Radishes

Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Seeds germinate in about a week and are ready to harvest in three to four weeks. But, there are a few things to keep in mind when growing radishes. First, they like the cool weather. Luckily, it has been a cool spring in Rhode Island, so the radishes have loved that. If radishes are grown in hot conditions, you might get radishes with green tops but not root.

There are a couple of pests that damage radishes, but the most common one in this region is the flea beetle. It feeds on select green leaves (arugula and eggpant are two other favorites). I usually don't bother trying to control flea beetles on radishes unless there is an infestation since they don't harm the root (the edible part) of the radish. Part of growing organically is understanding relationships in the ecosystem and letting nature take its course. That is why you see "shotholes" or pinholes in my radish greens. That is the hadiwork of the flea beetle.

But, when it comes to arugula and eggplant, flea beetle control is necessary. With eggplant, the flea beetles feeds on the young leaves of the plant, stunting its growth. I remember one particularly bad year when flea beetles devistated my entire eggplant crop practically overnight. By the time I was aware of and identified the problem, it was too late.

As for arugula, the flea beetle doesn't do as much structural damage to the plant, but the sight of insect holes in your salad greens can be off putting. The solution is BT (Bascillus thuringiensis). BT is an organic control that is mostly used to kill worms and caterpillars and their larvae. It is a naturally ocurring microrganism that paralyzes the bug's digestive track. It is important to note that when I say worms, I mean worms like Cabbageworm, not worms like earthworms. And when I say caterpillars, BT is used extensively to control hornworms, the bane of tomato growers. I have also found BT to be somewhat effective in controlling flea beetles.

Radishes are most commonly used in salads. But many people have shared with us different ways to enjoy radishes like a radish and butter sandwich. Last year, The New York Times documented a movement to bring radishes to upscale restaurants by roasting them. And, in a recent episode of Iron Chef America, both contestants made radish sorbet(!).