What Is Valerian Root Used For

Oca ( Oxalis tuberosa ) is a perennial plant that's closely related to the other species of Oxalis that are grown as common garden ornamentals. Just let them sit on the counter in a cool room, and they'll last several months before sprouting.

Brush off excess soil with your fingers, but do not wash or rinse the harvested tubers. 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...

Oops! I guess I never got that gardening memo. Sometimes breaking the rules turns out OK. I had read that early-sprouting radishes can be a great way to help mark the rows where slow-germinating carrots are planted.

If the roots hit even a tiny pebble, they'll fork or grow into a twisted, gnarled form. Step 3: Sow The Seeds Just as you do in the garden, sow carrot seeds about 1/4 to 1/2 inch apart.

Keep the soil moist until the seedlings germinate. Store harvested, unwashed roots in a plastic bag in the fridge, after cutting off their tops. Start planting beet seeds directly into the garden about four weeks before your last expected spring frost...

If you'd rather pick your shallots a few at a time, rather than harvesting them all at once, just dig up the edge of the plant and tug off a large bulb from the side whenever you need it.

In fact, if the soil is too warm or the air temperatures is too high, you'll get puny roots and the plant will prematurely bolt (aka, go to flower). I love the flavor and texture of roasted beets.

Another popular variety of the moist-fleshed type is the Centennial, which was also developed in Louisiana. Sweet potatoes have no such effect. Beauregard is the predominant variety grown in Louisiana and will produce satisfactory yields over a wide range...

Mulch Established Plants When you're cultivating around fennel, be careful not to disturb the roots with your hoe or cultivator, as it may cause the plant to bolt. It's not known for being a pest magnet, and as Pam Dawling notes on GrowingForMarket.com...

We eat any that get cut or bruised during harvest within a few days. Use your home-grown potatoes in these recipes : Oven Lamb Stew with New Potatoes and Herbs Celeriac Mashed Potatoes Potato-Ham Spanish Tortilla Summer Potato Salad with Black Garlic...

I begin my love affair with this crop when its leaves begin in the spring. Horseradish can be used similarly to a mustard or ginger poultice to break up congestion. In short order, you'll have a large patch to share with friends and family.

Spinach can be grown under floating row cover to prevent leaf miner and aphid damage. Where to plant: Garden; containers When to harvest: 30 to 40 days after seeding, when leaves are 1 to 2 inches in length (baby spinach); 40 to 50 days after seeding...

Prepare a Cozy Bed Depending on the variety, carrots can plunge down 7 or 8 inches into the soil. The soil area from which phosphorous can be absorbed is limited to a very small space around the root itself.

I begin to sow radish seeds in my USDA zone 6 garden in mid- to late March. I also plant a fall crop in late summer. As with most vegetables, the only way to get a true taste is to grow your own.

Honestly, in the sale bin they look to me like ginger without all the armor. It's in the sunflower family, so it has a beautiful yellow flower. In a couple months we'll trim off the tops to prepare for digging, though some people use a mower.

Sometimes it's a particular plant or plant family that proves difficult to grow and seemingly fights the gardener every step of the way. Tags Apiaceae family , carrots , celery , parsnips , soil pH

Soil requirements: Average, well-drained soil high in organic matter. Direct-seed when soil temperatures are between 60 and 70 degrees F. Produce storage: Store roots unwashed just above freezing at a high humidity (a root cellar is ideal) for several...

Potato beetles are the other big factor in potato production. As you can keep them in a warm place, safe from rodents, they will pop up quickly. Sow your corn, spread some mint leaves over the top to mask the smell, and then cover with a light sheet or...

According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, rutabagas prefer a soil pH of 6.4 to 6.8 for highest performance and flavor. If direct seeding, sow seeds at about an inch apart and thin to about 6 inches.

On pulling the tree from its pot, and unwrapping the fabric from the root ball. Plant vendors are sometimes quite creative in packaging the "business end" of plants, but this can come at the expense of happy roots.

Harvest On Time Consult your seed packet's “days to maturity” number when harvesting radishes; leaving them in the garden too long means they'll turn bitter and quickly go to flower or the bulbs might crack open.

Albino is pure white and round. The greens are edible, as well. This creamy white carrot is mild-flavored and tender. White Beauty Tomato Of all the white tomatoes I've grown, White Beauty (pictured above) remains my favorite beefsteak variety—Snow...

Tips for Harvesting Susy Morris/Flickr Once digging time arrives, the real fun begins. Northern growers plant their potatoes in the spring for late-summer/fall harvests. Preparing Your Potatoes for Storage Elizabeth Weller/Flickr Once your potatoes have...

Originally bred in Russia and northern Scandinavia, these roots weren't grown in North America until the early 1800s. Many have a purple tinge to the top of the root, with a pale yellow color inside.

It has not become very popular in the U.S. However, those who are familiar with it are singing its praises as a versatile vegetable.For starters, celeriac is very nutritious. It also contains essential minerals such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, copper,...

However, there are some varieties of artichokes—including Imperial Star, the one I'm growing—will grow in colder climates if afforded extra winter protection. I ended up with a bad case of the blight , and that, combined with the stink bugs , was...

This surprisingly tasty bulbous root can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked and used in soups and stews. Before they have a chance to brown, slice them into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, and drop the rounds into the boiling water.