When Should I Harvest Radishes?

Radishes are fast-growing, cool-season vegetables that are fairly easy to grow. Certain radish varieties demand some careful attention during the harvest period, because they can turn pithy quickly. The timing of harvest depends on the type of radishes you're growing. The three main types of radishes are spring, summer or winter varieties.

Spring and summer radish varieties are best for planting in early spring, maturing during the heat of summer. You can also plant spring types in late summer for a second harvest in fall. These types of radishes take only a short time from planting to harvest, usually 22 to 28 days. Spring varieties include Cherry Belle, which is ready to harvest in just 22 days. Early Scarlet Globe and French Breakfast mature in about 23 days, while Cherry Queen Hybrid is ready for harvest in 24 days. Burpee White, Easter Egg, Fuego, Plum Purple and Icicle are ready to harvest in only 25 days. Champion takes about 28 days to mature, while Snow Belle takes 30 days.

Winter radish varieties are slower-growing, planted in mid to late summer and harvested in fall. They don't turn pithy as quickly as spring and summer varieties and are best for storing longer. China Rose radishes mature in 52 days, the Round Black Spanish variety is ready for harvest in 55 days, and the Chinese White type is ready in 60 days. Tama Hybrid radishes are among the longest-growing cultivars, ready for harvest in 70 days.

Because radishes tend to mature quickly when environmental conditions are favorable, you may need to check the plants daily as the expected harvest date approaches. When the radish roots reach their edible size -- usually beginning when they're less than 1 inch in diameter -- start pulling the radishes. Be sure to harvest the radishes quickly when they attain their usable size, because otherwise they'll become pithy or spongy, too spicy and inedible. You must harvest the radishes before the seed stalks begin to form on the plants.

You have a very short window to harvest radishes, between maturity and pithiness. Remember that unlike spring and summer varieties that develop rapidly, winter varieties take much longer to mature. This means that you have a much longer harvest window for winter radishes, because they tend to keep their quality for a longer time period before they turn spongy. The timing of planting winter varieties also contributes to their wider harvest window, because the cooler fall temperatures help the radishes to keep while in the ground. Winter radishes can also grow much larger and maintain their quality. Still, you should pull the winter radishes before the ground freezes and transfer them to cold storage.