Radishes as the Most Productive Vegetable Crop

Although I'll probably catch some grief for this, I'll just come out and say it: Radishes are by far the most productive vegetable crops that can be grown! Here's reasoning behind my belief:

·         Radishes will grow in a variety of soil conditions and qualities.

·         These root crops grow extremely fast. The most you'll have to wait before you can eat most varieties is 30 days!

·         If planted correctly, a small radish patch will yield tasty bundles weekly.

·         Besides the tasty root section, very few are familiar with the fact that the radish greens make a great addition to salads! This crop allows you to utilize the whole harvest!

How to Grow Radishes:

Honestly, I can't seem to think of a vegetable crop that is easier to grow than radishes! Even beginner gardeners will be surprised on how well their crops grow and yield. If you've decided to grow radishes, you'll first want to secure seeds from the variety you'll want to grow. Once you've got your seeds you can begin planting radishes 1-2 weeks before the average last frost. Here's how you do it:

1.    Radishes require at least six hours of full sunlight in order to grow properly, so a sunny spot in the garden or a container placed in a sunny spot is crucial. When growing radishes, soil quality is not so much of a concern. Most varieties of radishes will produce great yields from average soils.

2.    When you've picked out your growing spot, plant individual radish seeds 1" apart and in all directions. I plant my seeds a half inch below the soil surface and then water good. You'll want to keep the soil moist, but not saturated until the radish seedlings emerge (5-10 days).

3.    Once a majority of seedlings have emerged, it is advised that you thin your garden to one radish plant every two inches. If this step is not done, radishes may become overcrowded and stunted.

4.    At this point, all you'll have to do is water! As with the seedlings, keep soil conditions moist, but not saturated as this could cause rot.

5.    Depending on your variety, you can start harvesting your radishes around day 23 from emerging from seed! Check the size of your radishes by digging around the root. If it’s large enough, just grab and pull!

For a Continuous Harvest:

During the summer months, I collect bunches of radishes weekly. If you would like to collect radishes on a weekly basis, just a little more planning is involved. I first start by planting a couple of rows of radishes in their designated spots. One week later, I'll plant a couple more rows behind the initial row. This process repeats until your space is filled or until your first rows can be harvested and the process starts a new. Staggering your planting times will allow for a continuous crop all summer!