Hi All:
Anyone know what causes this? The leaves on my radishes are nice, but the radish itself is very small. I am near Phoenix, AZ. They are grown in a raised bed with commercial garden soil and my own compost. They were grown from seed, and the same thing happened when I planted in the spring, before it gets too hot here. They have been in the ground for about 3-4 weeks. Too early to harvest yet? The leaves are about 6 inches high, as is the long root, and the radish itself is about an inch or less.

Thanks!
Scott

I hope someone responds. I'd like to know too.
Years ago I read somewhere that radishes are so easy that farmers would drop seeds, step on them, and grow perfect radishes with ease. That sure doesn't happen for me!

Two things can be too much nitrogen in the soil and planting the seeds too deeply. However I have the same issue, and my solution is to leave them much longer in the ground. Drives me crazy—the package says something like "28 days" and in my garden they take two months to mature. Then they're fine.

Radishes do not like heat but are otherwise about the easiest vegetable to grow. I don't have any problems here with early spring or fall plantings. I use to know a couple of south Florida growers who grew some exotics in the midwinter. A few observations made over the years. Variety makes a difference. globe types are the most dependable especially those with 25- 25 DTM. These varieties have done well for me. Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Amethyst')
Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Champion') Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Cherry Belle') Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Crunchy Royale') Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Early Scarlet Globe')
Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Pink Beauty') Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Raxe') Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Rudolf') I have had a few duds over the years. Problems with bolting, erratic shape, or failure to bulb. correlated with variety. The long types (French Breakfast and rose salad types) are more prone to erratic shapes.
As stated they do not like heat, so many of us have find a window between frost and summer temps. If you hit that window and have loose friable soil of reasonable fertility sticks seeds into that soil at 1-2 inch intervals 1/2 inch deep. In the east we rarely have to do any watering at this time of year, but in a dry climate you may need to maintain moisture. Harvest window is short so pay attention to variety DTM

Dill, I think the frustration that Deeby and I have (and the OP I think) is how everyone says how easy they are to grow, so it makes it all the more embarrassing to fail at the crop recommended for toddlers! In my case, early spring is definitely not too warm, but I have to let them mature way longer than the seed packs recommend, whether in containers or in the ground—common globe varieties. It's a weird thing...possibly altitude? All of my other spring greens do fine. Heat might be the issue in their zones 9 and 10 though.

I'll double-check your recommendations against what I've tried. Thanks. Maybe try something new next spring.

scott7876 said:Hi All:
Anyone know what causes this? The leaves on my radishes are nice, but the radish itself is very small. I am near Phoenix, AZ. They are grown in a raised bed with commercial garden soil and my own compost. They were grown from seed, and the same thing happened when I planted in the spring, before it gets too hot here. They have been in the ground for about 3-4 weeks. Too early to harvest yet? The leaves are about 6 inches high, as is the long root, and the radish itself is about an inch or less.
Thanks!
Scott

How close did you plant them together?
Planting in other than cool weather , even up here, will result in that or they simply bolt quickly.
I have had that many times but for me I simply think too close together or I waited too long.
What variety is that?

I've long been frustrated by radishes ("25 days!' no way!) they usually bolt. This spring I planted earlier than ever and got some, but not just 25 days. This fall I planted and got more, but not in 25 days. I also fertilized and thinned better than before. These were french breakfast that eventually gave me some nice radishes.

Now, for real radish joy, I recommend the Korean radishes I have right now. Sown August 30, they are amazingly fast growing, making big mild roots 4-6 inches long and 2 inches diameter. I have sliced and lightly salted a few and just had them as a snack for a couple days.
https://evergreenseeds.stores....

Ha! Thanks Sally for the reinforcement. I can grow them...but not in the short time stated on the package.

Thanks for the responses, folks. Ill let them go a while longer and see how they do, I have a hunch they will bolt before they mature, but we'll see I guess. It has been cool, so heat isn't the issue. They are about 2 inches apart, And the variety is "sparkler" a globe type, and I think I planted a half row of the longer type, I don't have that package anymore. That taproot on the one I posted the picture of is about six inches long, which seems long to me. I water them daily, as we haven't had much rain here in the desert!

scott7876 said:Thanks for the responses, folks. Ill let them go a while longer and see how they do, I have a hunch they will bolt before they mature, but we'll see I guess. It has been cool, so heat isn't the issue. They are about 2 inches apart, And the variety is "sparkler" a globe type, and I think I planted a half row of the longer type, I don't have that package anymore. That taproot on the one I posted the picture of is about six inches long, which seems long to me. I water them daily, as we haven't had much rain here in the desert!

What do you consider cool in Arizona?
It is the ground temp. just as much, if not more than the air temp.

My guess(es) would be, that after all, it is December. (The daylength is too short.)
Perhaps a fertilizer with greater middle number may be helpful.

I've seen them before, where Radishes grew so rapidly, (under ideal conditions), they'd split !
While some others sown right nearby, seemed to just simply languish, & failed to thrive.
Maybe they prefer typical ordinary garden soil, I call regular (tilled) dirt !

Concur: It is the ground temp that inhibits bulb formation. Sparkler is a beautiful radish, but it is somewhat temperamental. Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Sparkler White Tip')

Sally: I have not grown that variety, but I do love winter radishes both in salads and cooked dishes. my favorite is the Chinese Red Meat/Watermelon. Mine are baseball size right now. Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Red Meat') I have also grown the Korean Daikon Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Tae Baek') and the Japanese. They do best as a fall planting but Watermelon and Minowase will grow in the spring. They have a long DTM ( around two months) are large, but at least in fall plantings have a long harvest window.
Salad radishes are great for salads But they do get pithy fast. When they are ready, they are ready, tomorrow may be too late.

The one and only time I've ever had nice radishes they were Cherry Belle and I planted them a bit deeper than recommended.
If I plant according to directions the result is small leaves and a red string for the radish.
Dillard, I like radishes in potato salad as well as in salad and sandwiches. And of course just having a whole radish sprinkled with salt.

RpR said:
What do you consider cool in Arizona?
It is the ground temp. just as much, if not more than the air temp.

Well, its been in the low to mid 60s/and down to around 40 or so at nite, maybe a bit cooler for nightly lows from time to time. Downright frigid!!

scott7876 said:Well, its been in the low to mid 60s/and down to around 40 or so at nite, maybe a bit cooler for nightly lows from time to time. Downright frigid!! :)

LOL, that is cut-off blue jeans and a button down shirt weather up here; at night you would put on a thermal vest.

Do you think it could possibly be, the source of your seeds ?
I've had different results, with various seed sources.

For most annual types, they seem to acclimate, to your conditions, if you harvest, & save your own seeds from those that performed the best, to sow the next time.

I had an "old time" grower on the Island of Malta, to tell me once many years ago, it's always best to grow seeds, that are "already used to, or accustomed to growing", in your specific conditions. After all, isn't that why people used to try & save their seeds ?
(As in, what are now "heirloom" varieties.)
Least ways, until New, or Improved varieties came along, or F1 hybrids started to be more commonplace ...

How's it going with your radishes now?

After what, three months? I gave up and yanked out my radishes. Still nothing but tiny leaves and red strings.

Bummer. Probably too warm now to try again? So sorry for your disappointment.

Thanks. I'll try again this fall.