Growing Radish

Raphanus sativas : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
P P P P P P P P P P P P

(Best months for growing Radish in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 1 - 2 inches apart
  • Harvest in 5-7 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Chervil, cress,lettuce, leeks, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes
  • Avoid growing close to: Hyssop, gherkins

Your comments and tips

07 Aug 08, amy maloney (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
tips for growing radishes?
11 Jun 08, Chris (Unknown climate)
Christine, you can probably eat them without harm (they're a brassica), but the leaves are usually covered in prickly hairs, so why you'd want to is the main question - I would rather just eat the radish. You can certainly eat turnip and beetroot leaves, so radish leaves might be ok cooked? Perhaps you can let us know how you go with them?
10 Jun 08, christine (Unknown climate)
Can you eat the leaves of radish e.g. in salad or cooked
30 May 08, Chris (Unknown climate)
Rex, I've found lack of water at any stage during growth will make radish turn bitter. It's also a dreadful problem with cucumbers - one day of wilting makes them completely inedible!
30 May 08, Rex (Unknown climate)
Could I please know why my radishes are so bitter? Last year tasted nice!
10 Apr 08, Sophie (Unknown climate)
Long Scarlet radishes are good in a stirfry. All radishes make a great pickle.
Showing 141 - 146 of 146 comments

A better suggestion is a Styrofoam box used for corn or zucchini - if you can find bigger boxes the better - you can grow more at a time. Go to Foodworks, IGA or any supermarket and ask if they have any. Put newspaper, shade cloth or bubble wrap on the bottom - then about 25 mm of small pebble (the beach) - then another layer of paper, shade cloth or bubble wrap with some holes in it. Mix up some soil, sand, compost/manure and potting mix/seed raising mix. Put that in the box and give a good watering. Plant the radish and sprinkle some soil/ potting mix/seed raising mix over the radish. Keep out of the sun until they germinate or put some shade cloth or something similar over them until they germinate. With this free draining soil and shallow soil depth they will need watering each day and plenty of sun. Have 2-3-4 boxes and have a succession of plantings. This method can be also used to grow lettuce and baby spinach - plant very densely and cut the young leaves about 25-50 mm up the plant and they will reshoot - multiply cuttings. You can buy seeds on the internet 100-200 seeds for $1.

- Mike

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