Table of contents
- sorts
- location claims
- sowing
- Are radishes really hardy?
- plant combinations
- Pour
- Fertilize
- pests and diseases
- harvest and storage
- balcony extension
What could be nicer for a gardener than bringing home-grown vegetables fresh and crisp to the table. Radishes are good for this because they grow quickly and take up little space - and of course because they taste delicious! With the right information and tips, from sowing to harvesting, you too can grow with ease.
sorts
The name radish comes from radix, the Latin word for root. The botanical name is "Raphanus sativus subsp. sativuswas". In normal usage, however, the radish is sometimes also called radish or monthly radish. More than 100 different varieties are now available for domestic cultivation.
There are special varieties for every season. The individual varieties also differ significantly in terms of shape and color. In addition to the classic round shape, there are also oval and cylindrical versions. The bulb is most commonly red, but it also comes in yellow, pink, purple, or even black. The intensity of the sharpness, which is caused by the mustard oils it contains, also varies from variety to variety. Detailed information on the respective variety is given on the packaging.
Early varieties grow quickly and form tasty tubers even at low temperatures. However, since they develop weaker roots, good watering is important.
Popular spring varieties are:
- Cyrus
- icicle
- Vitus
- French Breakfast
- Lucy
- cracker
- saxa
- Vienna
- tease bead
- giant butter
The following varieties are suitable for cultivation in summer and autumn:
- Rudi
- Raxe
- Ready
- sora
Tip:
Seed packs with mixed contents are commercially available for gardeners who are keen to experiment. It's worth trying, because varieties that have not been bred for transport and storage surprise with a more intense taste.
location claims
Radishes need a lot of light, so bright and partially shaded places are ideal for growing them. Humus-rich and water-permeable soil offers the best growth conditions. Before sowing, the soil can be improved and loosened up with compost and some sand. Fresh stable manure, on the other hand, would turn the small tubers black and also attract pests.
The soil should be loosened and well aerated before sowing. If the soil is fine and crumbles in your hand, it is perfect for sowing radishes. The enriched oxygen promotes germination. For the bed, choose a suitable place in the garden where radishes, cabbage or radishes have been grown again in the last four years.
sowing
Radishes sprout in frost-free soil from as little as 5 °C, which is why they can be sown in cold frames and greenhouses from February. Outdoor cultivation is possible from March to September, preferably under foil at first. Radishes need space to develop their bulbs. If they are too close together, the leaves will grow magnificently, but the tubers will remain small.
Radish seeds are brown, egg-shaped and about 3 cm long. They can be taken in the hand and dosed well. The seeds are placed at a small distance in 1 cm deep seed grooves and then lightly covered with soil. Sowing too deep produces misshapen and elongated tubers. The ideal distance between two rows is 15-20 cm. Young plants should be thinned out to a distance of 3-5 cm. With finished seed tapes, the correct distance is automatically maintained.
Tip:
Place a long plant stake about 1cm in diameter on the ground where radishes are to be sown. Push it deeper into the ground with your foot. After you pick up the stick again, it leaves a perfect groove for sowing.
If you want to make the effort, you can first sow radishes in purchased seed soil. This has hardly any nutrients and thus forces the seedlings to bind stronger roots. The small plants are then planted out in normal garden soil.
Are radishes really hardy?
Radishes are not hardy. In our temperate climate, the last sowing month is September. If you have a greenhouse, you can still sow radishes in October.
Tip:
Do you always want fresh radishes? Then it is advisable to regularly sow small amounts every two to three weeks. If a few ripe radishes are left on the bed, they will soon form seed pods. Once they turn light brown, you can harvest and dry the seeds. Stored in a paper bag, they will keep until the next sowing in spring.
plant combinations
Radishes are ideal for a mixed culture. If suitable plant neighbors are chosen, there is no competition for nutrients and all plants thrive. They get along extremely well with beans, peas, cabbage, turnips, parsley, tomatoes, kohlrabi and spinach. Green lettuce is also suitable for a mixed culture because its large leaves protect the soil from moisture loss.
Basil and onions don't mix well with radishes. Neither do cucumbers and melons, as they would draw a lot of water out of the radishes.
Radishes are good marker seeds for other plants that germinate more slowly, such as carrots and parsnips. Due to their short cultivation period, radishes are also suitable as a pre-, intermediate or post-culture of other plants, wherever there is space in the bed. Tomatoes, for example, are not planted until May, until then radishes can be harvested from the bed.
