Grow Your Own Radishes

Lesson 4: Harvesting and Protecting Radishes

Next Generation
You may well have finished harvesting your first crop of radishes by now. If you haven't, give them away to family and friends rather than leave them in the ground. Radishes should be eaten young and they don't keep for long, either. Meanwhile, if you planted a second crop a fortnight ago, the seedlings should be ready for thinning to 2.5cm gaps. Look after them as you did for the first crop but check out the advice below for strategies to combat pests and diseases. It's also time to sow a third crop. Re-sowing at fortnightly intervals is the best way to ensure a constant supply of radishes all summer.

Trails and Tribulations
There is nothing more dispiriting for the novice gardener than finding slug trails all over your young crop. But you can fight back! If you don't want to resort to chemical deterrents, try surrounding the plants with grit or sharp sand. Cover seedlings with bottomless plastic water bottles. Cut serrated plastic rings from larger bottles to defend bigger plants. A homemade slug trap can work wonders. Slice a plastic water bottle in two just below the neck. Turn the neck bit round and insert it into the body. Tape or staple the two parts together. Fill the trap with sugary liquid and place it near your veggies. If you're growing radishes in a pot, try sticking copper tape (available from garden centres) just below the rim. Copper naturally carries a slight electrical charge that discourages slugs.

Preventing Pests
Unfortunately, slugs aren't the only pests you'll face, although radishes don't have as many enemies as some vegetables. Flea beetles attack the leaves of seedlings, leaving small, round holes. They are attracted to dry plants, so keeping your crop well-watered is a good deterrent. Cabbage root flies attack the roots, causing stunted growth and a bluish discolouring of the leaves. The best prevention is to surround the plant with a disc of strong black plastic or a stout material like roofing felt. This stops the flies laying eggs in the soil around the roots.

Pic: GAP Photos/Zara Napier