annual vegetable
China Rose radish
A cool-weather storage radish with colorful roots and crisp texture.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a-10a
- Sun
- FullPartial
- Soil
- Loam
- Water
- Medium
- Deer pressure
- Frequently damaged Use as a deer browsing cue, not a guarantee; heavy deer pressure can override resistance ratings.
- Black walnut
- Mixed or uncertain Use as a black walnut / juglone planning cue; tolerance varies by cultivar, soil, and distance from the tree.
- Planting depth
- Sow 0.3-0.5 in deep
- Container min
- 1+ gal (good)
- Goals
- Vegetables & herbs
Harvest & Use
- Window
- pink winter roots
- Yield return
- 0-0.1 lb/plant/season
- First output
- 25-35 days
- Best for
- Vegetables & herbs
Harvest window: pink winter roots. Once established, the current pound-return model uses 0-0.1 lb/plant/season with a harvest window of 1-3 weeks.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
This is a representative garden photo used as a temporary reference. Replace with a closer cultivar or species image when one is sourced.
Photo sources: Schlaghecken Josef / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quantitative Profile
- Pound return
- 0-0.1 lb/plant/season
- 10-year return
- 0-1 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- This season
- Mature size
- 0.5-1 ft H x 0.3-0.5 ft W
- Spacing
- 0.1-0.2 ft in-row x 0.5-2 ft rows
- Planting depth
- Sow 0.3-0.5 in deep
- Container min
- 1+ gal (good)
- Productive life
- 1 yrs
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Reliability
- 5/5
- Data quality
- Medium profile, Low yield confidence
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
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Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
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Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
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Seed-starting trays
Propagation / Pre-seasonStart annual vegetables, herbs, and flowers ahead of transplant season.
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Floating row cover
Protection / At plantingProtect young crops from wind, light frost, and early pest pressure while still letting light and water through.
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Seedling grow light
Propagation / Pre-seasonKeep indoor seedlings compact and sturdy before they move outside.
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Garden gloves
Tools / Planting dayProtect hands while digging, mulching, pruning, and handling thorny or rough-stemmed plants.
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Balanced garden fertilizer
Nutrition / During growthFeed annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and hungry container crops according to soil or label guidance.
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Soil thermometer
Timing / Before plantingCheck whether spring soil is actually warm enough for direct sowing, transplanting, and tender warm-season crops.
Yield curve
Estimated Pound Return
Projected annual yield ramp from establishment to full production, using the current sourced range for China Rose radish.
- Year 1
- 0-0.1 lb First-year estimate from the sourced curve.
- Year 5
- 0-0.1 lb
- Year 10
- 0-0.1 lb
- 10-year total
- 0-1 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: root-count range converted to pounds for return comparison. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Sow 0.3-0.5 in deep
- Container minimum: 1+ gal (good). Small herbs, leafy crops, and radishes work in 1+ gal pots or wider shallow planters.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
- Use the pairing map below to choose nearby companions or compatible varieties.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full, partial light, loam soil, and medium water.
- Use 0.1-0.2 ft in-row x 0.5-2 ft rows as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 0.5-1 ft H x 0.3-0.5 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "pink winter roots" and 1 root/plant/season as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Deer pressure can be a real constraint for this plant; plan protection if browsing is common nearby.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Companion Plants & Pairings
Plant Nearby
Fast radishes can mark slow-germinating carrot rows and leave space before carrots need the room.
Use it: Sow a light pinch of radish seed in the carrot row and harvest radishes early so carrots are not crowded.
Fast cool-season crops can share spring or fall bed space before heat-loving plants take over.
Use it: Use this as a timing strategy: harvest greens and radishes before peas shade them or before summer crops need the bed.
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: UGA Extension - Growing Vegetables OrganicallyCornell Cooperative Extension - Recommended Spacing and Expected Yield for Garden VegetablesUniversity of Maine Extension - Planting Chart for the Home Vegetable GardenUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing VegetablesIllinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers
Supplier search: Amazon. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.