Days to Mature

[Purple Strawberry]

When you are reading the back of the seed packet and it says 22 day to mature is that from the time you plant the seeds or the time the seedlings appear?

Thanks, I am trying to figure out what is wrong with my radishes.

 

[bid]

For radishes I would say from the time the seedlings emerge. Of course days to maturity is just a general guideline. Under ideal conditions that is about the soonest you can expect to harvest. I just started pulling radishes from some I planted back in February that took quite a bit longer than the 30 DTM listed on the packet.

 

[jlmann]

I think it is from germination to harvest. Some seeds take longer to germinate especially if they dry out. With some of my lettuce I end up watering twice a day on very warm days to get it to come up. Soil temperature also affects germination so with some stuff you really need to wait until the soil is above 50 or even 60 degrees , but I think radishes do ok when it is colder.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I planted some champion red radishes early March and am just starting to get radishes. They are not as big as later harvests will be either. They take light frosts OK but need to be covered when it gets to a heavy frost. They need to stay damp but not wet.

I planted some more this past Saturday and expect to get some of them in a month. I agree with Jlmann. Under ideal conditions the package mature date is a good guideline from germination. Anything other than ideal takes a little longer.

 

[digitS']

I'm inclined to think that the seed companies' ideas on days-to-maturity are based on equal measures of optimism and moonshine .

Mostly, DTM's can provide comparison between varieties but there you'll need to add a little salt to whatever has been said .

One of these days, we need to force the seed companies to list "growing degree day" information on their packets. It may take thumb-screws or fingernails on the blackboard to get it done . . .

Steve

 

[vfem]

My radishes were fabulous, juicy and spicy this year! They did 100% better in the late winter early spring then they did last fall. They did seem to take longer to mature because of unforseen late snows. I want to say it was about 30 days. Even my tom thumb lettuce as been slow and under maturing. Those should have only taken 32-35 days to mature and its past that. Only one was ready the others are half way there still.

Like it was said... I think its a guideline for PERFECT enviromental conditions only. Add or remove days as needed!