Why radishes crack

List of Partners vendors. Problem: Ultra-Spicy Radishes. Problem: Cracked Radishes. Problem: Tough, Woody Radishes. Problem: All Leaves, No Bulbs. Featured Video. Related Topics.

Gardening Basics. Read More. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TheSpruce. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. If this is followed by ample moisture, the plant is not able to cope with absorption, and may split as a result.

The solution is to keep the radish bed evenly moist with very regular watering. Consistent moisture will minimize splitting. Shoulder nibbles Little chips that appear on the upper side of the above-ground portion of a radish can be caused by a number of animals.

Slugs, woodlice, mice, and even birds can cause this sort of damage. If the scars are quite shallow, they are more likely due to the rasping mouthparts of slugs or woodlice. If there are chunks or bites taken, look to larger creatures as the culprit. Row cover and mesh is available that will act as a physical barrier between the pest and the crop, but it needs to be placed more or less at the time of planting.

Downy mildew is caused by a fungus. Avoid overcrowding; improve air circulation. Avoid overhead watering. Remove and destroy infected plants. Leafroll virus is transmitted primarily by aphids. Control aphids. Remove diseased plants and weeds. Rhizoctonia or Fusarium root or stem rot is a fungal disease that favors warm soil. Remove infected plants and plant debris that harbor fungus. Be sure transplants are not diseased. Rotate crops regularly. Solarize the soil in late spring or summer.

Blackleg is a fungal disease. Add organic matter to planting bed; make sure soil is well-drained. Flies lay eggs in the soil near the seedling or plant. Apply lime or wood ashes around the base of plants; time planting to avoid insect growth cycle. Plant a bit later when the weather is drier. Protect roots and cool soil with 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch. Water radishes 2 to 3 hours at a time; do not water again until the soil has dried out to a depth of 4 inches.

Soil temperature is too high or watering has been spotty. Keep roots covered with soil or mulch to avoid soil warming. Keep radishes evenly moist through the growing season; do not allow them to dry out. Harvest roots as soon as the roots are big enough to eat. Do not let radishes sit in the garden. Harvest radishes before the reach full size for best flavor and to avoid cracking.

Radishes in the ground too long may crack. Cracked roots are susceptible to fungal disease. Radishes grow best in full sun. Plant radishes in the partial shade of taller crops where the weather is very warm. Grow radishes in loose, well-drained soil.

Turn the soil to at least 12 inches deep before planting long-rooted radishes. Planting time. Sow radishes in the garden as early as 5 weeks before the average last frost date in spring. For a continuous supply, sow radishes every 7 to 10 days. Radishes do not grow well in hot weather; they will become pithy and pungent flavored. For a fall crop, sow radishes so that they come to maturity before the first average frost date in autumn.

Daikon is well suited for a fall crop. Radishes require consistent even moisture for quick growth. Thinned leaves and roots can be eaten in salads. Keep planting beds weed free. Add aged compost to radish planting beds on a regular basis. Spread age compost or organic mulch across planting beds to keep the shoulders of maturing radishes well covered and cool. Lift radishes when they are young and tasty.

Spring radishes are best when they are no more than 1 inch in diameter. Winter radishes and daikon can be lifted as you need them until the first frost, but be sure to protect them from cold weather; add a layer of straw mulch or compost. More tips: How to Grow Radishes. Your email address will not be published. Post Comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.

Learn how your comment data is processed. Please check settings. Pluck one from the soil and cut in to it. Discolored radish roots can be a sign of root rot. Root rot is caused by various fungi, so you want to look at the seed store for rot resistant varieties. That said, some radish varieties—such as Japanese varieties—are white. The seed packet should show you a picture of what your radishes should look like at maturity. Hi Steve, I love your website.

I will talk with the farmer but first want to be equpped with some knowledge Can you help? Thanks so much! Your farmer has probably given you an answer. Some root crops can appear deformed if they are growing in soil that is not wholly loamy, that has small rocks or impediments that growing roots bump up against.

Check the variety; there are radishes with long, white roots such as White Icicle and Daikon. If the variety is supposed to grow a round bulb, the plants may have needed thinning early on and there is insufficient room for bulb development. My radishes have all grown at the tops and are even blooming and the radish has not grown any larger than a pea. Any ideas? If your radishes are blooming they are well past harvest. If the roots were very small and the tops were quite large, your soil is too rich in nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium poor.

Add plenty of compost to your planting beds—2 to 4 inches each year—this will help balance the nutrients. During hot, dry, and windy weather, water will evaporate from the soil quickly. You may need to check the soil a couple of times a day during these times. Mulch can help to retain moisture in the soil, and will eventually break down to provide nutrients and organic material for your plants.

For more information, check out my article on how to treat dry soil. On the other hand, if you over water in response to a dry day or two, then you can cause your radishes to split. There are two types of over watering: too much water in a short time period immediately following a dry spell, and watering too often, which can lead to root rot. Use a handheld hose instead of a sprinkler to control the amount of water your plants get.

Even better, you can use a drip irrigation system to slowly water your radishes. For more information, check out my article on over watering your plants. You can also check out this article from the Utah State University Extension.

One last thing to remember: compacted soil may not allow the taproot of a radish to get enough water, which can also lead to uneven moisture levels and splitting. To prevent this, avoid stepping on your soil before or while planting seeds or transplanting seedlings. If your soil is too compacted, you might consider rototilling to loosen it up a bit. For more information, check out my article on the cost of rototilling.

Another possible cause of splitting radishes is leaving them unharvested in the ground for too long. The longer a radish is in the ground, the longer it may be exposed to uneven watering or cold nighttime temperatures, both of which can cause splitting. The time to maturity for radishes varies quite a bit, from less than a month 25 days to over two months 70 days or more.

Be sure to read the packaging carefully and make a note of the time to maturity of the radishes you bought. Also make a note of the time you planted the seeds, and add that many days to determine when you should expect a harvest.

There are 30 days in April, so you would expect the plants to mature 10 days into May, on May 10 th or so. As this date approaches, you should check daily to see if the radishes are ready for harvest. Some may mature faster than the package states, and the ideal window for harvesting is only a few days wide.

Over fertilizing is another possible problem that can cause radishes to split. Nitrogen and potassium are two likely culprits when radishes split due to over fertilizing.