Daikon radish
Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus
Also known as: Japanese radish, White radish, Mooli, Chinese radish, Lobok, Lo bok
Quick facts
- Category
- roots bulbs
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Days to harvest
- 60 to 120 days
- Harvest type
- single harvest then replant
- Spacing
- 15 cm between plants
Environment
- Temperature
- 10–24°C
- pH
- 6 to 7
- EC (hydroponic)
- 1.4 to 2.2 mS/cm
- Daily light
- 12 to 17 mol/m²/day
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 4 to 10 (winter low around -34°C or warmer)
- Frost tolerance
- frost hardy (handles regular frost)
- Season
- cool (spring and fall crops)
Viable growing environments:
- outdoor year-round (in zone)
- outdoor in growing season (annual)
- unheated greenhouse / hoop house
- heated greenhouse
- indoor (heated home)
- indoor hydroponics under grow lights
USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.
Growing systems
Daikon radish works in:
- media bed (ebb and flow)
- wicking bed
- soil bed
Root mass is heavy - thin-channel systems (NFT, vertical towers) can't hold this crop mechanically, hence the system list above.
Growing media
The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (daikon radish works in the media listed below).
| Medium | pH effect | Water retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies by source | high | high |
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
| Expanded clay pebbles (LECA) | neutral / inert | low | high |
Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC target (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 |
| vegetative | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1.8 |
Companion-growing notes
- Heavy uptake of potassium. Co-grown crops with the same demand will end up deficient even at "correct" EC. Plan around this in shared reservoirs.
Aquaponics suitability
Compatible with typical aquaponics nutrient profiles. Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth; supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.
Care notes
A fast root crop requiring deep growing medium (25 cm minimum for standard-length varieties; 40 cm for long Japanese types). Media beds with loose, obstacle-free substrate (perlite, vermiculite, or sand mix) produce the straightest roots. Any stones or compacted zones cause forking. EC 1.5-2.5 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.0. Temperature: 10–22°C (cool-season; above 25°C, the root becomes pithy, hollow, and pungent). Moderate light (DLI 12-18 mol/m2/day). From seed to harvest: 40-60 days for standard varieties, 50-70 for larger Japanese types. Direct seed into the growing medium (daikon doesn't transplant well because the taproot is the product). Thin seedlings to 8–15 cm spacing. Short-rooted varieties ('Watermelon' radish, 'Green Meat') are better suited to shallower media beds. Harvest when the root top is 5–8 cm diameter at the soil line. Overmaturity causes hollow, spongy centers. The greens are edible throughout growth. For hydroponic growers serving Asian communities, fresh daikon is a high-volume, consistent seller year-round.
Plan a setup with Daikon radish
Verified against: rhs-uk, university-of-florida-ifas. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.