Daikon Growing Guide
Daikon At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -7°C
Plant Family
Brassicaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Direct-sow about 1.5 cm deep where it'll grow (it doesn't transplant), late summer or early spring. Thin to 10 cm. Keep evenly watered for smooth, mild roots.
A large white Asian radish grown for cooking and pickling. Sow in cool weather (late summer for autumn, or early spring) — heat makes it bolt and turn woody. Its deep root also makes a great soil-breaking cover crop.
When To Start
Daikon likes cool weather. Sow it in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Daikon?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Daikon Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Daikon Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow daikon (late summer for autumn roots)
10 weeks before your first frost
Pull daikon roots
About 60 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Daikon's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 4–8 days
Growing Tips
- 1Daikon is fast and easy in cool weather.
- 2Sow in late summer so it matures as things cool down, water evenly to avoid splitting, and pull before it gets old and pithy.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~60
Days to Maturity
40 cm
Mature Height
15 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
21 days
When to Pick
Pull when roots are 5+ cm thick, before hard frost
How to Harvest
- 1Loosen the soil and ease out the long roots once they're at least 5 cm across — younger is milder.
- 2Lift before a hard freeze; they store well in a cool, humid spot.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Let a root overwinter and flower; collect seed from the dry pods. Isolate from other brassicas.
Seed Production
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