place. As the seeds begin to grow, make sure that the soil is kept moist. This is particularly important to do during the hottest months of the year. Watering your radishes on a regular basis is essential to make sure that their roots swell and to ensure that they are not attacked by flea beetles.
While sun is important for their growth, they will do better if they are provided with enough shade. Too much sun can slow their growth.
If you are growing summer radishes (there are summer and winter radishes), then they should be ready to harvest in three to six weeks time. The three most common types of summer radishes are small, red and globular. They have reached full maturity once their diameter is that of a 10 pence coin. On the other hand, winter varieties of radishes are ready to harvest after 10 to 12 weeks.
If you have no room in your garden for radishes but wish to grow them, then try your hand at planting them in containers. These include such things as window boxes or pots. The advantage of this is you can bring them indoors and the growing season lasts for a lengthier span of time.
