How To Store Turmeric Root

The root of Curcuma longa is used for several applications. However, it is also used for its medicinal properties and as a dye. A member of the ginger family, turmeric is primarily used as a spice in South Asia--it's what gives curry its yellow color.

They serve the commercial farmer or rancher with products geared for large operations, but did you know that they also cater to the home gardener? My local feed 'n seed is a gardener's candy store for those affected with spring fever, so I thought I'd...

It is not used extensively in dyeing cloth, due to its color fading in sunlight, but the Spanish did use it for dyeing silk.We grated the roots and boiled it in water to release the color.the color was a light golden yellow.

A bountiful fall harvest, although a boon, may lead you to wonder about alternative root vegetable storage. Just follow the same procedure as above. Cover them with sand, leaving a bit of space between each so air can circulate.

Bulbs are the easiest group of plants for a novice gardener or beginning farmer to grow. Use the greens and bulbs for pizza, pesto, salads, or as an alternative to chives and spring onions.

More tubers will form everywhere the stem meets the soil. Cooking Oca In the kitchen, oca can be boiled or baked. Sift through the soil to reveal the tubers. Keep the plants well watered throughout the growing season, and give them plenty of room to roam—each...

Do not plant purple sweet potatoes until well after the danger of frost has passed. One that comes in a fun color, of course! Tags Dirt On Gardening They require about 100 to 120 days to mature, which is why sweet potatoes produce so well in the long,...

The radishes provide an early harvest, and they help with spacing out the carrot seeds more evenly. Instead, grab the radish where it meets the soil, and twist the root gently as if unscrewing it from the ground.

When growing carrots in pots, you can easily protect them from these critters by locating the containers close to your house or by fencing the pot with a small cylinder of chickenwire fencing.

Beets may be humble, but they sure are mighty. Beet roots grow best in loose, friable soil. Leave an inch or so of stem intact. Beets prefer a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8, so be sure to get a soil test every few years and adjust the pH as necessary.

Shallot sets are far larger than even the plumpest onion set. If they protrude above the soil line, just leave them be. No matter the planting time, sets are sunk 1 to 2 inches deep into the soil, with the pointy tip protruding from the soil surface.

The queen of the spring garden, radishes thrive in cold temperatures. Early-planted turnips are a great spring root crop, especially when harvested young. The young greens make great additions to salads, and mature greens are delicious sauteed or tossed...

If the temperature in the storage area is too cold, the tubers will develop a hard center, but if the temperature is too hot, the tubers may shrivel and sprout. Root-knot nematodes cause deformed roots and tubers.

I found there was a need to organize and then “micro” organize the seeds.I store my own seed in a plastic drawer unit from the discount store. This works great if you are cramped for space or have seed loving pets.

You can cut the rest of the fronds a couple inches above the bulb if you would like, but some growers prefer leaving the fronds on for market. No matter why you choose to grow fennel, it can be a valuable and delicious crop for you, your farmers market...

What's your favorite variety? I start harvesting them when the plants come into flower, sneaking a few new potatoes away from each plant for the occasional quick dinner while leaving the main crop intact.

This plant relishes having its roots ravished. Using a cloth barrier between it and your skin, spread the ground horseradish over the area of congestion to stimulate things like a sluggish digestive, circulatory, immune or reproductive system.

Soil requirements: Rich, fertile soil, high in nitrogen. Bolt resistant varieties are perfect for beginners. Sow all varieties in August for late-season harvest and overwintering. Spinach bolts (or flowers) quickly in warm weather.

Balance the Soil pH Like most other vegetable crops, carrots grow best when the soil pH is between 6.2 and 6.8. Use a soil test to determine the pH of your garden's soil, and then add the recommended amount of lime to raise it if the results show a pH...

Cool-Season Gardening Radishes are a cool-season crop, meaning they prefer to grow in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. I still don't like those radishes very much, but I can say without a second thought that homegrown radishes have become a...

This delicious vegetable is high in inulin, a starch effective in controlling blood sugar. They are, therefore, a wonderful potato substitute for diabetics. If you would like to keep digging through the winter months, cover the area with a thick mulch...

Light mulching —in the form of a thin layer of grass clippings—can help keep the ground moist. Sometimes it's a particular plant or plant family that proves difficult to grow and seemingly fights the gardener every step of the way.

Harvest greens 30 to 40 days after planting. Soil requirements: Average, well-drained soil high in organic matter. Where to plant: Garden; containers When to harvest: 55 days after seeding, when roots are 3 to 4 inches in diameter.

Plant squash immediately, as the cucurbit family hates to have their roots messed with—another reason people fail. Also, if it gets a worm at the top of the ear, just pull the worm off, but don't throw the corn away.

Planting Rutabagas For most areas, spring planting of rutabagas is not recommended because they tend to become woody in the summer heat. The rutabaga variety called Joan is arguably the most popular heirloom variety on the market, though Seed Savers Exchange...

Once the freeze comes, dig the remaining roots, clean them well, and store in a cool, dark, dry area.Parsnips are an exception to the rule, as they withstand freezing and even improve in flavor if left in the ground to dig in the spring.Always select...

The best way to continue growing these is to use that practice. Give it warmth and indirect light and change the water every couple of days. A lot of that has to do with the fact that these are fast-growing, short-lived plants.Mint varieties are the ones...