Root Vegetables For Your Garden

Root vegetables are always in the first preference of vegetable lovers when it comes to vegetables with fewer amounts of pesticides. Root vegetables are the easiest to grow in your home vegetable garden. If you are ready to keep some of your effort and time in your vegetable garden, you can easily grow some root vegetables. Root vegetables store their food in the roots which become swollen for storing energy mainly in the form of carbohydrates.

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 All root vegetables vary in their root contents. All vegetables that are storage roots are generally called root vegetables. It may include both true roots such as tuberous roots and taproots. At the same time, non-roots such as tubers, rhizomes, corms, bulbs, and hypocotyls also come under the root vegetables. Most of the root vegetables have similar growth requirements.They grow best in cool weather.

If you love to include root vegetables in your diet, then, what about growing some of your favourite root vegetables in your home garden? Here are some easy to plant and grow root vegetables that you may try.

Root Vegetables For Your Garden

1.Beetroot: Beets are excellent option to be included in your home garden. Beets grow fast and will give its best taste if it is harvested when it is young. The leaves of beets are also edible. Beetroot has a fleshy root that can be included in your diet boiled and eaten plain, tossed in a salad or used to make borscht.

2.Carrot: Carrot is a biennial root vegetable rich in vitamin A, antioxidants and dietary fibre. Carrots are good options to plant in your garden. Carrot needs moistened soil but, remember to water less as it matures.

3. Horseradish: Horseradish is very nutritious and thus becomes a favourite option of root vegetable lovers. But, unfortunately, it is a little bit difficult to grow just a little horseradish. Horseradish will re-grow and spread  quickly, if you spread some roots in the ground.

4.Onions: Onions are part of most of our dishes. So, nothing will beat the priority of onion in our kitchen. You can plant them either from seed, from transplants or from sets. Out of these, the sets are easy to plant and grow.

5.Parsnips: Parsnips grow well in most areas and they can be stored for months. They taste better chilled.  Different varieties of parsnips can vary in their taste from mildly nutty to honey sweet. They can be eaten raw, mashed and roasted.

6.Radishes: Radishes are one of the most popular root vegetables that can be grown easily in your home garden.  They're quick growing and easy to manage plants. Radishes need optimum temperature that keeps them from bolting, but warm enough to mature quickly.

7.Rutabaga: Rutabaga is  versatile that has a crisp cabbage-like tang when used fresh. Rutabaga are generally easy to grow. Comparatively rutabaga is almost free from pest problems. Rutabaga can be grown in less space where you can provide moist soil.

8.Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are tuberous roots that can be planted in your home garden. They can be grown from slips, small rooted pieces of the tubers. Sweet potato takes about a 4 month growing season. You may start planting them in containers and move them out later. 

9.Turnips: Turnips are root vegetables that will provide lots of varieties for you to choose other than the common white with purple tops.  Turnips are easy to plant and grow. If you harvest it while it is young, it will keep re-sprouting.

10.Yam:Yam is another good option to be considered for planting in your garden. They are fleshy roots and bulbs which are tasty and nutritious.

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