Go Underground! Grow Root Vegetables

Vegetable gardening can sometimes be more work than pleasure. Leafy greens are often under attack by malicious microorganisms. Tomatoes can fall victim to root rot and even corn seed can become food for the calculating crow. There is one way to avoid such petulance and raise up a nutritious garden full of flavor and texture that can be enjoyed raw or cooked – root crops!

Growing root vegetables (beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, potatoes) is easy. Most of them can be planted very early in the season, even before the last frost. They offer great versatility, taste, and provide great crops for canning or winter preservation.

Before you throw a sprouting carrot into the ground and hope for its yield, there are a few points to keep in mind regarding your underground crops:

Much like the bushy pepper plant, radishes offer varying degrees of heat. Choose wisely and think about what you intend to use them.

Beets can range from earthy tasting to downright sweet. Smaller Beets are good for pickling and canning. Larger ones make great snacks and their greens are just as good as the root itself.

Cultivation is key. You should follow the directions on the back of the seed packet but in general here are a few tips to keep in mind: Beet seeds should soak in water for 24 hours before sowing. Radishes should be sown at a depth about 4 times the size of the seed. Carrots prosper in full sun set in rich, loose, deeply worked and well-drained soil. Turnips must be kept away from frost at any expense.

Radishes are the choice veggie of many gardeners as they can be found in almost 250 varieties, they grow quickly, and they are relatively easy to plant and harvest. Till the soil to a depth of at least six inches. Remove any debris that could obstruct the growing tubers, and work in organic matter to ensure the right soil conditions. Sow spring varieties directly into the garden four to six weeks before the last expected frost. They transplant poorly so sow direct. Plant the seeds 1/2 inch deep and 1 inch apart for the best results and sow them in rows or patches. The seeds will usually germinate in a week or less.

Carrots are one of the more tricky root vegetables because there’s  is no tried and true method to harvesting. However, they can be picked anytime they reach a useable size, which is typically less than three months from sowing. The largest carrots will have dark green tops and are about 2.5cm in diameter at the crown. The tops are quite bushy but the carrots are quite small. Before pulling them moisten the soil so they are easier to tug. Grab the greens at the crown, twist, and lift.

When to Harvest?
In terms of root veggies, potatoes are perhaps some of the most misunderstood. As they grow they produce a wonderful, green bush just above the soil. As late summer approaches the bush (or plant) will start to turn a yellowish, brown and look as if it is dying. It is, buut don’t rush. Let the bush die out and shrivel. To get the really spectacular spuds wait another 3-4 weeks and then carefully dig the potatoes up with a hand trowel or a round point shovel. After pulling them give them a good soak to ease the shock of the dry, late summer air.

As with any vegetable though, cultivating, planting, and harvesting, is specific to your region and your preferences. Many gardening gurus will say that harvesting a root vegetable is on par with choosing which ones to sow – it’s up to the gardener. Truth of the matter is the right time to harvest roots veggies is at any time after they reach eating size. New potatoes, baby carrots and beets can be eaten early in the season, while other plants are left to mature to a larger size. Overall, root crops may be left in the ground until after the first frost, but should be removed and allowed to dry for a few days before storing for winter.