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About Radishes 
For many the gardener radishes are a tool more than vegetable. They germinate quickly, mature fast and take up next to no space whatsoever. They can be planted to mark rows of slower growing crops such as carrots and parsnips, to loosen up the garden soil, to attract insects such as root maggots away from other members of the cabbage family to which they belong, to deter the cucumber beetle and to satisfy the youngster interested in growing something with results quick enough to keep their interest.
Radishes are simple to grow so long as you adhere to the basic principles of watering and fertilization.
Since radishes are a cool weather crop early spring is the best time to plant them although succession plantings can occur almost throughout the entire growing season. Radishes, though not too versatile in the kitchen, offer one of the most versatile plants for location as they adapt well to containers, windowboxes, garden beds and even the occassional cup of soil in a windowsill.
Planning
Soil for radishes should be rich, loose and kept well watered. Since radishes reach maturity in usually about 3 to 4 weeks there is little opportunity to correct mistakes once thay have taken place. That said there are even some radish varieties that mature in as little as eighteen days. Don't worry too much if your first crop fails as you will have a chance to grow another one in short order.
Radishes prefer full sun but will tolerate some shade.
If you have clay soil look toward the winter radish varieties for more success. Regardless of soil type be aware that fertile soil with plenty of humus is key to sucess for tasty radishes.
Preparation
Fertilizers must be worked into the soil before planting to be immediately available to the young radish seedlings. This is because in order to grow radishes that are crisp and mild they must grow quickly. A second application of a liquid fertilizer two weeks after germination will be appreciated by the radishes.
Sow radish seeds directly in the garden. Plant spring varieties one half inch in depth and about an inch apart from one another. Larger winter varieties should be spaced about twice that distance.
If you are eager to get started in the spring radishes may be grown in a coldframe or hotbed. Sow early varieties into the soil as soon as it is no longer overly wet. If the soil is mucky your radishes may very well crack. Succession plantings every week or two are a good idea since radishes do not store well either in the ground or after harvesting.
Care
If you want good-tasting radishes also pay close attention to the watering regimen you provide. Moisture stress can result in the same woody, hot radishes that poor soil conditioning and lack of fertilizer or humus will result in.
Mulch if possible although the timeframe for growing may not seem worth your effort in this regard. Also try to be diligent about removing weeds from among the radishes.
Pests / Disease
As with other member of the cabbage family, root maggots may pester your radishes, but otherwise radishes are mostly free of pests. By practicing crop rotation with your cabbage family vegetables you will greatly diminish the root maggot problems for yourself and your cabbage family plants.
Harvesting
Spring radishes will not hold their quality for long, so harvest as soon as there is something large enough to be edible. Before they become tough and pithy be sure to harvest the entire crop. If you have an abundance of radishes and need to store them, remove the tops and store them in the refrigerator in plastic bags. Winter varieties will keep adequately in the ground for about three weeks after maturity if the weather is cool.
Radish Varieties
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Radish Links
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