How to Grow Root Vegetables

Having a home vegetable garden is the best way to assure fresh, tasty vegetables for yourself and your family. Root vegetables, or vegetables that are grown underground, can be some of the best to have around and the simplest to care for in your home vegetable garden. According to University of Minnesota horticulture research, carrots, beets, parsnips, radishes, turnips and rutabagas are the most commonly grown root crops. Keep these vegetables well cared for and you can have fresh vegetables anytime.

Things You'll Need

• Soil tester
• Newspaper
• Shovel or hoe
• Organic material
• Soil tiller
• Hose or watering can

Instructions

Prepare the Soil

1. Purchase a soil tester from a garden center or nursery. These tests measure the acidity and nitrogen content of your soil, which are both important when raising root vegetables.

2. Collect a soil sample on spread-out newspaper and lay it in a dry area for at least 24 hours to dry completely.

3. Follow all instructions on the soil test to measure the properties of your soil. Optimum pH or acidity of soil for root vegetables is between 6 and 6.5.

4. Treat soil with lime or fertilizer as needed to balance nitrogen levels and pH levels. Consult an expert at a garden center or nursery if you are unsure about what products are safe for your vegetable soil.

5. Mix organic material such as sand, compost or well-rotted manure into the soil with the shovel or hoe. Till the soil thoroughly to make sure the materials are mixed in. These materials help the soil drain better, to prevent overwatering the vegetables.

Proper Care

1. Plant the root vegetables in late April or early May. Dig holes two inches apart for the seeds; this keeps the plants thinned and growing straight into the soil. Rutabagas have longer roots, and thus need at least eight inches of space.

2. Water the vegetables with one inch of water each week. Be sure the soil is thoroughly soaked with each application; the soil should never become dry between waterings.

3. Dig up any weeds you see growing in your vegetable garden, since weeds use up the nutrients the vegetables need to grow. Be careful when digging not to damage the roots of the vegetables, however, as damaged roots will destroy the vegetables.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use a fertilizer that contains weed killer, as it attacks roots and destroys root vegetables.

• Do not water your vegetables if they have already received one inch of water from rainfall.

References

• University of Minnesota: Growing Carrots and Other Root Vegetables
• Colorado State University: Growing Root Vegetables