When to pick root vegetables
 

rashishes, carrots, garlic, onions, etc. How do you know how big they
are without digging them up?

"FriscoSoxFan" wrote in message
ups.com...
rashishes, carrots, garlic, onions, etc. How do you know how big they
are without digging them up?

You can gently shift some of the soil from around the shoulder of them to
see how big it is. Then put it back if it's not to your liking. Alternately
you can pull the odd one, and if it's too small for you, leave it a while.
In the case of radishes, they usually could do with a bit of thinning
anyway, so pull the ones which need thinning, this will tell you how they're
doing and give the rest a bit more room. And remeber that small ones are
often the tastiest or tenderest, you don't really want massive ones unless
it's for showing.

In the case of onions and garlic, the foliage will dry up and turn brown
when it's had enough.

Steve

Also, the ones with the biggest roots USUALLY (not always) have the biggest
tops - tallest, most leaf mass, etc.


--
Denise McCann Bachman
Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada
Basketmaker, willow grower, singer, songwriter
www.rosehipjam.com
"FriscoSoxFan" wrote in message
ups.com...
rashishes, carrots, garlic, onions, etc. How do you know how big they
are without digging them up?

Onions shouldnt be buried, otherwise they wont bulb real well. Use them
whenever you want onion. Small for scallions and anywhere inbetween that and
when they fall over, which means you need to pull them and cure them. As for
beets turnips and radishes. They will generally show the size of thier root
by brushing away a little dirt. Combine this with a seed packet's "days to
harvest".
"FriscoSoxFan" wrote in message
ups.com...
rashishes, carrots, garlic, onions, etc. How do you know how big they
are without digging them up?