harvesting radishes grown in containers

Hi all. I planted Red Meat in a container on May 3. The seeds germinated on May 7. The packet says 30 days for harvest. I've kept the container very well watered, fertilized a couple times and also thinned the seedlings to 1-1 1/2 inches apart. The tops are full and green, but when I stuck my finger in the pot this morning to search around for a radish, all I got was a thin taproot. Any advice? How do I know when it's time to harvest? I need my radish fix!

Thanks!

I will watch your post with hopes of an education. Can't say I've have any better luck myself. 8 )

I haven't had much luck with radishes either. This spring, from about 16 plants in a self-watering windowbox, I got maybe 6 radishes, and the largest was about the size of a big marble. They also took more like 60 days to get this large, and I fertilized every other week. More recently, I planted about 50 radish seeds as a companion plant for my summer squash. They all sprouted and were growing quite fast until some critter (either a squirrel or my dog, I'm betting on the latter) ate the leaves off of every single plant! I'm going to try again in the fall, but clearly I haven't found the secret to growing a big crunch radish yet!

I'll just keep watering and fertilizing my container and hope for the best. I'll try again with another variety, but this time in my raised veggie bed. Thanks for the input!

I have grown radishes in a pot before and I never fertilized them. Just watered. They grew very well. So Maybe it is the fertilizer and that is why you are getting such great tops.

ves522, I really don't think it's too much fertilizer- I've only been mixing it half-strength and have only applied that 2x in the last month. The seeds were planted in MG organic potting mix and germinated pretty quickly.

Do you remember what varieties you grew before and how long before you harvested your first radish? Also, how do I know when they are ready to harvest? Aren't the shoulders supposed to come out of the soil a bit when they are ready?

I planted French breakfast and they were about ready by date stated. I haven't planted them for a couple of years and don't remember if the shoulders showed. Was planning on doing it again this year but no time yet. Now have several days off so can do it and we can compare notes. I do remember I did it the whole summer and it worked really good.

Have to look at my seeds and see what kind I have.

I've grown French Breakfast, Easter Egg, and Champion. They all showed shoulders. That was the only way I could tell that they were ready to be pulled.

Quyen, in the ground or in containers? I still don't see any shoulders in my radish pot. :( I wonder if I'm just wasting time and water on these things. They germinated May 7 and it's now June 14.

I've tried both ways. If I was anxious, I would poke a finger around the base of the leaves and feel for the radish. The radish, if there was one, was never more than 1/2 inch below the soil surface.

Some of them took their sweet time, but most of them were on target.

I don't fertilize my radishes and don't overwater. I also make sure the tops of the radishes show (don't cover them up). If you do have too much nitrogen - you get only tops!
That is my experience. My hubby LOVES radishes!