How to grow radish
Sow a pinch every 10 days. Heat and long days send them to seed, so pause in midsummer.
Rotation and family
Radish belongs to the brassicas (Brassicaceae). Hungry for nitrogen; clubroot spores persist in soil for years.
In a four-bed crop rotation it goes in the leaf & brassica bed. Avoid growing it where any brassicas grew in the last three years.
Sow a fresh batch every 10 days for a steady supply. The succession planting calculator lists the dates.
When to plant radish by zone
| Zone | Sow / plant out | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 29 – Aug 19 |
| 4 | Apr 7 – May 19 | Aug 8 – Aug 29 |
| 5 | Mar 26 – May 7 | Aug 20 – Sep 10 |
| 6 | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Sep 1 – Sep 22 |
| 7 | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Sep 11 – Oct 2 |
| 8 | Feb 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 24 – Oct 15 |
| 9 | Jan 18 – Mar 1 | Oct 15 – Nov 5 |
| 10 | Dec 28 – Feb 8 | Oct 30 – Nov 20 |
Based on typical frost dates for each zone; b half-zones run about a week earlier in spring. Zones 11–13 are frost-free in most years.
Radish questions
When should I plant radish?
Plant radish outdoors 5 weeks before your last spring frost. For a fall crop, sow about 7 weeks before your first fall frost.
How far apart should I plant radish?
About 2 inches apart, or 16 per square foot in a square foot garden.
What grows well with radish?
Traditional companions include carrot, cucumber, lettuce, melon, parsnip, pea, pole bean, spinach, zucchini.
How long does radish take to grow?
Typically 22–30 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on variety and weather.