Radish in Zone 2a & 2b
Raphanus sativus
Yes, radish grows in zones 2a and 2b. Plant it outside Apr 22–Apr 29. For a fall crop, plant out Jul 24–Aug 7.
When to plant radish in zone 2b
Zones 2a and 2b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. It doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
| Window | Spring window |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Apr 22–Apr 29 |
| Estimated harvest | May 17–May 24 (~25 days after direct-sowing) |
| Window | Fall window |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Jul 24–Aug 7 |
| Estimated harvest | Aug 18–Sep 1 (~25 days after direct-sowing) |
Spacing: 16 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1 ft.
Fall window: the last sowing date is the average first frost minus days to maturity, the method in Purdue Extension's fall garden guide, which lists radish for late-summer planting.
Plant alongside it in zone 2b
These go outside within two weeks of radish in zone 2b, so one planting day can cover them.
- CarrotApr 29–May 6
- CabbageMay 6–May 13
- LettuceMay 6–May 13
- SpinachApr 22–Apr 29
- BeetApr 29–May 6
- Broccoli Rabe (Raab)Apr 29–May 6
Radishes are the fastest crop you can grow in a home garden, 25 days from seed to harvest, direct-sown as early as four weeks before your last frost. They're also useful beyond the kitchen: radish is a documented trap crop that draws cucumber beetles away from more valuable plants.
How radish fits zone 2's season
Zone 2b's frost-free window runs about 104 days, from May 20 to September 1. Radish needs about 25 days from sowing to first harvest.
Radish planting windows in every zone
Zone 2b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2bSpring window (your zone) | Not usually | Apr 22–Apr 29 | May 17–May 24 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Jul 24–Aug 7 | Aug 18–Sep 1 |
| 3a & 3bSpring window | Not usually | May 2–May 9 | May 27–Jun 3 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Jul 28–Aug 11 | Aug 22–Sep 5 |
| 4a & 4bSpring window | Not usually | Apr 17–Apr 24 | May 12–May 19 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 12–Aug 26 | Sep 6–Sep 20 |
| 5a & 5bSpring window | Not usually | Apr 12–Apr 19 | May 7–May 14 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 27–Sep 10 | Sep 21–Oct 5 |
| 6a & 6bSpring window | Not usually | Mar 28–Apr 4 | Apr 22–Apr 29 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Sep 6–Sep 20 | Oct 1–Oct 15 |
| 7a & 7bSpring window | Not usually | Mar 13–Mar 20 | Apr 7–Apr 14 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Sep 16–Sep 30 | Oct 11–Oct 25 |
| 8a & 8bSpring window | Not usually | Feb 25–Mar 4 | Mar 22–Mar 29 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Oct 2–Oct 16 | Oct 27–Nov 10 |
| 9a & 9bSpring window | Not usually | Jan 18–Jan 25 | Feb 12–Feb 19 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Oct 27–Nov 10 | Nov 21–Dec 5 |
| 10a & 10bFall window | Not usually | Sep–Mar | ~25 days after direct-sowing |
Harvest dates are about 25 days after the sow or plant-out date.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
- Cucumber: Reputed as a trap crop that draws cucumber beetles away, but the documented trap-crop research for cucumber beetles points to Blue Hubbard squash specifically, not radish. Radish IS a real, documented trap crop, but for flea beetles on brassica crops: a different pest and crop pairing than this one. Treat this specific pairing as garden tradition, not measured evidence. (usually zones 3-11, so not a pairing for zone 2b)
Where to buy radish seeds
Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds (each supplier's radish seeds)
Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:
- Cherry Belle: The most-reviewed radish in Cornell's variety database at 26 reviews and 4.3 stars, an All-America Selections winner with the round, red, classic look most people picture. Buy: Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds Full notes
- French Breakfast: Cornell rates it 4.8 stars, an oblong, bicolor (scarlet-to-white) type that the database notes adapts well to hot, dry conditions, useful for a summer sowing where round types like Cherry Belle tend to go pithy fastest. Buy: Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds Full notes
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing radish" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
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Growing Radish in USDA zone 2b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
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