Root Vegetable

There are other sorts of vegetables in the root vegetable family.
 
Parsnips like carrots yield well for the space they occupy. They can be grown in both cool and warm areas, and have a much longer maturing period of at least 5 to 6 months. In cooler climates the parsnip can be left in the ground all winter, which will benefit from the freezing temperatures that improve the sweetness by converting starch to sugar. Otherwise they may be lifted, cleaned and put in the freezer to achieve a similar effect.

This type of of root vegetable, requires deep well prepared  free draining soil. Work in general garden fertilizer, but avoid fresh manures or compost as this tends to make the parsnip distorted or creates  forking of the roots.  In heavier or clay soils, plant seed in raised beds up to to 15cm above the surrounds to improve drainage.  Always use fresh seeds, sowing about 1cm deep.

Beetroot is a versatile root vegetable, easy  to grow  through most of the season, and  virtually  free of pests and diseases. It can  be  used either hot or cold, but usually  cold in a salad. Sow seed  in rows directly into the soil. The seed is a group of 2-4 true seeds in a corky cluster, therefore thin seedlings early to 5cm or more apart.  Keep them growing actively, so water regularly. Harvest when the crop are about the size of a tennis ball or so, any larger and they become fibrous.

Next is the white turnip, a popular mild household root vegetable that is quick growing. Harvest early as they will tend to become fibrous if left in the ground to long. These are not to be confused with the swede turnip, usually the size of a mini football, best grown late summer for  winter crop,  maturing much slower and can stay in the ground longer.

The kumara or sweet potato is a popular New Zealand root vegetable, requiring higher temperatures over a 4/5 months growing season. They have quite a different growing procedure and are grown from cuttings or the plants can be obtained from your garden centre. To obtain your own cuttings, place a kumara 5/10cm deep in sand or potting mix, which will then provide 20 to 30 shoots, and water well and leave in a warm place to sprout.  When shoots reach 20cm pluck gently from the tuber and transfer shoots into raised ridges similar to potatoes. These sweet potatoes or kumara are easy to care for and are generally disease and pest  free. Water well and lift runners every month to stop them from rooting. After harvesting , dry in the sun for a couple of days or so. This root vegetable  improves with storage because part of the starch content  turns to sugar.

Another root vegetable is the yam, originated from the South American Andes, also known as oca, and is part of the tuber family. These are a shiny rose pink or pinky yellow colour, about the size of a big thumb, unusual appearance being quite bumpy, ribbed, misformed shape. Not to be confused to the tropical plant, with an edible root, more common in America. Plant similar to potatoes, 5-10cms deep, 30cm apart and earth or mould up as they emerge. They have a reasonably long growing season, harvest in Autumn after first frosts,  when the foilage dies off.

This about covers most of the well known kinds of root vegetables leaving perhaps the Salsify or vegetable oyster, a not so common type, rarely seen in the supermarket. It has a creamy colour root like the parsnip, easy to grow a vegetable with a difference having a delicate oyster flavour when baked or fried.

We leave you with these thoughts on growing root vegetables, but bear in mind performance relates to soil types, fertility, moisture and climate during the growing season.