My radishes produce lush foliage, but don't develop good-sized roots. Why? (2024)

FAQs

My radishes produce lush foliage, but don't develop good-sized roots. Why? ›

Answer: Excessive nitrogen, the rapid onset of hot weather, or overcrowding may produce plants that are all tops (lush foliage, little or no root development). Misshapen roots and hot, pithy radishes are other problems that may be encountered when growing radishes. Overcrowding produces small, misshapen roots.

The most frequent cause of radishes growing only greens is hot weather. Once the weather warms up, the radish plant bolts and tries to set seed. The lack of development is caused by planting too thickly and not thinning about 1 to 2 inches between plants.

Plant 2-3 weeks before the last frost in spring and again in early September for fall production. Radishes taste best when grown in cool weather. Avoid water or fertilizer stress during growth. Irrigation should be frequent and uniform to ensure good growth.

Make sure they receive enough rainfall or deep watering. Drought stress can cause the roots to develop poor flavor and a tough texture. If the planting does not get one inch of rain each week, soak the soil thoroughly at least once a week. If your soil is sandy, it is important to water more often than once a week.

Some common mixed fertilizers are 5-10-5, 5-10-10, 8-16-16, and 12-12-12. Apply these fertilizers at rates of 1 - 2 pounds per 100 feet of row. After plants are 3 to 4 inches tall, sidedress nitrogen in narrow bands or furrows and water thoroughly after application, or apply through the drip system.

Excess nitrogen in soil and neutral acidity will also slow the forming of radishes. A common cause of radishes not growing bulbs is overcrowding. Overcrowded radishes don't have the room they need to produce fleshy bulbs, so thinning to two inches (5 cm.)

A woody texture is a sign that the radishes are past their ideal harvest time. Growing conditions may have been ideal, but the radish harvesting window is relatively short. Left unpicked, a juicy, crunchy root can become tough and woody in a matter of days.

They could have a difficult time germinating and growing near other brassicas, so avoid planting radishes near broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, and mustard. Avoid hyssop, a flowering plant that attracts many pollinators and beneficial insects, as it inhibits the growth of radishes.

To revive root vegetables such as beets, carrots, potatoes, and radishes, or limp celery, asparagus or broccoli, simply trim the ends and soak the veggies in a glass bowl or mason jar of ice cold water for a few hours or overnight and the veggies will rehydrate and be crisp again.

The fast growth of radishes comes with conditions, including an uncompromising need for space. Seedlings that grow too close together will not plump up, so you must either sow the seeds at uniform spacing or thin them soon after they sprout.

Why don't my radishes get big? ›

Excessive nitrogen, the rapid onset of hot weather, or overcrowding may produce plants that are all tops (lush foliage, little or no root development). Misshapen roots and hot, pithy radishes are other problems that may be encountered when growing radishes. Overcrowding produces small, misshapen roots.

Soils: Radishes prefer fertile, well-drained, deep, sandy soils rich in organic matter for best growth. Most light soils in Utah are well suited for radish production. Heavy soils need to be amended with plenty of compost to allow good root development.

'Scarlet Globe' is an easy variety to grow, with bright red, sperical roots with white, crisp flesh and a mild flavour.

“You'll want to try your best to space seeds when planting and thin them early in development if they happen to be too close to one another,” Garland said. Another reason that your radishes may not have formed bulbs is that you pulled them too soon.

Radish plants grown too close together can lead to big tops and no roots. When each radish top gets so large, they compete for resources like sunlight, water, and nutrients. Big leafy plants can start shading one another out. Thin radishes to at least 2 inches apart.