The basics of growing radishes: Part 2

Radishes grow quickly, and should be ready to harvest within three to five weeks, depending on the season and the variety sown.

It is best to plant radish seeds in your homestead garden directly in the soil, so as not to disturb their roots through transplanting. Select a sunny spot: if the radishes are planted in too much shade, or even where neighbouring vegetable plants shade them, they will put all their energy into producing larger leaves rather than their roots, according to gardeninginsouthafrica.co.za.

Root crops require soil that has been thoroughly dug over, with all the hard clumps broken down and stones removed to prevent misshapen or stunted crops.

The seedlings will need to be thinned out when they get their first true leaves. The spacing will depend on the variety sown, so follow the instructions on the seed packet to get this right. For successive crops, sow seed every three to four weeks. As radish matures rapidly, extra feeding is unnecessary.