Raphanus sativus
HEIGHT x WIDTH: 20cm x 10cm.
DISTANCE APART: 20cm
WHEN TO HARVEST: Radishes are so fast that they might be ready within a few weeks. Pull one out of the soil and if it is between 2cm and 3cm, they can all be picked.
HOW MUCH WATER: Water every day.
WHERE TO PLANT: Full sun
CAN I GROW THEM IN A POT? Yes. Choose a pot that is at least 20cm deep. Fill it with premium potting mix and water it well. Plant each seedling and water them lightly so that they settle in.
CAN I GROW THEM IN A GARDEN BED? Yes. The garden bed must get at least 6 hours of sun every day. Mix some compost or animal manure into the soil then plant the seedlings about 20cm apart. Spread some mulch such as pea straw or lucerne hay over the soil and water the area well.
BEST BUDDY PLANTS: Radishes have lots of buddies! Grow them in the same garden bed as beans, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, peas and squash.
OTHER ‘SMARTY PLANT’ TIPS:
- When you get your seedlings home, let them sit in a shallow tray of water which has had a tablespoon of seaweed solution added for an hour or two. This will get them ready for transplanting.
- After planting, water the seedlings with a very soft hose or a watering can several times a day until they settle in.
- If the radishes start to pop up above the ground, don’t worry too much as this is quite normal. Don’t cover them, they will happily grow like this until you are ready to pick them.
- The radishes will probably be ready to harvest before you need to fertilise them. But, you can give them a liquid fertiliser if you really want to.
There’s more information at the Smarty Plants website.