Vegetable · Root crop
Radishes
Raphanus sativusThe fastest crop in most vegetable gardens, ready to eat within a month of sowing and perfect for filling gaps between slower crops. Its peppery bite intensifies quickly once the roots pass their prime. The one rule: harvest promptly, since roots left too long turn pithy and hollow.
Sow depth
½ in
Spacing
2 in · rows 10 in
Sun
Full sun
Germination
3–7 days
Time to harvest
22–30 days
Difficulty
Easy
When to sow radishes
- Sow from about 4 weeks before your last expected frost until about 2 weeks before the first expected autumn frost.
Direct sow only — radishes grow too fast to bother with transplanting.Sow thinly along a shallow drill in loose, stone-free soil.Succession sow every week or two for a continuous harvest.
Thin early — crowded seedlings compete and never bulk up properly.Keep soil consistently moist; drying out causes cracked, woody roots.Weed gently by hand to avoid disturbing shallow, developing roots.
Check often — roots can go from perfect to pithy within days.Pull once roots reach a good eating size, usually marble to golf ball.Harvest the whole row promptly once weather turns warm to avoid bolting.
Companion plants
Fast radishes sown between slower carrots mark the row and are pulled before roots compete for space.
Watch out for
Flea beetles — Riddle young leaves with tiny holes in warm, dry spells. Keep seedlings well-watered and growing fast to outpace damage.