R(caps)adishes are popular vegetables, valued for their distinctive flavor and crunchy texture. Radishes come in many shapes and sizes. The most common variety is red, but they also come in shades from white, pink, purple and even black. The scientific name of radish is 'Raphanus sativus' which belongs to the Brassicaceae family.The word 'radish' comes from the Latin word 'radix', meaning 'root', and the Greek word 'raphanus', which means 'quickly appearing'. That's why radishes are one of the fastest sprouters in the garden when they're planted from seed. Radishes are easy to grow. They are fast-growing and are ready to harvest in about four weeks from sowing. The key to successfully growing a great radish is to plant when the weather is cool, to not plant too close together and to harvest promptly before the roots get woody and bitter!
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Radish Varieties
Radishes are classified by their shape or by their preferred growing season.
There are two basic types of radishes: spring varieties and winter varieties. Which radishes you select to grow will be down to your own taste preferences. . The spring varieties are so many; from "Cherry Belle", "Champion", to "Crimson Giant" they should be planted in early spring to mature quickly in cool weather for the best production and quality. Most spring radish varieties mature in less than a month.
. The winter varieties are "China Rose" and "Long Black Spanish" they require a longer growing period but are superior to spring types in many ways. They hold their quality in the garden longer, store better, and have a more distinctive flavor. By growing a number of varieties from both types, you can be harvesting radishes throughout the spring, and again in the fall and winter.
Radishes are so easy to grow, and knowing when to harvest is the key to enjoy perfect radishes with crisp roots and mild flavor instead of hot as fire.
How To Grow Radishes
Radish seeds can be planted in the fall and in spring, but growing should be suspended in the summer, when temperatures are typically too hot. Hot temperatures may cause radishes to bolt. Otherwise, radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow.
Radish plants are primarily grown for their roots. The soil needs to be rich in organic matter, it can not be compacted. If the soil is more clay-like, mix in some sand to loosen it and improve the drainage. Till your garden bed to remove any rocks before planting. If your soil isn’t rich in organic matter, incorporate a few inches of organic compost into the planting site as soon as the soil is workable.
Radish Spring Planting
Sow seeds 4–6 weeks before the average date of last frost in your area.
In a sunny spot, Directly sow seeds ½ an inch to an inch deep and one inch apart in rows 12 inches apart.
Cover with barely half an inch of soil, then water and watch them grow.
Radishes usually germinate in three to 10 days. Once seedlings appear, thin them to two inches apart.
Plant another seeds every 10 days for a continuous harvest of radishes in the late spring and early summer.
Radish Fall Planting
Do the same techniques by sowing seeds or early fall before the first fall frost.
Seedlings that grow too close together will not plump up, so you must either sow the seeds at uniform spacing or thin them soon after they sprout.
Thin radish seedlings to about two inches apart when the plants are a week old. Crowded plants do not grow well.
Keep your soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. You can use a drip irrigation system It's an effective and great way to achieve this.
Put a thin layer of mulch around the radishes to help retain moisture in dry conditions.
Practice three-year crop rotation. By planting radishes in the same spot every third year. This will help prevent diseases from affecting your crop.
Watch Grow Your Own Crunchy Radishes! | Step-by-Step Radish Seed Sowing Guide
Radish Plants Care
Radishes require little care after planting, but they must have sufficient and consistent water for best quality.
Remove any weeds growing around your radishes and keep the soil moist.
Radishes require several hours of direct sunlight each day for the bulb to fully develop.
Harvesting Radishes
Because radishes mature so quickly, do not leave them in the ground long after their mature stage. Spring radishes should be checked frequently as they mature. The reason many gardeners fail with radishes is that they leave them in the ground too long. Radishes will be ready to harvest quite rapidly, as soon as three weeks after planting for many varieties. When you see the top portion of the radish poking up through the soil, and when it's almost an inch across, it's ready to harvest. Radishes can be harvested by pulling or by gently loosening the surrounding soil. Once harvested, remove the green tops to prevent them from drawing moisture and nutrients from the bulb.
Watch How to Harvest Radish Video
Collecting Radish Seeds
If you like to gather your own radish seeds to use the next year. Just be sure to grow only one radish variety in your garden, so that different radishes don’t cross-pollinate and lose their distinctive characteristics.
To collect the seeds, let the radishes plants grow flowers. Those will mature into seed pods. Stake up the stems, so they don’t fall over and burst. As seed heads mature, cover them with lightweight cloth bags so that birds don’t eat all the seeds. When the seed pods dry, bring indoors and store in a dry place until the next growing season.
Storing Radishes
After harvesting, brush the soil off your radishes using your hand, and then store them in a cool, dark place for up to 2 weeks.
Health Benefits of Radish
There’s no doubt that good nutrition is the key to maintaining optimal health and avoiding chronic illnesses.
Radish is high in fiber, and if you eat it as part of your daily salad, without going overboard of course, will provide your system with ample roughage and fibers, therefore improving your digestion.
Radish also provides your body with potassium, which can help lower your blood pressure, and keep your blood flow in control.
Radish is packed with Vitamins E, A, C, B6, K, and it's high in antioxidants, fiber, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, calcium, iron and manganese. All of these vitamins are known to keep our body in good working condition.
Radishes are an anti-congestive, radish is a great disinfectant and is rich in vitamins, which further protects the respiratory system from infections. Radish decrease congestion of the respiratory system including irritation of the nose, throat, windpipe, and lungs that can come from colds, infections, and allergies.
Considering their many health benefits and how much they can be easy to grow, radishes are a vegetable you may want to try growing today in your garden!
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