Radishes are nutritious, have many antioxidants, and a low glycaemic index. They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in containers and take about 4-6 weeks from seed to harvest. Their leaves contain more nutrition than even the roots and make a great addition to stir-fries and dry vegetable dishes cooked in the Indian subcontinent during winter. Generally eating salad before your meal keeps your glycaemic index from spiking and lowers your cholesterol levels. Apparently, it also helps in improving liver function over time.
There are many varieties of radishes, but the smaller varieties are more suited to container gardening. As a rule, we need to plant the seeds of root vegetables directly into the place where it needs to grow, and this applies to radishes as well. So, plant the seeds directly into the raised beds or pots where you need to grow them Transplanting does not work very well with them. There are many varieties you can grow but the smaller ones work really well in pots. Varieties like Red -These are round with red skin and white flesh. Cherry Belle and Early Scarlet Globe are two common kinds. Red radishes have a sweet, peppery, and sharp flavor. These need to be planted in a pot which is at least 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide. You can do 6-8 plants in each pot this size.
The varieties following are larger in size and do better in deeper pots or in the ground. Varieties like Daikon are native to Japan and China and are a staple in Asian cuisine. They’re also known as Japanese radish, Chinese turnip, and mullangi. They are round or cylinder-shaped. Most have white flesh, though some have green. They taste slightly spicy and sweet but are milder than red radishes. There are many varieties, including Minowase, Tama, and Miyashige white.
Watermelon. These white and green radishes with magenta flesh are heirloom daikon radishes. That means they’ve been grown from seeds saved and passed down over many generations. They have a peppery kick that mellows out if you cook them.
Black radish. These radishes are big and ball-shaped. They have rough, jet-black skin and white flesh. Black radishes have a spicy and earthy flavor that’s sharper than most other radishes.
Other radish types:
The following can be planted in pots as well but need to be put in pots at least 12 inches deep if not more. Remember to space out well.
Pink lady slippers are oblong with pink skin and white flesh. They’re very mild, so they’re good for many recipes.
French breakfast kinds are long and pink and taper to a thin white point. They taste light and peppery.
Easter egg radishes grow in several colors, including red, pink, purple, and white. They taste like red radishes.
Planting and care instructions:
Plant the seeds in a large deep pot at least 12-16 inches in diameter, 12 inches in depth, and plant around 10 seeds in each. They should sprout in about 6 days then you might want to thin them out, so they are spaced 2 inches apart. I plant around the middle of October or when the temperature drops below 37 degrees. Radish needs good sunlight preferably morning sun around 4-6 hours but keep them away from the strong afternoon sun. We can keep them in full sun all winter until February in the Gulf. Use a fertilizer that is high in both phosphorous and potassium but low in nitrogen. Radishes love coffee grounds as well as Epsom salts so use both. Home compost and vermicompost are also much welcomed by radishes, so use a handful or two in each pot every 2 weeks. For small varieties you should be able to harvest in 6 weeks, but the bigger ones take up to 10 weeks to full harvest.
Pro tip:
Cover the radish roots with soil as they push their way out to ensure larger and more succulents roots. If you don’t do this, they might be malformed and thin.
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