Root vegetables are hearty, robust, and easy to grow just about anywhere. You don’t need a fancy garden, or even a garden at all to grow them, and they are perfect for the fall and winter because they can withstand the cold. They are also a staple of people’s diets all over the world and each root vegetable has a variety of health benefits. You may not know that you can even grow root vegetables in small containers indoors, so you can have access to a delicious food staple all year long.
Each vegetable poses its own challenges unique to its shape, size, how much water it requires, etc., yet each one is possible to grow indoors. One method is to grow them hydroponically, which means in water. This is easiest to do with carrots, and requires perlite and vermiculite, two minerals that help with the growing process. The carrots grow in a small water container so you can see the results right in front of you. This method takes about 2-3 months.
Another way to grow root vegetables indoors is in a container. This is fairly simple, but you will need a large container depending on what size of vegetable you decide to grow. For this method you will need potting soil and fertilizer. Most root vegetables, including potatoes, will also take about 2-3 months until they are ready for harvest.
Planting root vegetables indoors does not require lots of space, time, or gardening skills, and you get to eat food that you grew yourself during any time of year. This project is also perfect for the winter, so you can have fresh produce whenever you want.
Written by: Isabelle Leiberman, Class of 2021
Photo thanks to: Pixabay