Pour
Radishes are quite thirsty plants. During the growth phase, they love even soil moisture, but it must not be too wet. Sharp differences in humidity make radishes furry and even cause them to burst. Regular watering is therefore particularly important during summer cultivation. How much water actually needs to be poured depends directly on the current weather conditions.
Fertilize
Radishes are among the so-called weak eaters in the home garden. A compost application before sowing is sufficient to cover the complete nutrient requirement. This should only be worked in superficially, as radishes are so-called flat roots. They get the nutrients they need from the top layer of soil. They do not tolerate fresh organic fertilizer. Also avoid mineral fertilizers, as radishes tend to accumulate nitrate.
Nitrogenous fertilizer only stimulates the growth of the leaves, while the tubers remain small.
pests and diseases
Due to the rapid growth, radishes are usually spared from many pests and diseases. They are harvested and eaten before pathogens can develop. If diseases and pests do occur, it is usually due to incorrect care and an unsuitable location.
flea beetles
Flea flea infestations usually occur in warm, dry weather. Punctured and withered leaves stun the plants.
Tip:
Moist soil and frequent hoeing prevent spread. Garlic planted nearby repels the pests with its scents.
cabbage flies and cabbage whites
From mid-May, there is a risk of crop loss due to these pests, whose maggots poke holes in the tubers. Attach a net over the seed for protection.
Tip:
Sow early in March or late in September for a good chance of avoiding this pest.
aphids
They spread very quickly and cause feeding damage to leaves and tubers. Discolored and curling leaves are typical of aphid infestations. Potassium soap or rapeseed oil agents are used to combat it. It is more environmentally friendly with natural predators such as ladybugs.
Clubroot
This disease occurs exclusively in cruciferous vegetables, which include radishes. The fungus can survive in the soil for up to 20 years. The radish tubers show goitre-like swellings, older leaves wither and turn yellow. Since no suitable means of combating the disease is available, infested plants should be removed from the bed and disposed of as soon as possible. In this way, the disease can at least be contained.
Tip:
Compliance with crop rotation has a preventive effect. So only sow radishes in the same spot every four years. Regular application of lime and humus improves the soil and thus also helps to avoid clubroot.
radish blackness
This fungal disease penetrates through the roots. The gray to black colored tubers must be removed immediately.
Wrong mildew
Black spots and white fungal coating on tubers and yellow and brownish spots on leaves are the unmistakable signs of this disease. Since the radish tubers are intended for consumption, the usual treatment with fungicides is not advisable. Instead, you should quickly dispose of the infested plants with the household waste. In no case do diseased plants belong in the compost.
Tip:
Avoid too dense sowing and high leaf moisture, as these promote the disease.
harvest and storage
Depending on the variety, the ripening time is around 30 days. After about four weeks you can try a radish and test its ripeness. If they are crispy, then they are ripe. This applies to all other tubers that are the same size. Whether small or large radishes taste better is simply a matter of taste. However, one thing is clear: young radishes taste best. They have to be pulled out of the ground in good time before flowering, otherwise their taste will suffer and they will become hollow and woody. When the tubers have reached 2-3 cm in diameter, it's time to harvest. As needed, they are gradually pulled out of the ground, the largest tubers first, the small ones are allowed to continue growing.
Harvest time extends into October. If you sow early, you can start harvesting as early as April. Radishes taste best freshly harvested and should therefore be harvested as soon as possible before consumption. They are simply pulled by their leaves to get them out of the ground. Remove the leaves right away, as they draw water from the tuber and make it age faster.
Wrapped in a damp cloth, the tubers stay fresh for several days in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator without losing much of their vitamins.
Tip:
If you harvest radishes in the late afternoon, they have the highest vitamin value and the lowest nitrate content.
balcony extension
Who says you always need a garden to harvest your own vegetables? Due to the small space requirement and short ripening time, radishes are ideally suited for the balcony box and thrive in them magnificently. Cultivation does not require much effort and the varieties can vary as desired. Normal potting soil, which is available in supermarkets and garden centers everywhere, is sufficient for cultivation. A typical balcony box offers enough space for about 40 radishes, which are sown in two rows. Ideally, the balcony box should be in a sunny location. The first leaves can be seen after a week. Now it's time to keep the soil moist and be patient until the radishes are ready to eat in about 4 weeks.
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