Root Vegetables : A Grower’s Guide

Root crops reward careful planning with dependable, nutrient-dense harvests From carrots and beets to lesser-known crops like salsify and oca, root vegetables are foundational to productive gardens and market farms.Root Vegetables: A Grower's Guide provides clear, practical guidance for growing a wide range of root crops efficiently, using proven biointensive methods that support both yield and soil health. Based on The Market Gardener Method, this concise, highly illustrated handbook helps growers understand what root crops need—and how to meet those needs with thoughtful preparation, timing, and care. What this Book Offers Profiles of 20 diverse root crops, with clear guidance for eachPractical instruction on soil preparation, spacing, and timingStrategies for sowing, transplanting, irrigation, and fertility managementOrganic approaches to pest control, disease prevention, and crop rotationHarvest and storage techniques that preserve flavor, nutrition, and qualityRather than treating root vegetables as secondary crops, this guide shows how they can anchor a productive growing system when managed with intention and precision. Who this Book is For Home gardeners expanding beyond basic root cropsMarket gardeners aiming for reliable, storable yieldsGrowers refining crop rotations and soil managementReaders seeking practical alternatives to high-input methodsAnyone wanting dependable harvests from resilient cropsJean-Martin Fortier draws on decades of farming experience in challenging climates to share methods that balance productivity, efficiency, and long-term soil care. Root Vegetables is part of the Grower's Guides from the Market Gardener series—designed to support growers at every stage with practical, field-tested knowledge. If you want root crops that store well, taste better, and support a healthier growing system, this guide will help you get there.