Last of the Radishes

This week's extreme heat brought a quick close to radish season in the Good News Garden. They are a fast-maturing, cool-season crop, so 90-plus temperatures are not their friend.

The first bunch was harvested June 5, and just nine days later some of the remaining radishes were nearly overgrown. At that point the flavor suffers, explained gardener Malinda Hamann, who picked the last of this season's Cherry Belle and French Breakfast radishes on Tuesday evening.

For those who haven't grown radishes, there is no guesswork in determining whether they are ready to pick. The ripe radishes rest gently on the surface of the soil, awaiting harvest. In total, the row of radish seeds planted in the Good News Garden only a month ago yielded 3-1/4 pounds of peppery goodness.

What's next? The chard is looking full and gorgeous, the carrots are putting up lush and lacy tops, and the tomatoes are blossoming. The hot weather and regular deep watering from the garden's irrigation system are working their magic.