These easy-to-grow root vegetables are perfect for your garden!
Root vegetables are some of the best and most rewarding vegetables you can grow in your garden. These are also known as tubers or bulbs, and the most representative veggies of this family are onions, carrots, beets, and turnips.
Most of the time, they are easy to grow, but these vegetables might pose some unique challenges, and you should be aware of them. For example, since these veggies grow underground, you won’t know if something’s wrong until it’s harvest time.
But despite all of this, they are some of the best vegetables for your garden, and if you are at the beginning of your gardening journey, you can give them a chance as there are some good beginner options out there, such as radishes and turnips.
These are the best easy-to-grow root vegetables for your garden, and here you can find some of the most useful tips that will help you have a great harvest experience.
1. Onions and shallots
Onions are incredibly easy to take care of, and what makes things difficult is the process of planting them. It takes a lot of work to plant onions, but we believe that it is totally worth it. They add a pungent and delicious punch to a countless number of dishes, and topping something with scallions is a great addition to stir-fries, soups, and salads.
Despite all of this, there are still some easy-to-grow root vegetables, and having them in your garden definitely pays off. There are three options to choose from when you want to plant onions: seeds, transplants, or sets. Even if they are the most expensive, transplants are the easiest to plant and grow. On the other hand, seeds are the most economical option, but the tiny sprouts are delicate and are prone to fungal diseases.
But whatever method of planting you choose, another important thing you should be mindful of is the daylight hours. Onions fall into three categories based on how much light they need: short-day, long-day, and day-neutral varieties. Choose the type that aligns with the climate conditions in your area, and in this way, you will have a successful harvest.
Both onions and shallots need well-draining soil and a lot of sunlight.
2. Radishes
Ok, if you are looking for fast and rewarding results in your garden, then radishes are some of the best easy-to-grow root vegetables, and we are sure they are perfect for you. Most of the time, radishes are ready for harvest just 3 to 4 weeks after you’ve planted them. If this is not one of the most amazing things for impatient gardeners, we wait for you to tell us about something better.
But behind every successful radish harvest lies a secret: temperature control. You need to be careful and plant your seeds as soon as the soil warms up at the beginning of spring. If you can’t do that, wait until summer passes and the heat subsides. It is important to choose the perfect temperature because if you don’t do this, your radishes will be predisposed to bolting.
The process of planting radishes is a breeze. You need some seeds and a patch of well-draining soil. Plant the seeds there, and you are good to go. The soil needs to be consistently moist but never waterlogged.
So, what you need to do is water the radishes regularly, do some occasional weeding, and get ready to enjoy some amazing homegrown radishes. The magic of these easy-to-grow root vegetables lies in the number of different varieties that exist and how easy they are to grow.
3. Turnips
These easy-to-grow root vegetables are often overshadowed by their carrot cousins, but we believe that they deserve a place in any garden, and we have a few good arguments to support this.
First of all, they are easy to grow, and secondly, they mature fast. They are ready to harvest in 6 to 8 weeks, and they are also incredibly versatile. You can eat their root, but please don’t overlook the green part. The leafy tops are full of nutrients, and you can add them to soups or sauté them.
The planting process for turnips is pretty straightforward: you need to find a location that is not completely exposed to the sun and is well-drained. Then sow the seed into the ground a couple of weekends before the last frost.
4. Potatoes
This is by far the supreme of easy-to-grow root vegetables. Potatoes are incredibly rewarding, and they grow from actual potato pieces that you need to plant. They don’t need specific care and are actually very forgiving.
Another thing that we like about them, and we consider them the kings of easy-to-grow root vegetables, is the fact that most of the time they are already treated to prevent sprouting, and if you find certified seed potatoes, you can be sure that they are disease-free.
If you are wondering how a potato planting session goes, it is something like this: you need to grab your seed potato and cut it into more sections that contain 1-2 eyes. Then you will allow these cut pieces to air dry for a couple of days because this process gives the protective callus a chance to cover the wounds.
When you start planting, be careful and always put the seed potatoes with the cut side upside down. Plant them in well-draining soil, and make sure the plants have a lot of direct sun exposure.
Another amazing thing about these easy-to-grow root vegetables is that they are extremely adaptable. Due to this ability, you can grow them in containers, and you don’t have to worry about the harvest because you will have plenty of potatoes even in these conditions.
5. Parsnips
Ok, these easy-to-grow root vegetables are great because they can live in almost any area, and you can store them for months. Most of the time, people forget about them, but we believe that you should consider parsnips for your next harvest.
Compared to other vegetables on this list, you will need to have a little bit of patience with parsnips because they will need more time to grow, around 3 to 4 months.
The best time to plant them is in the early spring. All you have to do is put them in the soil and water. Because the seeds are tiny, you need to plant them shallowly, and during the germination period, make sure that you water them consistently.
Even if it takes a while for them to grow, we consider that these easy-to-grow root vegetables have an incredibly rewarding harvest, so get ready to mash, roast, or even enjoy them raw with a bit of olive oil. The profile of flavors is wide, and you can find anything from honey-sweet to mildly nutty.
6. Carrots
We know that you’ve been waiting for them, and finally, here they are, the stars of easy-to-grow root vegetables, none other than carrots. Bugs Bunny loves them, so why wouldn’t you, right?
Carrots are a staple in many kitchens around the world, and this might make them a tempting option. It is true that the slender and long variety is a familiar sight, but it might not be the most suitable one for beginner gardeners.
Hopefully, there are other varieties of carrots that, aside from being easier to grow, are also perfect for those who don’t have a lot of space. We are talking about the “Little Fingers” and “Paris Market” varieties.
These carrots are smaller, and they mature more easily (50 to 60 days) than their more common relatives, which take a few months. Also, the fact that they are smaller in size makes them less prone to pests and diseases that often plague the rest of the carrots.
If you want to give it a try but don’t have enough space in the garden, these raised garden beds might come in handy: Fabric Grow Bags, 2-Pack Raised Garden Bed with Handle for Vegetable
You should also read: These 21 Fragrant Flowers Will Make Your Garden Smell Amazing
