Thinning Radishes in Two Rounds to Two Inches Apart

How often and when to thin

Radishes grow fast, so thinning comes around quickly. Thin once when the seed leaves open and again when there are two true leaves, and that is it. In days, that is roughly day five and day twelve after sowing.

Leave it late and the plants push against each other, and the roots grow down instead of out. If you want round roots, put both thinnings on the calendar the day you sow.

Snip at the soil line instead of pulling

Seedlings growing close together have tangled roots, so pulling one lifts its neighbor too. Where they are crowded, snip at the soil line with scissors and the plants you keep stay put. Where there is room, hold the base with a finger and pull gently.

Afterward, push a little soil against the stems of the plants that remain to settle any that were loosened. A radish left wobbling never fills out, so this small step pays off.

1. Choose the keepers first Keep seedlings with even seed leaves and a straight, sturdy stem. Remove bent or pale ones first.
2. Use scissors where it is crowded Where roots are tangled, cut at the soil line rather than pulling, so the roots of the plants you keep are not disturbed.
3. Firm the soil and water Draw soil up around the remaining stems and water lightly to settle them. Stand up any that have flopped over.

Thinnings are edible. They have a peppery bite much like radish sprouts and are good in salads or soup.

Two inches apart is what makes them round

The final spacing is two inches (5 cm). At an inch and a quarter (3 cm) the roots squeeze each other and grow long. At three inches (8 cm) or more they get no bigger and you waste bed space. Two fingers side by side are about two inches.

Go to two and a half inches (6 cm) only for larger varieties, or if you want roots over an inch and a quarter (3 cm) across. For the usual small round types, two inches is plenty.

1. Measure with two fingers Your index and middle fingers held together are close to two inches wide. You do not need a ruler to set the spacing.
2. Space the row ends the same Plants at the end of a row have extra room and grow bigger, but keep them at the same spacing as the rest anyway.

Thin early in containers

A container holds only so much soil, and if the seedlings stay crowded the roots run out of room and stop growing sooner than in the ground. Aim to do the first thinning a day or two earlier than you would in a bed, around day three or four.

At two inch spacing, a 26 inch (65 cm) window box holds 20 to 30 radishes in two rows. Push it to 40 and every one of them stops at the size of your little finger.

1. First thinning on day three or four When the seed leaves open, thin to three quarters of an inch (2 cm). In a container the competition for light starts early.
2. Two inches apart by day ten When two true leaves appear, thin to the final spacing. Two fingers held together are your guide.
3. Top up the soil when it sinks When watering settles the mix, add potting mix around the stems. Roots left exposed do not swell.

Feed at the same time as the second thinning

After the second thinning, scatter a pinch of balanced granular fertilizer between the rows and work it into the soil as you draw it toward the plants. That is the only side-dressing you need before harvest.

The crop is so short that if the bed was prepared with fertilizer beforehand, you can skip this step entirely. Think of it as something you add only when the leaves look pale.

1. Decide by leaf color If the leaves are a pale yellow green, feed. If they are a deep green, do not. Too much fertilizer grows leaves at the expense of roots.
2. A pinch between the rows Never put fertilizer against the stems. Place a small amount between the rows, well away from the roots, which it can burn.

Do not waste the thinnings

Everything you thin can be eaten. At the seed leaf stage they are tender; by the two leaf stage they have a proper radish bite. Take them home and you are eating from the bed before the first root is ready.

They wilt fast, so use them the same day. Soil left on them speeds spoilage, so rinse them as soon as you get in, shake them dry and refrigerate.

1. Rinse and use right away Swish them in a bowl of water to remove soil, then drain. They make a bright addition to salads, sandwiches and soup.
2. Do not leave them on the bed Thinnings left lying on the soil rot and draw pests. Take them with you or compost them away from the bed.

Thinnings come with a tiny root tip. Even that thin piece is peppery and works like a garnish.

Fixing thinning that went wrong

You thinned late, pulled too many and left a gap, or the plants you kept are loose. All of these can be put right if you catch them in time, and acting gets a better result than leaving it. Look at the plants and work through them in order.

1. Thinned too late Even past three true leaves, thin to two inches now. Eat the long thin ones as greens and let the rest fill out.
2. Pulled too many Sow fresh seed in the gap. That patch will simply be ready a little later, which spreads out the harvest nicely.
3. Kept plants are wobbly The roots have been lifted. Firm soil around the stem with your fingers and water. Left leaning, the root grows crooked.
4. Grubs where you pulled Those are cutworms. Dig gently around the stems about two inches (5 cm) deep and remove any you find.