About Radishes
Radishes are a salad favorite and can be grown in even the smallest space. Growing radishes is a good way to introduce children to the art of gardening, as this root vegetable does not need a lot of care and the kids can see the fruit of their labors very quickly, keeping them interested. Planted correctly, you will have a harvest almost all year long. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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There are basically two types of radishes, summer and winter. Winter radishes are the larger of the two and can take 3 months to produce a crop. Summer varieties include Cherry Belle radish, which is one of the fastest growers, producing a crop in 21 days, German Giant, which can grow as large as a baseball and French Breakfast radish which grows up to 2 inches long instead of growing round. Winter radishes include China Rose which takes 53 days before it is ready to harvest, is rose colored and should be planted in mid- to late-August, and Diakon, which is white and can grow as long as 18 inches.
Climate
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You do need to control the radishes' climate. During the spring and fall, they need a good deal of sunshine, but in the summer they need to be protected from the hot sun or they will produce seeds rather than radishes. Radishes are a cold weather crop and thrive in the coldest of planting zones.
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Planting and Care
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Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Turn over the soil down to about 6-inches deep and make sure there are no rocks, stones or fresh compost. You can do this as far in advance as 1 month before planting. Radishes thrive on bone meal; add about 2 cups for each square yard in the plot when you turn over the soil. Stagger the seed planting. Radishes need to be picked as soon as they are ready or they will just rot away. For summer varieties, start sowing seeds in April and plant more every 3 weeks up through September. Winter varieties have a shorter growing season. Start planting them in July and continue every 3 weeks through September. There are two things you need to watch for when growing radishes--flea beetles which will make holes in the leaves, and the cabbage root fly, which will make holes in the roots.
Features
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Radishes are one of the fastest growing vegetables, with summer varieties producing a crop in as little as 25 days. Radishes need to be eaten as soon as they are harvested. They will only stay fresh in the refrigerator for a maximum of 5 days and they cannot be frozen. The exception to the rule is the winter radish, which can be left in the ground after it has matured.
Considerations
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Radishes are one vegetable that can be planted in the same plot with other plants. Consider planting radishes with taller-growing vegetables. Peas and beans are excellent companions for radishes, as they will help shade the radishes from the hot afternoon sun. Radishes are also a vegetable to consider planting in containers on a terrace or patio.
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