Cotton or Soil: Where Will Radishes Grow Faster?

Faster Growing Radishes

• Radishes need consistent soil moisture for uninterrupted, fast growth. Thin the seedlings so they have room to fatten their roots quicker. Avoid disturbing the roots of surrounding radishes by using scissors to cut off the tops of thinned plants rather than pulling them out of the ground. Add the clipped starts in a salad or other cooking. The spacing is better controlled during transplanting with radish seeds started indoors on wet cotton balls. Most radish varieties mature in three to eight weeks.

Diseases and Pests

• Radishes are hardy, but some health measures greatly assist efficient growth. Cole crops and radishes share the same soilborne diseases, so do not plant them in the same location more than every 3 to 4 years. Slower-growing tomatoes or squash complement and provide shade for maturing radishes. Foil cabbage root maggot pests by covering radish crops with nonwoven, floating row covers.

Spring Radish the Fastest Growers

• Radishes are hardy, but some health measures greatly assist efficient growth. Cole crops and radishes share the same soilborne diseases, so do not plant them in the same location more than every 3 to 4 years. Slower-growing tomatoes or squash complement and provide shade for maturing radishes. Foil cabbage root maggot pests by covering radish crops with nonwoven, floating row covers.

Winter Radish Varieties

• Winter radishes need twice the time to grow larger roots as do spring varieties. Long black Spanish, April cross, omny and Everest are some winter radish examples grown in the autumn for winter storage. Some winter radishes, such as daikon, Japanese or Chinese, take more than two months before maturing. These radish varieties usually have cylindrical, large roots that store longer than other types. According to Cornell University, time winter radish plantings to mature at first frost, because the frost improves the taste and texture.