Root Vegetable Crops. What they are, and how to grow them.

Just a few of the vegetables that come under the category of 'Root Crops'

Root Vegetables are a wide range of edible plants where the roots are the main source of our food. Technically, some crops we call root vegetables - such as potatoes - are not true roots. For instance in the case of potatoes, the 'tuber' is actually an underground stem and not a root. However, we are not talking about the finer botanical details here. We are talking about food!

Tap Roots - such as with Parsnips and Carrots.
Tuberous Roots - Pig nuts, Sweet Potatoes
Corms - as with Chinese water Chestnuts
Tubers - Potatoes, Jerusalem Artichoke
Rhizomes - Root Ginger, Turmeric, Ginseng
Bulbs - Alliums (Onions)

Basically, all the above - and many more - have underground storage facilities for their food reserves. This in turn is why we find them useful for our own use - as Root Vegetables.

There is no specific cultural requirements that can be applied to all root vegetables. Carrots are happy in sandy soils - Potatoes are not. Root vegetables they may all be, but they are individual crops in the main, and require different methods of growing.

Beetroot growing. The spacing between plants is important.
Onion growing from sets or seeds! How to decide.
Potatoes - early, second early and maincrop. The difference
Storing onions so that they keep well for the winter.
The best way to store root vegetables for winter.
Unusual vegetable crops for growing in the garden
Carrot Fly - A pest of Carrot Growers.