Q: Pulling Roots...how do I know when to pull?

A:Pulling up Roots
Okay gardeners, the time has come to check your roots! Many of you put in early crops of Rover Radishes, so you have already had the thrill of root pulling. It is one of our favorite garden activities!

Carrots: carrots are ready 60-75 days after seeds have been planted. You can tell they are ready when the leaves are 1/2-3/4 inch across. To harvest loosen the soil around the root, grip the base of the foliage and pull. Once you have harvested, remove the foliage, rinse and dry. Leaving the foliage on will cause the plant to send the nutrients into the leaves instead of storing them in the root. Store carrots in the crisper drawer of your fridge ( do not store near apples or pears- they produce a gas that will make the carrots bitter) or slice, blanch and freeze them for future use.

Beets: Beets are ready between 50-70 days. Beets are cold weather tolerant so they can be replanted for a late fall crop! When harvesting beets do not let greens grow over 6 inches tall. Beets will start to poke out of the soil. Larger beets will taste more earthy and less sweet. To harvest: loosen soil around the root and pull from the base of the foliage. Remove the greens from the root. Rinse and store in the fridge for up to a 2 weeks or preserve. Did you know beet greens make a delicious edition to salads, and stir fries?

Onions: When onions are ready for harvest the foliage will turn brown and begin to fall over,and the bulb will be visible at the top of the soil. Loosen the soil around the bulb and allow to dry in the soil for 5-7 days. When the leaves are completely brown, the onion is ready to pull. To harvest, pull the onion, remove the stalk, dust off the dirt and lay on flat tray to dry (just like the garlic). Once they are dried you can store in a cool dry place. Do not store onions with apples or pears they will encourage the onion to come out of dormancy and begin growing again. * If your onion sends up a flower stalk, remove from the ground and use the bulb fresh ( it will not store)

Radishes: Watermelon Radishes take 40-50 days to mature. The longer they stay in ground the milder the flavor will become. Harvest radishes when the top of the bulb is 3 inches in diameter or less for a spicier radish. Loosen soil around the radish and pull from the base of the foliage. Remove the greens, rinse, dry and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.