Vegetable

Growing radishes

Raphanus sativus · Brassicaceae
By Hannah Price · Updated 12 November 2026

Radishes calendar

Radishes sowing, planting and harvest calendar (UK)
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sow indoors		Sow indoors in February
Sow outside			Sow outside in March	Sow outside in April	Sow outside in May	Sow outside in June	Sow outside in July	Sow outside in August	Sow outside in September
Harvest				Harvest in April	Harvest in May	Harvest in June	Harvest in July	Harvest in August	Harvest in September	Harvest in October	Harvest in November	Harvest in December

Timings suit lowland southern and central Britain and most of Ireland. In northern England and Scotland, or in a cold spot, start two to three weeks later in spring and finish earlier in autumn.

Overview

Radishes are the fastest crop in the garden, which makes them perfect for children, for impatient gardeners and for filling the space between slower vegetables. Summer radishes are small, peppery and crunchy, while winter radishes grow much larger and keep well. The only real secret is regular sowing and steady moisture.

Varieties to try

'French Breakfast' is a long, red radish with a white tip and a mild bite. 'Cherry Belle' and 'Scarlet Globe' are round, bright red and dependable. 'Sparkler' is red with a white base and stays crisp. For autumn and winter, try 'China Rose' or a long white mooli type, sown in late summer and used for slaw, stir-fries or pickling.

Soil and site

Best soil: Light, moisture-retentive soil; no fresh manure.

A sunny spot with light, fine soil gives the quickest crops, though a little afternoon shade in midsummer keeps them from bolting. Radishes need no special preparation beyond a well-raked surface. Because they are brassicas, include them in that rotation group, and avoid ground where clubroot has been a problem. They grow well in shallow pots and troughs.

Sowing and planting

Make the first sowings under cloches or in a cold greenhouse in February, then outdoors from March. Sow thinly in drills 1 cm deep and cover lightly. Little and often is the rule: a metre of row every two weeks is plenty for most households. Radishes are also handy as markers in rows of slow parsnips or carrots, as they come up and are pulled long before the main crop needs the space.

Spacing: Winter radishes such as mooli need 15 cm between plants and 30 cm between rows.

Care

Thin seedlings to about 3 cm apart if they come up thickly, because crowded radishes grow leaves rather than roots. Water regularly; dry soil makes them woody, hot and quick to bolt, while irregular watering splits them. They need no feeding. Keep weeds down and cover young plants with fleece or fine mesh if flea beetles riddle the leaves with small holes.

Harvesting and storing

Pull summer radishes as soon as the roots reach a usable size, typically three to five weeks after sowing, since they turn pithy within days of maturity. Trim off the leaves and keep the roots in the fridge for up to a week. Winter radishes can stay in the ground until needed or be lifted in late autumn and stored like carrots in damp sand.

Common problems

Slugs and snails graze seedlings in wet weather, so sow away from long grass and check the rows. Drought causes woody, fiery roots and early flowering, so water little and often in warm spells. Flea beetle damage is mostly cosmetic but can check seedlings in hot, dry weather; fleece and keeping the soil moist help.

Read more on the problems that most often hit radishes:

Not sure what you're looking at? Try diagnosing it by symptom.

Month-by-month reminders

Jobs for radishes come round in February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. Each month page lists the rest of the garden's jobs for the same weeks.

Grow alongside

Sources

Names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; timings and spacings reflect UK growing practice and were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.