DIY Network

The Root Family The Root Family From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-122

In this introductory segment, learn which vegetables are part of the "root" family and learn basic guidelines for growing parsnips and radishes....

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Materials:

Sand
Soil
Soil conditioner
Compost
Wood ash
Lime
Parsnip seed
Radish seed
Paper towels
Pan
Jar
Warm water
Resealable plastic bag
Two 2" x 2"s
Post-hole digger
Mulch
Garden hose
Misting nozzle
Floral shears
Spading fork
Scissors or knife

	Figure A
	Figure B

• Root vegetables are second only to cereal as the most important food crops. Roots for the most part are solid, basic starch vegetables that include turnips, beets, potatoes, carrots, parsnips and radishes. Radishes (figure A) and parsnips (figure B) are a lot alike and still very different; both are white root vegetables that like cool weather. However, radishes are fast growing and germinate in a few days -- parsnips take a little more time. Four days for radishes or four weeks for parsnips -- that’s how long you’ll have to wait for them to grow! For a combination vegetable garden, you should plant the parsnips first to give them a head start!

• There are over 30 varieties of parsnip and like carrots, you’ll need a deep, stone free sandy loam soil for parsnips to develop long, straight roots. If your soil is made of mostly of clay, you might want to plant a short, stubby variety. If the root meets an obstacle in the early growing stages, it will branch or "fork" or just stop growing.
  

  Figure C

• Parsnips need sunny, well-drained soil that has been deeply worked (figure C). Parsnips produce best when planted in a raised bed free of stones. You should add to the bed a soil mixture of sand and soil conditioner. The sand and conditioner will improve the drainage of the soil. Next, you should add plenty of compost and wood ash to the soil. Wood ash contains soluble potassium, which will help grow solid, parsnips. Compost will add nutrients back into the soil. If your soil tends to be acidic, you can also add lime to the soil. Just be sure to test you soil before you add any amendments. Work the wood ash and other soil amendments into the top 4 inches of the soil where the feeder roots will thrive.

• Parsnips seeds are directly sown into the ground, and like carrots, they are slow to germinate. It takes about 120 days for them to mature. Many gardeners will grow radishes in among the parsnips to mark where the parsnips are taking root. The radish will push through the soil in a few days forging the way for the parsnips to come along later.

• Radishes are among the easiest and fastest vegetables to grow, making them a great starter crop for new gardeners. There are more than 200 varieties of radish to choose from including annual and winter radishes. Winter radishes are slower to develop than spring radishes and they can grow larger and can hold longer in the ground. They are the perfect companion vegetable for parsnips

• The typical supermarket radish is small, round and red. But radish comes in a spectrum of different colors, shapes and sizes. They grow in bite-size nuggets and can stretch to the size of carrots or turnips. Radishes are hardy, take up little space and are quickly grown. You plant radish seeds in the ground and in almost no time flat, you’re rewarded with crisp little globes that can be eaten on the spot.

• You can plant one variety of radish among the parsnips and plant a different bed of radishes nearby. Parsnips will germinate well when the soil temperature is about 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit – the colder the soil temperature, the longer the germination period. It will take about three to four weeks for the seeds to germinate. Because parsnips are slow to germinate, you should soak the seeds overnight to speed up the process and give the pre-sprouted seeds a better chance of survival.
  

  	Figure D
  	Figure E

• There are two ways to help germinate the parsnip seeds: either with moist paper towels or with warm water. You place a few moist paper towels in the bottom of a pan and pour in the seeds. Then cover the seeds with another stack of moist paper towels (figure D). When the tiny white roots of the sprouted seeds are about ¼ long, they’re ready to plant. Be careful not to break the small roots or allow the seeds to dry out. For the seeds germinated in the paper towels, be sure to pour water over them as they dry out. You have to keep the towels moist.

• To germinate the seeds overnight, put your seeds in a jar filled with fairly warm water (figure E). Be sure not to use boiling hot water – you don’t want to cook the seeds! Leave the seeds in the water – kept lukewarm – for about 12 hours before planting them. After soaking the seed, place some type of screening over the opening of the jar and drain off the water and put the seeds into a re-sealable plastic bag. To keep the seeds warm overnight, you can place the jar on a seedling heat mat. For the seeds germinated in the paper towels, be sure to pour water over them as they dry out. You have to keep the towels moist.