How To Brew Root Beer

Purple varieties aren't as sweet as other colors, but they sure are beautiful and tasty. There's not much to do in terms of maintenance other than to keep the deer out of the potato patch (sweet potato vines are one of their favorites) and make sure the...

As I thought about it, I realized that we had a very cool spring here in Kentucky, which may have prevented the daikon from bolting and going to seed too quickly. You may also want to wait to harvest until the soil is damp, which helps to release the...

If you choose a tall enough container, the plants will be out of the reach of rabbits and groundhogs, though the latter can climb. When growing carrots in pots, you can easily protect them from these critters by locating the containers close to your house...

Beets are cold-hardy, as well as heat-tolerant, making them the perfect crop for both new and long-time gardeners alike. With this in place, adult leafminers can't access the plants to lay their eggs on the leaves.

Do not wash the bulbs before curing them. Because they cost a lot at the grocery store, you might think shallots are difficult to grow, but that's not really the case. The shallots can then be stored in mesh onion bags in a cool, dry, dark place.

This will keep your family in radishes, without overwhelming you with too many. I harvest some roots in the baby stage while I allow the rest to reach maturity. Homegrown beets taste nothing like their processed counterparts.

Real yams are native to Africa, while sweet potatoes are native to the United States. Sweet potatoes are surely one of the most misunderstood vegetables. (Actually, the vegetable's most ancient ancestors came from South America.) People say the confusion...

Fennel seed can be found in both the vegetable and herb sections of many seed catalogs . With a sharp knife or pruners, cut the bulb free of the tap root and clean up any withered or brown fronds.

I sink the fork at least 12 inches into the soil because some of the tubers can be quite deep, especially if the soil is soft. I wasn't going to plant potatoes in the garden this year, but when I went to the nursery in May and saw the baskets of seed...

Cook up fresh horseradish in these recipes: Baked Beets with Maple Syrup and Horseradish Beet-Infused Sour Cream Spring Dip with Cucumbers, Chives and Radishes Boston Baked Beans « More of the Prescription Gardener » Tags herbs , horseradish , prescription...

Soil pH should be 6.5 to 7.5. When to plant: Direct-seed in very early spring (ideal soil temperatures for germination are between 55 and 65 degrees). Spinach bolts (or flowers) quickly in warm weather.

On the other hand, if the soil gets too wet in the later stages of root development, carrots will split open and might show signs of rot. Thankfully, they are easily—and organically—prevented and treated by applying beneficial nematodes to the soil...

Radishes tolerate frosts quite well, so you can sow your seeds about four to six weeks before your last expected frost. To deter them, I cover my newly planted radish seeds with floating row covers.

If you would like to cook them, use them like potatoes. We bought tubers one year and couldn't figure out where their final home would be. Our American diet and lifestyle chokes off the good bacteria that are intended to live in our digestive system.

Heirloom carrots do best in deep, loose, well-drained soil, says John “Farmer John” Fendley, founder of the Sustainable Seed Company. While carrots, parsnips and celery benefit from soil with a similar pH (roughly 6.0 to 7.0), celery grows best in...

Optimum phosphorus levels promote growth of all root crops. Harvest greens 30 to 40 days after planting. When to plant: Best planted in late summer for fall harvests, but can be grown season-long.

And as vigorous as they are, they will do at least some of the weed control for you. Then, once the ears start to form, put a fence around them or a dog to protect them from raccoons and other critters.

Rutabagas should be planted 90 to 110 days before the intended harvest. Storing Rutabagas Store rutabagas at 32 degrees F and high humidity for up to six months. Rootnot, white spot and club root are common diseases that may occur.

Next I found all the sturdy roots fanning out from the trunk had been chopped off at five inches. It was potted in an undraining bamboo composite container. "Gift" or impulse plants, like seasonal items, orchids, and money plants, may be potted for show...

Over-application of nitrogen fertilizers encourages top growth and sacrifices large, well-formed roots. Wireworms and root maggots can also be problematic for radish growers as they tunnel through the roots.

Plant pigments, such as caretenoids, chlorophyl, and anthocyanins, are involved in the function of a plant's metabolism. Their flavor is mild but may get slightly bitter during hot weather.

Although solanine is found in many different members of the tomato family, green potatoes have enough to make you sick, so avoid eating any potatoes with green patches. These two pests can affect yields by reducing the amount of photosynthesis taking...

Tags The Dirt on Gardening How To Grow Rutabagas Thankfully, rutabagas are very easy to grow, but again, they do require a fairly long season of 90 to 100 days to produce an ample root.

On a recent visit I happened to notice a very unattractive-looking vegetable. The potatoes tend to get gummy if blended too long.• 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped and lightly toasted• Celery leaves from two bunches of celery (about 1 cup)1.

However, it was not an exceptional year for tomatoes . I ended up with a bad case of the blight , and that, combined with the stink bugs , was a recipe for ‘mater failure. I plan to enclose the straw in a ring of chicken wire fencing to keep it in place.

You'll also want to remove the small side shoots that develop on the bulb throughout the season. Throughout the growing season, celeriac requires ample moisture, so mulching it with an inch or two of straw is a good practice.

With frost's first kiss, turnips go from being bland ol' root vegetables to the belle of the ball. But all that marvelous flavor is easily spoiled by a clueless chef. Instead, store them right in the garden.