When Should You Plant Radishes?
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GardenSays
Direct-sow radishes outside Apr 14 – Apr 28 — light frost won't hurt them.
- Spring sowing
- Apr 14 – Apr 28
- Fall crop
- Aug 17 – Sep 7
- Last frost (typ.)
- May 5
In Minneapolis, MN, the typical last frost lands around May 5, and radishes are tolerant of light frost — so unlike tomatoes, you don't wait for frost to pass. Sow 7-21 days before the last frost: Apr 14 – Apr 28, as soon as soil is workable.
Do this this week
- 1.Spring sowing has passed — the fall window is next: Aug 17 – Sep 7
- 2.Nothing to sow until Aug 17
Calculated result · 3 verified sources · Checked 2026-07-17 · How we decide
Why
Cool-season crops get a second season: sow again Aug 17 – Sep 7 for a fall harvest — many gardeners find the fall crop sweeter and less bothered by pests.
- Radishes germinate in cold soil and tolerate frost that would kill warm-season crops — waiting until after the last frost wastes their best growing weather.
- The 50% frost date is a planning midpoint — for hardy crops an early start risks little.
When this doesn't apply
- Radishes are the fastest crop most gardeners grow — sow a short row every 1-2 weeks for a steady supply, and stop in early summer heat (they turn hot and pithy).
- Cold, waterlogged soil rots seed — 'workable' means it crumbles in your hand, not mud.
How this was calculated
- 1. Last spring frostMay 5Source guidance
Minneapolis, MN: typical (50% probability) last 32°F frost
- 2. Direct-sow windowApr 14 – Apr 28Calculated result
Radish is tolerant of light frost: sow outside 7-21 days before the last frost, once soil is workable
- 3. Fall crop windowAug 17 – Sep 7Calculated result
Cool-season bonus round: sow again 28-49 days before the typical first fall frost (Oct 5)
Data sources
- University of Maryland Extension — Growing Radishes in a Home Garden — Sow radish seed as soon as soil can be worked in spring, and again in fall; 1-2 inches apart in-row, thin to 2-4 inches; full sun (6+ hrs, prefers 8-10); 25-35 days to maturity; harvest at about 1 inch diameter before they crack, become pithy or too hot; keep evenly moist but not wet. (checked 2026-07-17)
- NOAA NCEI — 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals (freeze date probabilities) (checked 2026-07-15)
- National Gardening Association — frost date lookup (checked 2026-07-15)
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Pull spring radishes promptly before they crack or turn pithy
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