Root Crops Root crops are popular with both commercial growers and home gardeners because they're versatile, delicious, and in many cases, perfect for canning or over-winter storage. Beets, Radishes, Turnips, and Carrots contain numerous vitamins and nutrients, offer a wide range of flavors and textures, can be enjoyed raw or cooked, and are wonderfully easy to grow! When choosing which Beets or Radishes to grow there are several factors you will want to take into consideration. First of all, both come in a variety of interesting shapes and beautiful colors, so pick whatever appeals to your eye! Also, Radishes offer varying degrees of heat and Beets have flavors that range from earthy to sweet. Smaller Beets are usually the best for canning and pickling, and many people enjoy the nutritious Beet greens as well as the root itself. As far as choosing a type of Carrot to plant, you will be deciding mostly by color and shape. Beets Soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours before sowing. Early spring is the typical time to sow your Beets, but in zones 9 to 10 you can sow outdoors in the fall. Sow at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds, planting successively at 3-week intervals for crops throughout the season. Site in full sun in a loose, rich, well-drained soil. Expect germination in 10 to 15 days and harvests within 50 to 60. Radishes Early spring is the typical time to sow your Radishes, but in zones 8 and warmer you can sow outdoors in the fall. Sow at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds, planting successively at 2-week intervals until mid-spring and then again in late summer. Site in full sun in a loose, rich, sandy, moist, well-drained soil. Expect germination in 6 to 10 days. Carrots Early spring is the typical time to sow your Carrots, but in warm climates you can sow outdoors in the fall for a fall crop. Sow at a ¼-inch depth, planting successively at 3-week intervals until early summer. Site in full sun in rich, loose, deeply worked and well-drained soil. Germinates in 14 to 21 days. Turnips Sow in early spring after all danger of frost is past but while the ground is still cool. You can make successive sowings up to 5 weeks before temperatures are above 80 degrees F, then again in late summer if you want a fall harvest. In zones 8 and warmer you can also sow from early fall through spring for continuous crops over the winter. Sow at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds. Site in full sun in fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Expect germination in 8 to 10 days. Special Considerations Apply mulch or soil around the tops of the roots to eliminate green shoulders.Thinning out seedlings is particularly important when dealing with Beets, as each Beet“seed ”is actually a fruit that harbors several seeds. Remove the smaller, weaker seedlings and allow the stronger ones to grow. The ones that have been removed can then be used as greens.Crowding and insufficient water can cause Radishes to bolt or fail to form a bulb.Carrots -- Young seedlings are weak and slow growing, so if a heavy rain occurs after your seeds have been sown and the surface of the soil becomes packed, you may not have any seedlings emerge.Keeping weeds under control is especially important during the first few weeks after planting. Be careful to only do shallow cultivation, however, as digging too deeply can injure tender roots. Growing Tips: Beets Fertilize prior to planting your Beets and again when the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall. Keep the plants well watered.You can harvest your Beets at any time during their growth cycle, but they are typically most tender after 40 to 50 days, when they're between 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. The greens are best if picked when they're about 4 to 6 inches tall.Leave at least an inch of foliage on the Beet root when you harvest. This will prevent bleeding during cooking.Beet roots and greens will keep in your garden for 2 to 3 weeks after they have matured, and once harvested, the roots will keep for up to a month (store near freezing, with high humidity to prevent wilting). Growing Tips: Radishes and Turnips Radishes: Use a liquid fertilizer prior to planting your Radishes and then again every 2 weeks. Keep the plants well watered.Radish leaves can also be harvested. They're best when young, about ½ to 1½ inches across. You can cook them or add them fresh to a mixed salad.Turnips: Fertilize prior to sowing your Turnips and again when the plants are about 4 inches tall.Turnip greens are also quite popular and are best harvested when young and tender. The roots themselves should be harvested when they're about 2 inches across. Growing Tips: Carrots Carrots are typically sown using two different methods. The first is to plant in single-file rows. The other way is to scatter the seeds in areas up to 12 inches wide. Both methods work quite well, but the second one provides higher yields.Since Carrots are slow to germinate (keep soil moist throughout germination), you can mix faster-germinating veggies such as Radishes or Lettuce with the Carrot seeds. This not only marks the area for watering and weeding but these other seeds can help break up any crusting on the soil surface, making growth easier for your Carrots. Apply a 1- to 3-inch layer of dried grass clippings, well-rotted compost, or other organic mulch around the base of your Carrots once they've emerged and are growing well. This will conserve moisture, regulate soil temperatures, reduce weeds, and help prevent the tops of the roots from turning green or purple. These discolored areas will have a slightly bitter taste. Rainbow Blend Carrot Seeds Park Seed Rainbow Mix Beet Seeds Park Seed Cherriette Hybrid Radish Seeds Pkt is 400 Seeds. Park Seed Kozy Coats Insulating Plant Protector, Set of 3 Park Seed Park's One-Step Jiffy Seed Starter, Pack of 36 Disks Park Seed 3 inch Square Seed Starter Jiffy Pots - Pack of 100 Add to Cart Add to Cart Add to Cart Add to Cart Add to Cart Buying Options Customer Reviews 3.9 out of 5 stars 267 4.1 out of 5 stars 109 4.4 out of 5 stars 277 4.4 out of 5 stars 297 4.1 out of 5 stars 151 3.9 out of 5 stars 34 Price $8.95$8.95 $9.95$9.95 $9.95$9.95 $19.77$19.77 $12.95$12.95 — no data Description A delightful blend of five different colored carrots all suitable for growth as gourmet baby veggies or full-sized mature roots. It's a beet lover's dream come true! Five superb globe varieties, all as distinctive in flavor as they are in color. A classic for quick, delicious, handsome crops! Cherriette is ready to eat just a little over 3 weeks from planting. Set your tomatoes, peppers, and flowering plants out weeks earlier, each protected by its own Kozy Coat! These compressed peat disks are one of the best ways to start from seed and transplant safely into the garden with no root disturbance. Jiffy Pots are great for annuals, perennials, and vegetables, and are especially effective for hard-to-transplant species. Details Includes Bambino, Atomic Red, Cosmic Purple, Solar Yellow, and Lunar White Includes Subeto Hybrid, Boldor, Chioggia, Albina Vereduna, and Bull's Blood Scarletta The 2-inch fruits are slightly oval, with vibrant scarlet skin and pure white flesh. These UV-resistant plastic jackets fit around the plant, and when you fill their 18 hollow tubes with water, they are warmed by the sun, The entire peat disk is planted, and the roots grow naturally through the bottom and into the soil! One-Steps also prevent root strangulation. Jiffy Pots are constructed entirely of lightweight, sturdy Canadian sphagnum, so as the roots develop, they eventually grow right through the Jiffy Pot wall. Size Pack of 200 Seeds Pack of 200 Seeds Pack of 400 Seeds Set of 3 in Red and Green Pack of 25 or 36 disks. Also sold in 12 disk and tray combo. Pack of 22 or 100 in Square and Round