Radishes as Companion Plants

Gardening Tip of the Day

Radishes can serve double duty in the garden. They produce delicious radishes to eat, and they can help protect other plants in the garden from pests and enrich the garden soil as well.

Radishes act as a trap crop. They attract pest insects away from other plants. Tests conducted at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, showed promise that radishes planted near squash plants can help lower squash bug damage.

Flea beetles, cucumber beetles, and squash beetles especially love radish leaves and roots.

With radishes growing near lettuce, eggplants, cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, cucumbers, zucchini, and melons, the radishes will draw away the insects that attack these plants.

All radish varieties, but especially the daikon radish, are sometimes called tillage radishes. These radishes can grow to over 12 inches in length. They loosen the soil, improve oxygen content and absorb water that would otherwise run off the garden bed. The decomposed radishes also act as compost to fertilize the soil for the plants that will be planted there next.

Not only do radishes provide fertilizer for the soil, they also contain compounds called glucosinolates. When radishes and their leaves decompose, or are tilled into the soil, they release substances that act as biofumigants. These compounds protect against nematodes, deter weed seeds from sprouting, and can help suppress soil-borne pathogens.

Radishes can be used as row markers. Plant radish seeds close to carrot seeds. The radishes mark the area where the carrot seeds are planted, loosen the soil for the future carrots, and will be ready to harvest within 3 to 4 weeks when the carrot plants are already growing.

Radishes can be eaten raw, cooked, baked, pickled, fermented and dried.

Articles that may be of interest:

Radishes as Pest Repellent
Radishes Are Easy to Grow
Radishes Soothe Insect Bites
Fun Facts About Radishes

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