• Tapered radishes grow better in soils with high clay contents than round radishes.radish image by Waikikisurfer from Fotolia.com
  
  Radishes come in a few different varieties, including common red radishes, daikon, shogoin and several hybrid types. Different types of radishes tolerate different soils, but in general they prefer a traditional loamy vegetable garden soil. Radishes may be round or tapered, and may grow entirely below ground or partially above-ground. These differences dictate which types of soil a radish will grow well in.
  
  

Ideal Soil Texture

• In general, all types of radishes like loamy soils, which conveniently compose most vegetable gardens. According to Texas A & M University, most types of radishes grow best in soft soils with a lot of drainage, because hard, compact soils may cause the radishes to have a difficult time expanding and become misshapen.
  
  

Clay soils

• Although radishes generally prefer softer soils with more drainage than soils with a high clay content, some types of radishes do well in soils with lots of clay and may even need less fertilization in nutrient-rich clay soils. According to the National Gardening Association, some hybrid radishes, like shogoin, grow well in harder clay soils. ability to grow in clay soils comes from the radishes' tapered shape, and from the fact that the majority of a radish grows above ground.
  
  

Nutrient-Rich Soils

• Just like any vegetable, radishes require nutrients to grow, but they are not as nutrient-hungry as some plants. Ideally, gardeners plant radishes in nutrient-rich soil to begin with, and then, according to Washington State University, radishes do not need any extra fertilization. However, Texas A & M University recommends adding some 10-20-20 fertilizer to garden soil before planting radishes if the soil is not high quality.