Quick tips on growing unusual root crops

Published May 16, 2012 | By Jane

Root crops are vegetables that have adapted their roots into a swollen form that are good for eating fresh or cooking. We are familiar with carrots, beets and radishes as common root vegetables. But there are many more interesting root vegetables that are easy to grow in most home gardens.

Salsify is known as the oyster plant and has white, carrot-like roots with a slightly oyster-like flavor. These plants grow much like carrots with similar needs. Give them good soil with eight to ten inches clearance below for roots to stretch unhindered. They like heat and will grow well even where summers are hot.

Celeriac is a big, rough-looking globe of a root crop that is related to celery and carries a distinct celery flavor. It needs no special treatment and can grow up to six inches in diameter. Like most root crops, it is more tender if it isn’t allowed to grow too big. It is tasty in soups and stews and can be stored in a cool dry place for use long after it is dug at the end of the summer.

Parsnips have been grown for centuries and have a slightly sweet flavor to their roots. Another crop that isn’t fussy and can even tolerate a light frost, grow parsnips for adding to stews or cooking up as a side dish. Like other root crops, the parsnip is happy in a rich soil with regular water and plenty of sunshine.

Originally posted 2011-07-18 08:33:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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