November is an interesting month for vegetable gardeners as we transition into cooler weather.  I have two cherry tomato plants in my garden that are still producing tomatoes, and I’m keeping a close eye on the forecast so I can be sure to harvest the green tomatoes before a freeze.  My herb garden is green with basil, sage, and thyme, and the bees are enjoying the last bit of pollen and nectar from the flowers on the basil.

While the tomatoes and basil are enjoying the last few days before a freeze, my broccoli plants are going strong and doing well in the cooler weather.  I recently planted arugula and cilantro, and I am looking forward to fresh salads with the peppery flavor of arugula and the zesty cilantro.

One vegetable plant that does well in Central Texas throughout the fall, winter and into spring is radish.  Radishes are good litmus test for anyone who thinks they have a black thumb.  Radishes are easy to grow, and they grow quickly.  If you can’t grow a radish, well, keep coming to our gardening classes.

Radishes can be planted by seed anytime from September through March.  You can plant two or three seeds per inch and thin the radishes to one inch apart.  Or you can space your seeds to one inch apart and thin only if the radishes are close together.  Cover lightly with soil and sprinkle with water.  Keep the soil moist, and the radish plants should be up within four to six days.  Water radishes at least once a week if it does not rain.

You might start with just a dozen radish plants at first, then plant more after two or three weeks.  This is called succession planting, and it allows you to harvest in small batches, rather than one big harvest.  Harvest when the radishes are young and tender.  They get spicy and tough if you leave them in the ground too long.

I have to confess that radishes are not one of my favorite vegetables, but the seed catalogues do make them look tempting.  Traditional varieties like Cherry Belle, Crunchy Red, Icicle, and Early Scarlet Globe are a good place to start.  This year, I might try Black Spanish and Purple Plum varieties to see if I can learn to love this easy winter vegetable.

For more lawn and garden information, contact Kate Whitney, Williamson County AgriLife Extension Horticulturist, at 512-943-3300.