If you’re seeing all kinds of lovely root vegetables at farmer’s markets this time of year, start planning now so you can grow them yourself next fall! I am so glad I decided to put in seeds for beets, turnips, and radishes back in August. These are all super-easy crops to grow, if you follow a few simple guidelines.
Here are the steps from thought to harvest:
- Plan ahead! Buy your seeds for fall planting when you get the ones for spring and summer, because they may be hard to find later on. (Autumn root crops are usually grown from seed; buying plants is a waste of money since you only get one root per plant.) Radishes, beets, turnips, and carrots are all good choices.
- Make space. Allowing room for fall crops can be difficult in a small garden. If some of your summer crops are not looking too great, take them out and prepare the bed for fall seeding. Or plant a bed with a summer cover crop or a quick-growing crop you know you’ll be removing soon, such as bush beans.
- Prepare your soil. Root crops like a loose soil – try inserting a trowel into the soil, and if you have to force it in, you will not get a great root harvest. Add some compost! Raised beds provide the ideal environment, since the soil seldom gets compacted. Make sure your planting area gets plenty of sun.
- Know how long your root crops will take to mature. It’s disappointing to not get edible roots because you didn’t allow enough time. Check HGIC’s planting guides for general information on timing, and also check the seed packet which will give you specifics for the variety you’re growing. Root crops are hardy and will tolerate frosts, so you can plan harvest for anytime from early October to late November, but the later you start the seeds, the slower the plants will grow. (This has more to do with the amount of sun than the temperature.) For a crop that lists 60 days to maturity from seeding, plant in mid-August (you’re allowing an extra week or two for the fall slowdown). Quicker crops like radishes can be planted in succession from late August to late September. Most root crops will sit in the ground just fine in cool weather, so you can harvest them as you need them.
- Plant as directed. Don’t worry too much about spacing since you will be thinning later on.
- Keep paying attention as the plants grow. Water regularly if it doesn’t rain, and take out weeds as soon as you can recognize which are the desirable plants. If your soil is low in phosphorus or potassium (which is unlikely), you may need to fertilize, but regular additions of compost through the year usually do the trick with these quick-growing crops. Thin the seedlings when they are several inches high – this means pulling out the plants in between a final set that are several inches apart. Think about what the roots will look like in maturity (what they look like when you buy them), and allow that much room plus a bit extra between plants. I find it easier to thin in two stages, taking out bunches when the plants are small and then a few more as they mature. You can eat the thinnings in salads, if you wish; they’re all edible and delicious.
- Harvest when ready! All of these root crops will show some of the root portion above the soil, so you can check on size without pulling them out.
In practice, I’m often not on top of thinning, and it was hard to water enough this year with our persistent drought. So some of my root crops, especially the beets, are smaller than they should be. (On the other hand, some of the radishes are enormous.) But even with mistakes I manage to get good results! Try root crops next year and harvest some treasure from underground.
By Erica Smith, Montgomery County Master Gardener. Read more posts by Erica.
Nice article, it lets people know that even in the fall they can grow food. The only suggestion I have is to make a clearer distinction between compost and fertilizer. This statement was made: “If your soil is low in phosphorus or potassium (which is unlikely), you may need to fertilize, but regular additions of compost through the year usually do the trick.” People often confuse compost and fertilizer; they think the former contains the latter, and that’s not always the case. The only way to know if your soil is low in phosphorus or potassium is through a soil test.
Yes, although compost releases plant-available nutrients, the amounts are small and the timing is variable, especially for phosphorous and potassium. Soil testing labs provide valuable baseline information on nutrient levels that can be increased, if needed, using lime and/or fertilizers.
Do you have any tips on getting seed to germinate? My sister and I have so much trouble – we’ve purchased new seed, different brands, etc. to no avail!
Plant seeds no deeper than about 2X their diameter. For example, bean seeds are planted about 1/2 inch deep and very small seeds are barely covered. After covering the seeds with soil or compost, press down with your hand to ensure good seed to soil contact. The seeds need air and water to germinate. Keep the soil moist. Covering the soil after planting with a thin layer of some tree leaves, grass clippings can help maintain even soil moisture and prevent animals from digging and eating the seeds. Some gardeners use cardboard or wood boards which must be checked daily and removed as soon as seeds start to germinate.