Harsh weather can be a major hurdle in New Mexico's spring vegetable gardens. But, cool-season crops like radishes, lettuce and peas can overcome the elements to produce tasty salads. Radishes don't tolerate hot weather, so they are planted in the early spring and mature while it's still cool, said George Dickerson, horticulture specialist with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service. Hot weather causes radishes to become pithy and pungent. Stressing the plants for water will cause similar problems.
Radish roots vary in size, color, shape and texture.
The most popular are the round 'Cherry Belle' types, which are relatively mild and mature quickly, he said. Plant radish seeds in the garden 1 inch apart and one-half inch deep in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Most salad greens also are cool-season crops that should be planted before the weather gets too warm. Crisphead or iceberg lettuce forms heads of large, heavy, tightly folded leaves. It is a common commercial lettuce found in most grocery stores.