How to Grow Radish Microgreens in 5 Easy Steps
Radish microgreens are a rich source of flavor and nutrition. You can choose any seed to grow them, even the weird ones that are black, white, or look like watermelons. Rachel Garcia will take you through the steps to grow these fine greens with an in-depth guide.
Contents
If you’re hesitant about growing microgreens, we have the perfect place to start. Radish microgreens are one of the easiest and fastest to grow. They require very little preparation and the time to harvest is less than ten days! This, and much more, makes them ideal for new microgreen growers.
So why would you want to grow radish microgreens in the first place? First of all, as we mentioned, the time to harvest is considerably shorter. And, in that short amount of time, the radish microgreens acquire 40 times more nutrients per serving than a grown radish. That fact alone is reason enough to grow these little plants.
Besides plenty of health benefits, the radish microgreen also brings a spicy taste to the table. Most microgreen flavor is equivalent to the grown food, and red radishes are no exception. They have a lightly spiced flavor and are surprisingly crunchy. Add them to salads, stir-fry, or your favorite Mexican dish (street tacos, anyone?)
Now that we’ve convinced you to give radish microgreens a try, let’s get planting step by step. You’ll have grown this great green garden veggie before you know it!
What You’ll Need
Radish microgreen care doesn’t deviate much from most garden grown microgreens. Once you check these items of your list, you can keep using them as you experiment with other types of microgreens and seeds in the garden.
Seed
It might surprise you to hear that any variety of radish seed will produce the same radish microgreens. Even the Daikon radish, which resembles a fat white carrot, starts its life as a set of small green leaves. You don’t have to buy seeds specifically marked ‘radish microgreen’, as any radish seed will do.
Try some of the more unusual radish seeds for a slightly different result, like Round Black Spanish Radish, Mantanghong Watermelon Radish that are white on the outside and crimson red on the inside, or French Breakfast Radish, a heirloom variety from the 1800s.
Containers
We’re going to be watering the microgreens from the bottom of the soil. To set this up, you’ll need a shallow tray with drainage holes for planting and another without holes for watering. The third tray will be used as a cover. For the watering tray, you can also use a container or dish that’s slightly larger than the growing tray. It must be able to hold a few inches of water.
Growing Medium
Use a light and fine grained mix for growing microgreens like a seed starting mix or use coconut coir which is also a good choice for keeping in moisture.
Grow Light
For growing microgreens, we recommend using a grow light instead of sunlight. The radish microgreens will grow best directly under the light for a consistent amount of time each day. Grow lights also enable you to keep your microgreens indoors. You can use a small grow light or a standard type to grow microgreens.
Extras
A spray bottle for misting is essential in hot weather and a pair of scissors will be required for harvesting. In very cold weather, a heating mat for starting seed is handy to have in the cupboard ready to go.
Growing Radish Microgreens
Radish microgreens are so easy to grow that they don’t require soaking. Instead, you can add them directly to the soil.
Step 1: Plant
Now that we’ve gathered the radish seeds and supplies, we can get planting. Moisten the soil or coconut coir and fill it to just below the brim of the growing tray. Make the soil surface as smooth as possible so the seeds have even footing.
Radish and daikon radish seeds are somewhat small in size, so you can fit about ten seeds per square inch of soil. Granted, you don’t have to count them out one by one, but the radish microgreen seeds should be spread evenly. After laying out the seeds, give them a quick misting of water.
Step 2: Cover
These seeds need complete darkness for germination, so place a second tray on top. Put a small weight on it for good measure (five pounds or less). The weight may also make the plant root well in the soil.
Leave the seeds in the dark for two to three days until germination is complete. When the radish microgreens start to grow into sprouts, they’ll push up the tray, which is your cue to move on to the next step.
Step 3: Grow
On day three, remove the cover tray to check on your seeds. If the majority are now sprouts, keep the cover off and start to use the grow light. Give your baby radish microgreens at least twelve hours of light each day for good growth and a great, green color. In just a few days, the small sprouts will grow into spindly, white or red stems with a set of lobed cotyledons on top. In fact, they strongly resemble broccoli microgreens, besides the red color.
After they’ve sprouted, always water your radish microgreens with a soak from the bottom of the soil. This will keep the plants dry and prevent soil bacteria growth and damping off. Fill your watering tray with a few inches of water and set the seed tray in it. Let the soil soak in the water and remove the tray when it’s finished. Every few days, make sure to feel the weight of the tray to decide if the microgreens need to be watered again. You likely won’t need to water more than two or three days during the whole process.
Step 4: Harvest
Within a few more days, each radish microgreen should be two to three inches tall. Now’s the ideal time to harvest – just before the true green leaves grow in. Use your kitchen scissors to snip the radish microgreens just above the top of the soil.
If you only need to use a small amount of microgreens at the time, wait to harvest the rest as needed. Be sure to collect them all before too long though, or the flavor may change. Of course, you can always harvest all in one day and just prepare them for proper storage.
Step 5: Store
When stored correctly, you should get a week or two of use out of your radish microgreens. They definitely taste best when eaten as fresh as possible though. Just give them a rinse in cold water and add them raw to any dish.
For storage, put the radish microgreens directly into an airtight container in the fridge (use the crisper drawer). They need to be as dry as possible to store well, so don’t wash them until you’re about to use them. If, within the next few days, you see moisture in the container, add an absorbent paper towel to the container and put it back in the fridge. You’ll see that the micros remain green and taste fresh for quite a few days!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do radish microgreens regrow after cutting?
No, the radish microgreen won’t regrow. This is the case with most microgreens, mostly because all their leaves are harvested. To get more radish microgreens, you’ll have to use more seeds (they grow fast though!).
How long does it take to grow radish microgreens?
The radish microgreen seed completes germination by day three and is ready to harvest in three to seven more days. As you can see, they’re great for short-term projects.
How do you store radish microgreens?
Stock the microgreens in an airtight container in the fridge (use the crisper drawer). Add a paper towel to absorb excess moisture, as well.
