Cool Season Roots Seed Collection

Cool Season Roots Seed Collection

The best time to start planting cool-season crops is counter-intuitive – in the heat of summer, continuing to plant cool-loving crops as space opens up from harvests of earlier crops. Root crops including beets, carrots, turnips, and radishes should be direct-seeded when summer is in full swing to give you a fall crop.

As you harvest, don’t let those gaps sit empty; the sunlight and warm soil is an irresistible invitation for weeds to fill in! Choose what you want in those spaces by sowing a few cool-season root vegetable seeds into each space as it opens up.

Some cool-loving root vegetables are fast to mature, while others take a bit longer – making this hand-picked collection perfect for supplying delicious bursts of flavor throughout the season and well into fall or even winter in some climates. 

Details

Beets are among the healthiest foods on the planet – even praised as a superfood. Their rich,  earthy, and sweet flavors are showcased when roasted or steamed but are simple and delicious when served raw and shredded. Golden beets are typically slightly sweeter and lighter, with a less earthy flavor than red ones. 

Radishes add pep to any meal – for something different try our Japanese Minowase or white daikon radish. Sliced and eaten raw or served on salads, or lightly pickled, they add a lively note to dishes. 

Crisp, crunchy, and sweet, carrots are popular because they are so adaptable for eating – from raw, sliced, or shredded, to roasted, steamed or stewed. They match well with just about any dish – both cooked and raw – and can be paired with virtually any spice, herb or cuisine.

Turnips are highly versatile, yet very subtle in flavor, making them excellent for pairing with strongly flavored vegetables. They form a solid base of flavor when roasted, sautéed, or stir-fried. Mash cooked turnips with or without potatoes, herbs, and butter; or use them to add a dimension of flavor to tomato-based chunky, creamy, or pureed soups.

Juicy, crisp, and slightly sweet flavors await you underneath the thick skin and stems of kohlrabi. Cooked, it can be mashed – either alone, or paired with turnips or potatoes – or sliced thinly and used like cabbage to add structure and crunch to salads or coleslaw. 

Unlike most leafy vegetables, cool-season roots store well. When fully mature, root vegetables keep from spoiling during storage, making it easy to keep a stash on hand – especially convenient during the short days and cold of winter.  

Included in this collection is the following six seed packets:

• Bull's Blood Beet (Approx 150 seeds per pack)
• Japanese Minowase Radish (Daikon) (Approx 300 seeds per pack)
• Bambina Carrot (Approx 500 seeds per pack)
• Nantes Scarlet Carrot (Approx 500 seeds per pack)
• Seven Top Turnip (Approx 200 seeds per pack)
• Early White Vienna Kohlrabi (Approx 100 seeds per pack)

Learn More

• How to Plan for Fall and Winter Gardening
• Second Chance Gardening

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