Radish

Radish I think every gardener starts off with a packet of Radish seed. They are so easy to grow; even children enjoy growing them.

There are basically two types, the summer which include globular, intermediate and long varieties and the Winter varieties which are giants compared to the summer ones, often measuring a foot or more long with white, black or pink skins.

Although they prefer a rich fertile soil, Radish tend to be used as a catch crop in-between other crops or stuck in some little corner of the vegetable plot as a filler. It is always worthwhile, whatever the soil is like, to apply a fertiliser before sowing.

Sow the summer varieties thinly in shallow drills from January until August, using cloches to protect the earlier crops. Sow every fortnight to give a succession of cropping.

Sow the winter varieties from July until the end of August. These will be ready for use from the end of October. They can be left in the ground and used as necessary over the winter.

Radish does not normally suffer a great deal from pests or diseases. They are such a quick growing crop that the diseases rarely have time to get a hold on them, but Flea beetles are quite common. (See relevant Pests or Diseases sections)

© copyright 1999, P. A. Owen