Growing radishes in containers
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Growing radishes is super simple. Find out how to grow radishes in containers and in the ground in this radish growing article. And check out this month by month garden planning guide to help you know when to plant!
They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in your garden. There are some crops that are easier to grow and are more nutrient and calorie dense that will save you the most money on your food budget as money gets tighter and tighter. Check out the essential crops to grow for a survival garden here. If you’re looking for more fruits and vegetables that grow in the shade, check this out.
For a fun idea check out how to grow your own salad garden here.
✔Here’s a link to a great vegetable garden planner you can print right out and use at home! So cute!
Growing radishes
Radishes have a small seed, a super-fast germination rate and are one of the fastest foods you can grow. From planting to harvest is only about a month. This makes growing radishes super great for growing with kids because kids want instant gratification and this is as close as it gets in growing.
Radishes don’t need a ton of room to grow so if you broadcast or sprinkle the seeds over an area and lightly stir them into the soil, they will probably not need a lot of thinning.
Once you have your radish seeds spread, pat the soil down about as hard as you would rub your eye. This will help the seeds make contact with the soil.
Water the seeds well, but very slowly and lightly. The seeds are small and are easy to move with a rough stream of water. If your kids are doing the planting, give them a spray bottle of water to prevent any mishaps with too much pressure.
For what to plant with radishes, click here.
Radishes only need a few inches of space between them and they don’t have a super deep root system which makes them ideal for container growing. Plant radishes 3-4 inches apart covering them with only a light sprinkle of soil. If you have a one-foot pot, you could grow at least 6 radishes in it. If you have a larger pot like a whiskey barrel half, you could grow a couple dozen radishes.
The great thing about radishes is since they grow so fast, you can use that same container to grow 3-4 sets of radishes or one set and then plant something else in the container.
Growing radishes in pots
Radishes only grow in the cool weather, so In Oklahoma, you can plant them as early as January or February. Some years we can grow them all winter. This year has been a little cool for that. That’s good news for the bug population.
Once the radishes are germinated, go ahead and thin them to about one every 2-3 inches or so. If you let your plants be too crowded, they won’t have enough room to grow.
When are radishes ready to pick
The radishes are ready to pick when their shoulders peek up above the soil or when the weather gets too warm.
I plant radishes with the kids in February, March, and October and November. You know radishes are ready to harvest when their shoulders peek up above the soil line. It doesn’t hurt to pick them early. They are delicious even as sprouts.
Radish varieties
Growing radishes is also fun because they come in lots of bright colors and are very pretty. There are white radishes, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, and even purple. They come in a ton of cool shapes from round like a ball to long like a carrot. They have different flavors, some are super spicy and some are milder.
The hotter the weather, the spicier the radishes become so if you see the weather heating up and you are growing radishes, pull them and eat them.
Our favorite varieties are French breakfast radishes because they are very mild, watermelon radishes because they look amazing, and early scarlet globe because they grow SUPER fast. It only takes about 3 weeks to get a harvest.
We also like to grow white icicle radishes because they love to repel squash bugs. I’m always a fan of that.
If you’re interested in some really cool radish varieties, find out more by clicking on the highlighted text.
You’re going to love growing radishes with your kids (or your inner child). They are super fun and not finicky at all. They don’t have a lot of pest problems, although sometimes something will munch on a leaf or two. Radishes make great companion plants for honeydew melons and other fruits and vegetables!
Did you know that radish leaves are edible? You can use them raw in salads or cook them like regular greens. Just sauté them in a little fat with some salt and pepper. Delicious!
Some other fast-growing vegetables are summer squash like zucchini and yellow squash, kale, swiss chard, turnips, and green beans. They don’t grow as fast as radishes but are faster growing than many garden plants. For more easy vegetables to grow from seed, click here.
Other things that are really fun for kids to grow are sunflowers, potatoes or any root vegetable that grows under the ground. It’s like a big surprise when you dig them up, the kids love it. Kids also love picking tomatoes, cucumbers, and peas.
If you are beginning gardener, click here for how to get started.
For more ideas on what you can grow in containers, check out bucket gardening 101 and these ideas:
