Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Korean Radish 'Altari' (Raphanus sativus var. caudatus 'Altari')— schedule & NPK
Also called Altari radish, Korean kkakdugi radish, baby Korean radish.
More about korean radish 'altari'
About Korean Radish 'Altari'
Raphanus sativus var. caudatus 'Altari' · also called Altari radish, Korean kkakdugi radish · edible
'Altari', the Korean ponytail or chonggak radish, produces small, plump white roots with a green-tinted shoulder and prized, edible leafy tops. Crisp and pungent, it's the classic radish for kkakdugi and chonggak kimchi. Quick-maturing in around 50 days, it suits spring and autumn sowing in loose, fertile, stone-free soil.
Growth habit: Upright clump of abundant green leafy tops above small, plump, oval white roots with green shoulders.
What fertiliser korean radish 'altari' actually wants — and why
Korean Radish 'Altari' stores its crop underground, so the rule is the reverse of leafy plants — go easy on nitrogen, which sends energy into tops at the expense of roots.
Low-nitrogen, with modest phosphorus and potassium for root development — ideally compost-improved soil rather than a high-N feed. Excess nitrogen forks the roots and grows lush tops instead of a crop.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for korean radish 'altari': match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed korean radish 'altari', and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For korean radish 'altari':
Feed with a balanced fertiliser; moderate nitrogen supports the edible tops, but excess causes forking and lush leaves over roots. A potassium boost during bulking firms the roots. In practice: prepare the bed with well-rotted compost (not fresh manure), then little or no extra feeding through the season (spring through early autumn); a light potassium feed mid-growth at most.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when korean radish 'altari' is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for korean radish 'altari'
Less is more for korean radish 'altari'. If you feed at all, keep it light and low-nitrogen — the soil preparation does the work, and over-feeding actively spoils the crop.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water korean radish 'altari' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the korean radish 'altari' watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding korean radish 'altari'
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for korean radish 'altari':
- Large lush leafy tops and small, forked or hairy roots.
- Split or cracked roots from a nitrogen-and-water surge.
- All foliage and no usable crop at harvest.
Signs you are under-feeding korean radish 'altari'
- Genuinely uncommon in reasonable soil — these are not hungry plants.
- Pale, weak tops and small roots only in very poor, exhausted ground.
- Slow growth across the whole bed in long-uncultivated soil.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full korean radish 'altari' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flushing is not the issue for korean radish 'altari' — the equivalent care is avoiding fresh manure and high-N feeds entirely, and rotating beds so the soil is not over-rich from a previous hungry crop.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for korean radish 'altari'
Organic options
Well-rotted compost worked in the season before, or for a previous crop, is ideal — never fresh manure. UK: garden compost, low-N blends; US: Espoma Garden-tone sparingly or finished compost. Lean and well-worked beats rich.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
If anything, a low-nitrogen, potassium-leaning feed only — UK: a high-potash feed mid-season at most, never a general high-N; US: a 5-10-10 sparingly. Most root crops crop best with no synthetic feed at all.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising korean radish 'altari' — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does korean radish 'altari' need?
Low-nitrogen, with modest phosphorus and potassium for root development — ideally compost-improved soil rather than a high-N feed. Excess nitrogen forks the roots and grows lush tops instead of a crop. Korean Radish 'Altari' stores its crop underground, so the rule is the reverse of leafy plants — go easy on nitrogen, which sends energy into tops at the expense of roots.
How often should I feed korean radish 'altari'?
Feed with a balanced fertiliser; moderate nitrogen supports the edible tops, but excess causes forking and lush leaves over roots. A potassium boost during bulking firms the roots. Feed with a balanced fertiliser; moderate nitrogen supports the edible tops, but excess causes forking and lush leaves over roots. A potassium boost during bulking firms the roots. In practice: prepare the bed with well-rotted compost (not fresh manure), then little or no extra feeding through the season (spring through early autumn); a light potassium feed mid-growth at most.
What strength of feed for korean radish 'altari'?
Less is more for korean radish 'altari'. If you feed at all, keep it light and low-nitrogen — the soil preparation does the work, and over-feeding actively spoils the crop.
What does over-feeding korean radish 'altari' look like?
Large lush leafy tops and small, forked or hairy roots. Split or cracked roots from a nitrogen-and-water surge. All foliage and no usable crop at harvest. Feeding korean radish 'altari' a nitrogen-rich fertiliser, or planting into freshly manured ground, is the defining mistake — you get a forest of leafy tops and forked, hairy, split or all-leaf-no-root crops.
Should I flush the soil of korean radish 'altari'?
Flushing is not the issue for korean radish 'altari' — the equivalent care is avoiding fresh manure and high-N feeds entirely, and rotating beds so the soil is not over-rich from a previous hungry crop.
Keep reading
- Korean Radish 'Altari' care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water korean radish 'altari' — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise tomato
- How to fertilise pepper
- How to fertilise cucumber
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library