8 Top Tips on Growing, Harvesting and Using Root Veggies

Root vegetables are hearty, versatile, incredibly nutritious, and delicious. They can be boiled, roasted, mashed, used in salads, tossed into soups and stews, and make up a good portion of any great roast dinner (i.e. Thanksgiving).

They are often quite simple to grow for yourself, and you don’t even need a ton of space to do it. Lots of root veggies grow quite happily in containers.

Check out these OGP articles that will help you to grow some of the most common root vegetables, give you tips on growing them in containers, and offer advice on storing them over the winter.

1. Rutabagas

Some vegetables rarely make the shopping list. The onions and squash and potatoes, we just are accustomed to cooking and eating, so it’s easy not to branch out beyond our favorite dozen or so choices from the produce aisle. Unfortunately, that means we are missing out on a lot. One of the vegetables that many of us are missing out on is rutabagas. To right this injustice, read all about Rutabagas: Getting to Know Another Unsung Root Vegetable.

2. Turnips

Turnips are legitimately good, and the fact is that it’s a two-crops-in-one vegetable: delicious turnip greens and turnip roots. They can be grown at least twice a year in most places in the US, and they are one of the easier things to grow. Plus, they’ll store well for much of the winter, providing fresh veggies when we need them most. Learn How to Harvest, Grow, and Cook Turnips!

3. Radishes

For whatever reason, radishes aren’t a super popular veg present on most dinner plates. But, these little root veggies have a lot to offer.  Not only do they add super crunch and a peppery bite to bland salads, but they roast up well and are very easy to grow at home. Not only that, like most vegetables, there are solid reasons why these high-quality gems are beneficial to our health. Learn more about Radical Radishes: The Ultimate Guide to an Under-Appreciated Veggie.

4. Parsnips

Parsnips are a delicious root vegetable that often makes an appearance during autumn and winter holiday meals. If you are unfamiliar with parsnips, they look like pale carrots but are a little more turnip-like in texture. Parsnips have a bit of a reputation for being tricky to grow from seed. However, if you have a little patience and are prepared to put in the time with your parsnip plants, you can have yourself a bumper crop of yummy root veggies just in time for Thanksgiving. Read on to learn How to Grow, Harvest, and Use Parsnips.

5. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato has made quite the comeback in the last decade or more. They busted into the French fry market, becoming the trendier, possibly even tastier, choice. They started showing up baked and on the side, an option more nutritionally reasonable than regular old potatoes. Then, just generally, with this bit of exposure, establishing that they can function as more than your aunt’s Christmas casserole, sweet potatoes were officially on the scene. Now, it’s time to put them in the garden. Check out  How to Grow Your Own Sweet Potatoes.

6. Potatoes

it’s not difficult to grow a whole mess of potatoes in a bucket. Not only will one bucket produce several pounds of potatoes, but it can be done on an apartment balcony, in a laundry room, or on the patio. There’s no big mess to contend with, and the upkeep of the whole thing is about as minimal as growing food comes. In other words, anyone with a bucket (or the ability to get one) and a bit of oomph about them should continue reading. This potato bucket thing might be fun. The project might just teach us something. And, homegrown fries sound pretty tasty. Take a look at How to Grow Potatoes in a Bucket.

7. Roots in Containers

Things like potatoes, onions, beets, and carrots seem like they need a lot more space, and should be left to those with great gardens. That isn’t the case, though. If you have some big enough containers, you can get into the root vegetable business, too. There are a few things to consider before you steam ahead, so check these tips on how to grow the Best Root Vegetables for Container Gardens.

8. Storing Roots

Autumn is upon us, and within mere weeks, it’ll be full-on sweater weather, tempting us all to get out the coats, gather around the radiator, and pass around stories about the good old days when our gardens were vibrant and full of food. As we seek to buy locally, reduce our food miles, and eat real food, we should revisit the days of the past when people shrewdly stocked up for the winter, making the most of their harvest. Primarily focusing on root vegetables. Read these Secrets to Buying Root Vegetables in the Fall for Cheap and Storing Them for the Winter.

Related Content:

• Secrets to Buying Root Vegetables in Fall for Cheap and Storing Them for the Winter
• Best Root Vegetables for Container Gardens
• Rutabagas: Getting to Know Another Unsung Root Vegetable
• 10 Plant-Based Sandwiches with Root Vegetables
• How to Make the Perfect Roasted Vegetables for the Holidays

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade repeatedly.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and essential stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!