| It’s time to get reacquainted with our vegetable gardens again.
The frost is out of the ground early this year and we simply can’t wait to get our
hands into the earth. Even though transplanting tomato seedlings is still a full month
away, there is reason to get out that shovel and kneel to the earth. Root crop vegetables
offer a wealth of tasty combinations and most can be planted in the cooler days of early
spring.
If the only root crops that come to your
mind are potatoes and onions you’ll have to add a few more rows to the garden because
you’ll want to include the following: asparagus, shallots, garlic, elephant garlic,
horseradish and Jerusalem artichokes. All of these can be planted in mid-April.
Asparagus is not a root
crop in the sense that you do not eat the root; it is the tender new shoots that emerge in
late April that are the delicacy. The best way to grow them is to plant them bareroot in
spring. There are two types of asparagus that do well in our area: Martha Washington, and
a male hybrid, Jersey Giant. Male hybrids usually produce more shoots, although they are
slower to establish. Plant the octopus-shaped roots in a deep fertile trench. The roots
should be spread 2’ apart and 4" deep. Do not harvest any shoots the first year
and harvest sparingly the second and third years.
Garlic is a hardy bulb
that can be planted in fall or early spring. Separate the bulb into cloves, planting each
clove in rich organic soil 2" deep and 4" apart. Elephant garlic is a variety
that produces bulbs that can weigh 1 pound each. Harvest your bulbs when the foliage
starts to yellow and die back.
Horseradish is an
aggressive and easily grown plant Start with a loose, well-drained soil that will allow
the formation of deep straight roots. Plant the root cutting with the slanted smaller end
heading down into the soil at a 45 degree angle. The wider flat end should be 3"
under the soil surface. Harvest the root in late fall only after we have had a few hard
frosts.
Jerusalem artichokes are
an excellent potato substitute, containing few carbohydrates and a low number of calories.
They have a nutty flavor; and those that are not harvested can live year after year in the
ground. They produce a showy yellow daisy-like flower on very tall stalks. Plant like
potatoes by placing a tuber with several eyes 2" below the soil surface. Harvest them
after the first hard frost in fall.
Onions are available in
many different forms. You can grow them from seed, sets, or plants. Onion plants are
usually sold in bunches. Onion sets look like mini onions. They should be planted about
6" apart but could be closer together so that you could thin out smaller bulbs as
scallions. The correct onion depth is somewhat disputed; they can be buried about 2"
deep but some people prefer them just under the soil surface.
Potatoes are common in
most gardens, but if the old standard varieties do not tempt you, we offer a few unique
types that will. Yukon Gold with its yellow-flesh is an early variety that is great for
salads and boiling. All Blue offers an eye appealing dark purple skin with consistently
blue flesh. It has a rich mealy flavor and is great for mashing. Although it’s
tempting to buy potatoes in a grocery store for planting, you should always seek out
"seed" potatoes that have not been treated with a sprout deterrent. Your yields
will be much higher. |
