Cool-season produce

Radish

Raphanus sativus

Also known as Daikon · Winter radish · Red radish

Small red radishes and daikon are types of the same crop. Roots get pithy or sharp if left too long or stressed by heat.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyBrassicaceae (mustard)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowSeptember–March for small radishes; sow long-season daikon earlier in fall.

How to plantDirect sow; do not transplant roots.

Plant spacing2–3 in for small types; 4–6 in for daikon

FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestAbout 30–60 days in the Maricopa calendar; variety-dependent

SuccessionSow short rows every 1–2 weeks.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestFall through spring roots; young greens are edible.

Right plant, right place

Will Radish grow at your Arizona property?

Small red radishes and daikon are types of the same crop. Roots get pithy or sharp if left too long or stressed by heat.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.