How To Harvest Radishes
Radishes are a fairly simple vegetable to grow, but can lose their flavour if not harvested at the right time. Gardener Tom Cole demonstrates how to get the best from your radish crop
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You will need
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Step 1:
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When to harvest
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Summer radishes are best harvested five to six weeks after they have been sown. They should display a crisp texture, and be about 1 to 1.5cm in diameter. Leaving radishes in the ground after maturity will result in a loss of their crispness, and an unwanted peppery flavour.
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Step 2:
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Harvesting
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With a hand fork, enter the soil at the side of the plant at an angle. Get underneath the root, and gently pull the plant until it comes away from the soil. The radishes should be small for optimum flavour. If you find one that seems too large, squeeze it gently. If the flesh is soft and yields to the pressure, it will be too fibrous to be enjoyable. This usually occurs when they grow over 2cm in diameter, and are best suited to the compost heap. Very small ones can be added to a salad.
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Step 3:
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Storage
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Radishes do not store particularly well, so they need to be used as soon as possible. Preferably eat them with in a day, or store in a fridge for no more than five days.