All leaves, tiny or no root

Too much nitrogen, crowding, or heat. Thin seedlings, ease off nitrogen, and grow in cool weather.

Cracked or woody roots

Left in the ground too long or watered unevenly. Harvest on time and keep moisture steady.

Flea beetles. Use row cover; the roots are usually fine even when leaves are nibbled.

Cabbage root maggot. Rotate beds and use row cover at sowing.

Gardening

The instant-gratification crop, ready in as little as 25 days. Great for impatient gardeners and kids.

The free tool tailors timing to your climate and lets you save this plant.

Sun

Full sun

Hardiness zones

Zones 2–11

Spacing

Thin to 1–2 in apart, rows 6 in apart.

Soil

Loose, stone-free soil; pH 6.0–7.0. Avoid fresh manure and excess nitrogen, which grow leaves instead of roots.

Watering

Keep evenly moist for fast, mild roots. Uneven water makes them woody and hot.

Plant / sow (typical)

Mar – May

Harvest (typical)

Apr – Jun

Starting

Direct sow only; they mature too fast to transplant. Succession-sow every 1–2 weeks and pull promptly once roots size up.

Companions

Good with Carrot, Lettuce, Cucumber, Spinach. Keep apart from Hyssop.

All leaves, tiny or no root. Too much nitrogen, crowding, or heat. Thin seedlings, ease off nitrogen, and grow in cool weather.
Cracked or woody roots. Left in the ground too long or watered unevenly. Harvest on time and keep moisture steady.
Tiny holes in leaves. Flea beetles. Use row cover; the roots are usually fine even when leaves are nibbled.
Tunneled roots. Cabbage root maggot. Rotate beds and use row cover at sowing.