A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Above ground radishes

Hello,
I have always heard that home grown radishes are vastly superior to store bought, and that they are super easy to grow. Well, I've tried to grow radishes in three different states - California, Washington, and now Texas, and I can't seem to get them to grow below ground! I'll plant them, thin them and watch as gorgeous foliage develops, but the roots always seem to develop above ground, rarely developing more than a slightly swollen bulb before starting to go to seed... I tried building up some soil around the plant, to kind of cover up the exposed root, but it hasn't seemed to help so far.
Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

I pulled some radishes today. They do start showing above ground for me too, but if you leave them a little longer they will get bigger.

Kyomi, tell me about it !!!! I guess misery loves company, because it's a relief to find someone who can't get a good, normal radish either !
It just floors me that I can grow anything, and something as easy and common as radishes just make red strings and never form a globe/bulb !
Weezie advised me to lightly water, and I'm gonna just spritz my next seeds and when they're up, hill them and water CAREFULLY.
I think if I could get just one good radish, it'd get me to invest in a digital camera, so I could proudly display it here ! Sheesh !

I have not grown radishes in ages but this weekend when we were putting seeds in, my FIL told me that they, as well as carrots, likes very fine soil and that the roots grow down easier if they have nothing to run into to hamper their growth. Dunno if there is anything to that but it does make sense. Will let you know how ours do!

Triss, I had mine in good potting soil in a huge pot. I think Weezie's right and I watered too hard, and also maybe didn't keep consistently moist.
You know what I'd like to see? A picture of a good big radish right when you pull it !
It can be my inspiration......

How's this?

Argh !!!!!!!!!
Argh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Argh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm having a bout of severe depression.......
WHY CAN'T I GROW A DECENT RADISH??????????

Check your soil Ph. Lay off the nitrogen fertilizers, use a higher potassium fert instead. Constant soil moisture, mulching to keep it that way and also to keep temperatures constant. Note from the above foto that they are not completely under the surface of the soil, more like half above half below.
They may not grow a bulb if they are too close together, so thin them after they sprout. Also, if the soil temp is too high they will just grow a thin root, same for beets.

Could be a soil compaction problem as well. When you can't seem to figure out the problem....Get a soil test done!! Very inexpensive and provides a WEALTH of information that you can use.

That is one nice looking radish. I've had decent luck growing mine in containers this year. The first crop was kinda small, but I started them super early and was very inpatient to get then in my salads.

I've read the posts on radishes, I can only suggest keeping them in a soil of compost, potting soil, and dirt. It has been working for me.

The ones I have going right now are looking really good...maybe another week?

Shawn

Sure hope all of mine, or at least some of them look that good.

I am definetly part of the can't grow radish club. After my recent radish post things have gotten worst and some of the roots of my radishes can be seem.

Is shoring up some dirt around the roots a good idea? The leaves, while super healthy are flopping all over the place

Though, I did have my first loose leaf lettuce salad yesterday, it felt mean cutting off the leaves! but I would sure love some radishes to add ;(

I never have fed my radishes anything, because they were planted in new E.B. Stone potting soil.
I think it was the faulty watering in my case.
"Can't Grow Radishes Club" - good one !

OK, fellow radish fans.... I bought another packet of Cherry Belle seeds today.
I'm planting this afternoon - wish me luck !
This time I'll water more carefully, keep them moist, and cross my fingers !

OK, I planted 5 radish seeds in a big pot of good soil. I'm gonna mist them for now.
Unless they drift, they won't need to be thinned, since I planted the darn seeds inches away from each other.
Here we go !!! (Hopefully....)

Good luck to you!!!!

I planted 2 new batched (with the seeds a few inches apart from each other) and thinned them out this morning. I am on a radish growing mission!!!! I was a bit down last night. We finally had to give up on the batch that wasn't working and dug them all up (not a radish or anything even sort of radish looking to be found!!!).

If these 2 batched wont give me any radishes.... well I plan on using an extra tire for my tire potatos and sticking them in there with brand new loose garden soil.

Great idea to plant in a pot. I hope this works out for you. We can have a virtual radish toast in a month (hopefully!!!!)

This is the most "developed" radish we had....yea and it had been in the ground for almost 2 months and was starting to come out of the ground!



I hope what you pull out looks nothing like that next month

Marina-

Thank for the good wishes, Marina, and I hope we both do well and have our toast !
Your picture-that's exactly all my radishes do no matter how long they were in the soil.
I am actually gonna plant ONE seed in a paper cup and baby it, can you believe it? Just to see if I can get ONE decent radish !
This whole thing has become a matter of self esteem....

I can see it now Deborah

And I might just steal that idea Though, the tire method has worked so well for my potatoes....its tempting to give it a go with the radishes

You'll have to keep us up to date on their progress

I got these out of the garden today. I've found that if I pull them before they start coming to the top I'll get a long root too. All of these had worked their way out so I could see the top of the radish.

Wow, I thought it was just me but I see others are having or have had the same problem with the radishes coming above groud.. Like someone already suggested Im just gonna leave them as long as possble and see what happens..

Oh, Best ! I want to do that so much !
They look wonderful !!!!!

LOL... best... me and my SO are sitting here and I saw the picture and just yelled "why can't I grow that????"

He just laughs at my radish struggle

Yours look great though. How do you plant to prepare them?

I like then thinly sliced with a bit of salt on bread with butter... its an old russian thing, reminds me of my childhood

That sounds good, I'm gonna try that ! On wheat bread?

Wheat or some really dark rye bread. Yum I moved to the US when I was about 9.... but I still remember those sanwhiches. So simple, but so good