Are radishes ready?

[i_am2bz]

I haven't grown radishes since I was a kid...how do I know if they're "ripe" without pulling them out of the ground & thereby ruining them if they aren't ready? Some appear to have a rounded red top sticking out of the ground, others don't. :/

 

[ninnymary]

I would pull just one to check it's size. You can also get an idea by how big by the size that is sticking out of the ground. That's what I do, hope it works for you. I do that with my beets also.

Mary

 

[trunkman]

I kinda rub the soil away from the bulb part to see if it is big enough, if it's not I push the soil back up against it, you can usually tell by the size of the bulb above the soil line...

 

[i_am2bz]

I was hoping there was a simple test, like the greens start to flower or something. I only planted about 20, so didn't want to pull any up unless I knew they were ready. But...I did pull one up this morning, it was about the size of a large marble ("boulder" sized, for those of a certain age).

I'll try brushing aside the dirt on some of the others....

 

[vfem]

I always pull one here and there.... in fact, its been so warm here quite a few of mine bolted! :/ So out of the 100 I planted I maybe got about 50 and the rest went to flower. Disappointing to say the least, but the ones I did get were great. Most were done in as little at 25 days, some were around 30 to 35. I probably planted 5 varieties.

I do still have about 20 in a large pot on my deck, the get a bit of shade during the late afternoon so they haven't bolted yet, they are just taking longer. That is usually what I do with lettuce and radish during the summer. Part shade keeps them from bolting on me.

 

[i_am2bz]

Since I planted them for DH, I had him eat the one I pulled up...his opinion? "On the money, baby!"

Looks like 2 of mine are ready to bolt, too, vfem, so I may as well go ahead & pull those up too...maybe I'll get lucky.

 

[vfem]

Since I planted them for DH, I had him eat the one I pulled up...his opinion? "On the money, baby!"

Looks like 2 of mine are ready to bolt, too, vfem, so I may as well go ahead & pull those up too...maybe I'll get lucky.

I notice when I leave a few bolted ones (I need more seeds anyways) they help attract certain bugs AWAY from the rest of my garden. So I also have summer plantings of radish as a companion plant. Just keep away from beans & tomatoes.

 

[i_am2bz]

I wish I had read your post sooner, I pulled up one ready to bolt - nuffin! Shoulda just left it.

 

[lesa]

Not sure, since you are in a warmer climate- but I can plant radish seed all summer long. If it is too warm now, you will surely have another chance in the fall...