How to Grow a Radish Plant in Windy Weather

Radishes are root crops that grow in early, mid-summer and late cultivars.

Radishes are cool-season root crops that grow quickly to maturity and thrive in any garden that offers the proper conditions. Radishes need early spring plantings and rich, moist growing foundations. They should always have good air circulation and protection from drying winds. If your region offers only windy weather, grow radishes in pots and in protected locations to keep them from drying out before they mature.

Things You'll Need

• 5- to 10-gallon pots
• Quick-draining potting soil
• Organic compost
• Fertilizer
• Mulch

Instructions

1. Start radish planting ahead of the last frost to take advantage of cool, moist weather. Radishes are frost hardy but do best in warming weather. Aim for planting two weeks before the last scheduled frost.

2. Prepare 5- to 10-gallon pots with drainage holes for radish planting. Use pots that measure 6 to 10 inches in height to give these root crops room to grow.

3. Mix lightweight potting soil and organic compost in equal parts for growing to give the radishes nutrition, drainage and air circulation. This light mix will give the radish plants room to stretch and grow their root crop without binding. Fill the pots three-fourths full of this mixture. Add 10-5-5 fertilizer to the top 2 inches of soil in each pot to encourage growth but not rooting. Follow the manufacturer directions for dosage specifics.

4. Plant radish seeds 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep at every 1 inch in the potted row. Don't crowd potted radishes, as these plants have to compete for room, water and nutrition.

5. Place the pots where they get eight hours of full sun daily but protection from the wind. Apply 1 inch of organic mulch to the pots after the seedlings emerge, to maintain good soil moisture. Give the radishes 2 inches of water every three days.

6. Feed radishes with water-soluble 10-5-5 fertilizer every two weeks, per manufacturer directions, to maintain soil nutrition. Potted vegetables such as radishes have limited access to new soil or nutrition and need more frequent feedings than garden vegetables.

7. Harvest the radishes on their maturity date, based on cultivar. The date may range from 25 to 70 days. Don't let radishes sit in the soil for long after their maturity, as they may grow dry and bitter.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Watch Your Garden Grow: Radish
• Oregon State University Extension Service: Growing Your Own: Container Gardens
• University of Minnesota Extension; Growing Carrots and Other Root Crops in the Home Garden; Vincent A. Fritz; 2009