putting down Roots

All you need to know to grow cold-tolerant carrots, parsnips, beets and more

- NIKI JABBOUR

Bright beets! From left: orange 'Boldor'; white 'Avalanche' (sliced and whole); 'Touchstone Gold' (sliced and whole), red 'Chioggia Guardsmark'.

An important step in growing a successful fall food garden is selecting crops that thrive as temperatures drop and the daylight hours shrink. This is where root vegetables like carrots, beets, turnips and radishes come in. Not only do they tolerate cold temperatures, but most grow quickly, store well and supply a fantastic assortment of colors, shapes, sizes and flavors.

Plus, many root vegetables—including turnips, radishes and beets—provide a dual harvest: delicious roots as well as edible tops, helping you get the most out of your garden.

In this article you'll find my best tips and strategies for growing seven types of root crops this fall. Give them a little protection and you can even enjoy them into winter. Let’s dig in.

Above: 'Deep Purple' carrot supplies its unusual dark color from skin to core.

choosing varieties

When selecting root vegetables for your garden, consider your growing season and desired harvest period, then use the “days to maturity” listed on the seed packet as your guide. If you want a quick crop, stick to speedy vegetables like spring radishes, which can be ready to pull in just three weeks, or baby beets and carrots, often harvestable in less than two months.

Because roots come in such a diversity of shapes, sizes and colors, they offer the opportunity to have fun in your garden. Why not grow a rainbow of roots? That's easy with seed blends like Glow Stix Moonrise Mix carrots, Easter Egg radishes and Five Color Rainbow beets.