Add these root vegetables to your garden for a satisfying harvest.
From early-season radishes to post-frost parsnips, root vegetables offer multiple seasons’ worth of tasty, versatile, easy-to-grow options for your garden. These vegetables are known for growing their fleshiest, most delicious parts underground, and some even produce leafy greens above ground that are also edible. To help you choose which root vegetables to grow in your garden, we spoke to experts who shared their favorite low-maintenance, delicious options.
Meet Our Expert
- Sara Rubens, certified garden coach and founder of Seed to Sanctuary
- Charlotte Glen, manager of the Master Gardener Program for NC State Extension
- Samikshya Budhathoki, master gardener and coordinator of the Small Farms Program at the Oregon State University Extension Service
Related: 15 Shade-Loving Vegetables That Flourish With Little to No Sun
Carrots
Versatile raw or cooked, carrots (Daucus carota) are a must-have in any garden. “Carrots are a classic choice, sweet, crunchy, and endlessly useful in the kitchen,” says Sara Rubens, certified garden coach and founder of Seed to Sanctuary.
Carrots need deep, well-draining soil to thrive, but also grow successfully in pots and raised beds. “If you struggle to grow carrots in your garden due to stony or heavy clay soil, try growing them in large, deep containers filled with potting mix (but avoid mixes that contain large particles of bark as these can cause stunted or forked roots),” says Charlotte Glen, NC State Extension Master Gardener Program Manager. “Direct seed carrots in mid- to late summer or early spring so they grow and mature in the cooler fall and spring months.”
- Zone: 3 to 10
- Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 2 to 3 inches wide
- Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; loose, well-draining soil
Radishes
Peppery radishes (Raphanus sativus) are easy to grow, quick to mature, and a welcome addition to various meals. “Radishes are another beginner-friendly option, growing quickly (often ready in under a month) and adding a spicy crunch to salads,” says Rubens. Plant in cool weather—either in spring or fall—and harvest when the roots are about 1 inch in diameter to catch radishes at their peak flavor.
- Zone: 2 to 10
- Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
- Care requirements: Full sun; rich, well-draining soil
Potatoes
Whether you’re making mashed potatoes or potato salad, potato gratin or oven-baked fries, adding this simple root vegetable to your garden provides you with a base for soups, appetizers, sides, and entrees. “If you’re new to gardening or growing root crops, try potatoes,” says Glen. “They are easy and fun to grow, and everyone has a favorite way to use them in the kitchen.”
He recommends starting with seed potatoes—small tubers grown specifically for potato production. Plant them about 5 inches deep during early spring. “As the potatoes grow, mound soil or mulch around the stems to increase yields,” says Glen. “Harvest in early summer, after the leaves start to yellow and die.”
- Zone: 3 to 10
- Size: 1 to 4 inches wide x 2 to 3 feet tall
- Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil
Beets
Incorporate beets (Beta vulgaris) into your garden for multiple benefits. “Beets pull double duty with edible roots and greens, and their rich flavor makes them a favorite in roasted dishes and salads,” says Rubens…