S T .

A L B A N S C I T Y S C H O O L
F A R M T O S C H O O L 2 0 1 3
Plant Needs
the
Root Vegetable Garden
Created for you by Dynamic Design

Before you
start
Choose a weed free
raised bed garden site in
full sun.
Plant seeds according to
packet directions. Make
sure to water plants
every other day if there
is no natural rain.
You will need a trowel,
garden hoe, plant
markers with sharpie
marker, planting
recommendations that
come with the seeds and
a smile!

Garden Description
This garden features root vegetables. Root vegetables grow
below the soil and have greens above the soil. They ripen in
mid to late summer through fall depending on the variety. Plan
on planting in succession (planting about every two weeks) for
extending season harvest. Adding extra plants to your design
like radishes and nasturtiums to help keep insect pests away
because they give off an odor bad bugs do not like. This root
vegetable garden consists of potatoes, radishes, carrots,
parsnips, beets, and turnips.
PH Test
Root vegetables
grow best in a soil
of 6.5-7.0 pH.
Watering
Root vegetables
initially need every
other day watering
after planting.
They should be
watered twice a
week after
established.
Sunlight
Plant seeds in full
sunlight. There
should be at least 6
hours of sunlight
each day.


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SPRING 2013
Plant radishes and nasturtiums around
the edge of your garden so pest insects
will eat the radish leaves instead of your
vegetables. Mulch between plants with
straw to preserve water loss and control
weeds.

Did you know?...

Plant turnips away from radishes; they can slow the growth rate of each
other. Make sure when watering your plants, you water the roots/dirt
area. Getting the leaves wet can invite airborne viruses and diseases to
stick to the wet leaves and infect the plant.
History
The turnip was a vegetable of early agriculture. Turnips
were cultivated about 5,000 years ago. Turnips were
just as important to the Romans as potatoes were to
the Incas. The popularity of turnip spread to all of
Europe and it remained a household known food of the
European table until the potato succeeded it in the 18th
century. Turnips came to America with English
colonials. But they never quite reached the kind of
widespread popularity it once achieved in Europe.



Harvest Planning and Preservation

Harvest veggies mid to late summer according to
maturity date labeled on the seed packets. It is helpful
to mark the date planted as well as the maturity date
on the plant marker. Carrots store well in cool room
packed in sand or in refrigerator storage bin for two
months. Beets are good canners. They preserve well
cooked and in canning jars and as pickled beets.
Potatoes are ready when leaves start to loose their
dark green appearance. Check by lifting soil under the
plant and check potato size without breaking it off the
plant.
Pest Control and Plant Success

Garden Design Recommendation

Sow seeds in rows labeled with plant markers.
Writing down the date, vegetable planted, and
date to maturity will help the gardener/caretaker
know what is planted and when about to harvest.
If transplanting vegetable plants, be sure there is
no risk for hard frost. For a pop of color choose
varieties of plants that have colorful leaves, as all
of your colorful veggies are underground
growing!


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You will need:
2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes
cup canola oil
Salt, pepper and garlic salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Scrub potatoes with cold water and cut in
to wedges.
Place in bowl, add oil and spices.
Place on baking sheet in a single layer
Bake for 15 minutes, flip wedges with
spatula and turn oven to 300 degrees for
additional 20 minutes.
Serve immediately with favorite dip or eat
as is


Source: Heather Smith

Recipe
Potato Wedges



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Notes:


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SPRING 2013