Creating your own kitchen garden doesn’t have to be complicated. At Exceptional we love any opportunity to reap the rewards of low-maintenance garden flowers and plants – and radishes are no exception. If you’ve been watching your veg patch flourish and are wondering when to harvest radishes, we’re here to help. Though radishes are relatively easy to look after, getting the harvesting time right is important for flavour and texture. Leave them in the ground too long and they become inedible. To avert such catastrophes and make sure you can enjoy them at their best, we’ll share some expert advice so you know exactly how and when to harvest radishes in your kitchen garden.
Wait three to four weeks
When to harvest winter radishes
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Growing radishes indoors “Radishes can be grown indoors all year round if you provide them with the right conditions,” explains Bonnett. “During winter you need to grow them on a sunny windowsill or use a heated propagator. And when the temperatures go up in the summer, it’s important to remember to water the plants more thoroughly.”
Don’t waste the leaves
Bonnett adds that winter radishes are “milder and sturdier, making them ideal for soups, stir-fries and stews”. The RHS warns that some varieties of winter radish can be hot, so advises people to check their packets of seed for details. “The roots can also be eaten raw, sliced or grated in salads,” the organisation says. “The leaves can be eaten and have a peppery flavour when raw, or can be cooked in a similar way to chard.”
Did you know? The weather can impact the flavour of radishes: “If you grow radishes in hot weather, they have a hotter, more peppery taste,” says Domoney. “They taste milder when grown in mild weather.”
Let some radish plants go to seed
Other types of radishes As well as salad and winter radishes, other cultivars are available to UK gardeners. Oriental radishes (also known as Japanese, daikon or mooli radishes, according to the RHS) usually produce a long, white, tapered root. These can be harvested from late summer into the autumn. “They are slow growing, taking at least eight weeks to mature, but can reach lengths of 30cm (1ft) or more,” according to the RHS. “Usually, they have a mild flavour and last well in the ground without turning woody. Eat them raw or cook them in a similar way to winter radishes.” Some types of radish are grown for their edible seed pods. The RHS advises you pick the long, pointed pods when young: “They are crisp and peppery, great for adding to salads and stir-fries. If left on the plant too long, the pods turn stringy and inedible, and flowering will stop if the pods aren’t picked regularly.” You can pick off overripe pods to encourage more fresh ones to come through.