How to Grow Root Vegetables: A Practical Gardening Guide to Growing Beets, Turnips, Rutabagas, Carrots, Parsnips and Potatoes, with Step-By-Step Techniques and Over 140 Photographs - Softcover

This is an illustrated gardener's guide to the different varieties of root vegetables, their history and cooking uses. It offers step-by-step instructions for preparing the soil, sowing from seed and from sets, and harvesting and storing. It contains advice on cultivating all the main types of root vegetable including: Turnips, Swedes, Kohl Rabi, Carrots, Jerusalem Artichokes, Parsnips, Radishes, Potatoes and Salisfy and Scorzonera. There are helpful hints and tips on how to avoid pests and diseases, and what to do when problems occur. As the name suggests, root vegetables are vegetables whose roots form the edible parts. These vegetables are highly nutritious and they are particularly flavoursome if they are eaten soon after harvesting. The main types of root vegetables are described and illustrated with useful information about different varieties that can be grown, their history, cultivation and requirements and cooking uses. The section on practical cultivation details essential information on growing and caring for each type of vegetable and how to harvest and store them. There is also advice on organic cultivation, and how to deal with any pests and diseases that may occur. This book provides reliable information for the gardener who wants to experiment with new varieties.

Richard Bird has contributed to numerous publications and has been magazine editor for Focus on Plants, The Hardy Plant, Alpine Gardening and the Alpine Garden Society's magazine Bulletin. He is also a full-time author on gardens and plants and has written more than 30 books.