Nothing can replace the crisp texture and slightly peppery flavor of radishes. They liven up buttered toast, add an interesting flavor to tacos and ramen, and make a good addition to vegetable trays.
Both spring and fall radishes prefer cool weather but not all varieties grow well in each season. If you’re not sure which varieties to plant, check out the ones I’ve listed below.
Cherry Belle
Cherry Belle Radish Seeds
French Breakfast
French Breakfast Radish Seeds
Easter Egg Blend
Easter Egg Blend Radish Seeds
Growing Spring Radishes
Your job is to plant the seeds early so they can mature before these hot days arrive.
The cool weather of spring provides a great opportunity for radishes. Once the soil warms up enough for the seeds to germinate, cute little radish seedlings emerge and begin growing.
Since warm days encourage these brassicas to bolt, your job is to plant the seeds early so they can mature before these hot days arrive. However, if you plant the seeds too early, they may not germinate.
One way to increase your chance of a successful harvest is to plant varieties with a short time to maturity. The following radish varieties are excellent choices for spring planting, while fall types typically take longer to mature.
‘Cherry Belle’
It has a bright red skin surrounding a crisp, white, slightly peppery interior.
A classic round, red radish, ‘Cherry Belle’ is an heirloom variety from The Netherlands. It has a bright red skin surrounding a crisp, white, slightly peppery interior. Since it’s not as pungent as other types, it’s a great option for kids and those hesitant about radishes.
‘Cherry Belle’ is also quick to mature; it can be ready to harvest in as little as 24 days. The crop will grow slower during cool, dark days, so expect early spring plantings to take over a month to mature. Since they’re ready so quickly, you can plant multiple successions during the spring.
The roots are ready to harvest when they’re an inch to an inch-and-a-half in diameter. Therefore, you can plant seeds as close as an inch apart. Avoid letting your radishes grow too large since this can lead to spongy and bitter roots.
‘French Breakfast’
It’s also a stunner thanks to its bicoloration with red tops and white tips.
A small, elongated radish, ‘French Breakfast’ is a slightly peppery variety that tastes great on buttered toast. It’s also a stunner thanks to its bicolored roots with red tops and white tips.
The roots can grow up to four inches long, but many gardeners harvest them when they’re only one to two inches long. At all of these lengths, they remain less than an inch wide. To encourage long, straight roots, plant the seeds about one centimeter deep and space them half an inch apart.
During late spring, ‘French Breakfast’ radishes mature in about 30 days. However, they can take close to a month and a half to mature during shorter days. You can succession plant the seeds to enjoy multiple harvests.
‘Easter Egg Blend’
All colors remain small, making them perfect for raised beds and container gardens.
A beautiful mix of red, pink, purple, and white roots, ‘Easter Egg Blend’ is one of the best choices if you want radishes that look as good as they taste. All colors remain small, making them perfect for raised beds and container gardens.
They are ready to harvest in as little as 30 days. Planting a round of seeds every two weeks from the beginning to the middle of spring will supply you with fresh radish harvests all season long. They won’t mind a few warm days but will become bitter and extra spicy when temperatures are regularly above 80°F (27°C).
Harvest when the roots are a little larger than an inch in diameter. If you let them grow much bigger, they’ll become pithy and/or bitter.
‘White Icicle’
They can grow up to four inches long and maintain a slender, pointed tip.
While most spring radishes are small and round, ‘White Icicle’ has a thin, long shape more like a carrot. Therefore, it’s a great type to plant if you want to step away from the standard varieties. The roots can grow up to four inches long and maintain a slender, pointed tip.
‘White Icicle’ plants are ready to harvest in about 27 days. Since it’s difficult to tell how long they are, begin pulling test plants around the maturity date. When the plants are as big as you like, go ahead and harvest the whole planting.
They have a slightly spicy flavor that you can enjoy both raw and cooked. Try roasting or sautéing the roots for something new.
Growing Fall Radishes
Since days turn cooler as they mature, you don’t have to worry about the plants bolting.
You can think of fall radish variety selection as the reverse of spring. Days start out long and warm and slowly turn cooler and shorter. While radish seeds have no trouble germinating in the late summer and early fall, they are susceptible to increased numbers of pests, including flea beetles, cabbage worms, and aphids.
Since days turn cooler as fall crops mature, you don’t have to worry about the plants bolting. While you can continue planting smaller radish varieties you would plant in spring, you can also get away with growing larger types that take longer to mature in the fall. Not only will they be able to form roots, but they also store well in the refrigerator over winter.
All of the following varieties grow well in the fall and stay crisp for multiple months in proper storage.
‘Miyashige White Daikon’
‘Miyashige White Daikon’ produces long roots with white skin and flesh.
Daikons are well known for their versatility. You can enjoy them raw, ferment them in dishes like kimchi, and cook them in stir-fries and soups. Plus, their long roots help break up compacted soils and improve water infiltration and drainage.
‘Miyashige White Daikon’ produces long roots with white skin and flesh. The greens are hardy and grow over a foot tall. The roots are best when harvested at 12-18 inches long and two to three inches wide. Therefore, planting the seeds about three inches apart will ensure they have enough room to mature.
Like many large varieties, these daikons require shortening days to properly mature. Therefore, they’re perfect candidates for late summer planting. If you plant the seeds in mid to late August, you can expect to harvest them in October. However, since the plants can tolerate below-freezing temperatures, you don’t have to worry about getting them out of the garden before the first frost arrives.
‘Mantanghong Watermelon’
Watermelon types get their name from their bright pink interior and light green skin.
Watermelon radishes get their name from their bright pink interior and light green skin. And the ‘Mantanghong Watermelon’ is no exception. They maintain a spherical shape and remain crisp even when they’re three inches wide!
Since they take about 65 days to mature, they’re excellent candidates for fall growing. Planting the seeds in the late summer allows the plants to mature throughout the shortening days of fall. And since they can handle frost, you don’t have to worry about cold weather.
Although they may be called watermelon radishes, they’re not sweet. Instead, they have a peppery taste and great crunch.
‘Round Black Spanish’
‘Round Black Spanish’ is a round radish with black skin.
If you love a peppery bite, this variety is for you. It has an extremely sharp taste when eaten raw, but it mellows when cooked. As its name suggests, ‘Round Black Spanish’ is a round radish with black skin. When you slice into the roots, you’ll find bright white flesh.
They roots are ready to harvest when they’re between three to four inches in diameter. In the fall, the plants take around two months to mature. Therefore, you should plant them in the late summer or early fall to make sure they have time to mature before the days grow too short.
When you’re planting, make sure you space the seeds wide enough. A good option is to plant a seed per inch and then thin the seedlings so they’re three inches apart.
‘Green Luobo’
‘Green Luobo’ has beautiful light green and yellow roots.
A type of Asian radish, ‘Green Luobo’ has beautiful light green and yellow roots. They keep their color when cooked and fermented, so they’re a popular choice for adding bright color to kimchi. Plus, their slightly spicy taste makes them a good addition to many dishes.
Like most larger cultivars, ‘Green Luobo’ grows best in the shortening days of fall. When planted in late summer, they take around 60 days to mature. The plants develop elongated roots that grow about six inches long and two inches in diameter. The roots store well for multiple months in the refrigerator.
