The root crop is an element of a plant. It contains a supply of nutrients. It is often associated with the root system. But it is not so. Better to say that this is a modified root.
Root Modification
The root crop is a vegetable with a modified root. This is due to the emergence of an additional function. The root begins to accumulate reserve nutrients: starch, sugar and other components. That is why they grow in size, become thicker and fatter. Most root crops are biennial plants. The first year they develop roots and stem. Seeds ripen in the second year. Root crops are usually rich in different groups of vitamins.
Species classification
There are different types of root crops. These include carrots, radishes, beets, swede, parsnips, celery, parsley and turnips. Some of them include a huge amount of essential oils. This is the reason for their use as spicy vegetables in the preservation and manufacture of various dishes. The root crop is a type of vegetables that are divided into 3 types: beets, carrots and radishes. Consider them. A type of carrot combines parsley, parsnip, carrots and celery. Their distinguishing feature is the deposition of nutrients in the bast part of the plant. Therefore, their value depends on the reduction of the wood part, that is, the core. 3 types are classified as beets : sugar beets, canteen and fodder. The nutritional value of these vegetables also increases with a decrease in the central part. But root crops such as radishes, which include turnips, radishes, rutabaga and radish, have a large proportion of useful substances in the core. Sowing root vegetables can be carried out in early spring in moist, well-loosened soil.
Carrot
One of the most ancient plants is root vegetable carrots. It was used as food by the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the Middle Ages, carrots were considered delicious vegetables, and only in the 17th century they began to be grown everywhere in Europe. In our country, this root crop has been grown since ancient times. It is consumed not only in its raw form, but it is also fermented, pickled, and juice is obtained. From carrots produce dietary food. It holds a huge amount of sugar and minerals. This vegetable is rich in iron, potassium, phosphorus, trace elements. Root crop carrots are predominantly valued for carotene content. Depending on the size, the vegetable is divided into types. Long carrots (more than 20 cm), short (up to 5 cm) and half-long (from 7 to 20 cm).
The root crop in question should be sown in early spring. The gatherings take a long time due to the significant amount of essential oil. So that the seeds germinate faster, before sowing, they must be soaked in clean water or with the addition of aloe juice, soda or ash. After that, they must be washed and kept for several days in the refrigerator. Since the seeds are very small, they are mixed with sand to make planting easier. The optimum sowing depth is 2 cm. The width between the ridges should be at least 20 cm. After sowing, the plot can be covered with a film to save heat and accelerate germination.
To scare away pests from carrots, you can sow calendula or onion between it. With their specific smell, they protect the root crop from parasites. Leaf carob often attacks carrots. To combat it, plants need to be sprayed with tobacco infusion. It will not do any harm to the entrances and scare away the pest.
Parsley
Many plants enrich our diet. Parsley root is difficult to even imagine. Everyone is used to eating leaves for food. However, the underground part of the plant is also rich in beneficial substances. It all depends on your preference. Due to the large amount of essential oils, parsley has an original smell.
Beet
This vegetable has been used in food since time immemorial. Beet root crops are grown in all areas of our country. Due to the long-term storage, the vegetable in question is used in the preparation of dishes for a whole year. The value of beets is also in a high concentration of sugar. It also contains malic and oxalic acid. It is worth noting that the beet root combines manganese, iron, potassium and calcium, and its tops are rich in carotene, vitamins B and C. Therefore, the vegetable is considered very useful.
Sowing beets is usually carried out at the end of April, when the minimum soil temperature is 6 ° C. If you place the seeds in cold ground, then the plant can simply bloom and not form a root crop. The most delicious are fruits with a diameter of up to 8 cm. They are not very fibrous and boil well. To store beets, you can use wooden boxes. The fruits are laid in them, pouring them with sand.
Potatoes
It is unlikely that anyone in our country can imagine their diet without a vegetable called potatoes. The root crop grows well in different regions. It is considered a photophilous plant. The main points in its cultivation are considered fertilizing fertilizers, weed control and hilling. For planting potatoes, the best are small tubers (with a chicken egg). To get a faster crop, they are germinated before planting. For this, potatoes are scattered in a single layer under a canopy with a temperature of about 13-15 ° C. So the sprouts will be thick and strong, and therefore will not break off when planting. Potato loosens the soil very well. Therefore, it is used to cultivate new sites. For a better harvest, the earth is fertilized with both organic and mineral mixtures. With the germination of potatoes, attention must be paid to weed control so that they do not interfere with the development of the stem and root crop. But after closing the plants, weeding must be stopped. This is done to avoid damage to the fetus. The optimal period for harvesting vegetables is considered to be the beginning and middle of August. First they let him dry in the sun. But do not leave it for a long time, as this leads to potato greening. After that, it not only changes color, but also taste, and also becomes toxic to humans. Although for seed, such a change is considered useful. Fine potatoes can be grown from these tubers. The root crop is damaged by cold even at -2 ° C. Therefore, it must be stored at a temperature of 2-5 ° C and sorted several times during the winter to remove damaged fruits and break off the sprouts.
Problems with preserving root crops
White, gray, black, bacterial and core rot, as well as bacteriosis, are considered rather dangerous for preserving root crops. The optimal conditions for saving are considered to be a temperature of +1 ° C and an air humidity of 95%. Longest root vegetables lie in sandy trenches with a depth of half a meter and a width of up to 100 cm. An important step is cleaning the crop from the ground and thoroughly inspecting it. For storage, those instances are selected on which there is no damage. If root vegetables were extracted from moist soil, then they need to be well dried before being placed in the cellar.
Preserving vegetables
Storage of root crops depends on their type. For example, beets are well adapted to long-term savings. The tops are cut off immediately after being removed from the ground. Beets are placed in stacks or bins sprinkled with sand. Small yields are stored in special containers or crates. For long-term savings of carrots, sand is also used. Consider the principle. First, they make mounds of sand 3 cm thick. They add carrots to them. Then 3 cm of sand are again poured on top, a number of vegetables are placed. Root crops should not be folded tightly so as not to impede the flow of air. To ensure long-term preservation of vegetables, it is necessary to carefully clean the remains of the previous crop. Then we disinfect the walls well and bleach them with lime to destroy possible fungi.
Useful features
The usefulness of root crops also lies in the fact that with their help it is possible to treat ailments and strengthen the human body. It is scientifically proven that when consuming carrots, the likelihood of suffering from cancer is reduced. A beet, in turn, lowers the pressure. This is how the root can help! Beet root vegetable due to the content of folic acid and silicon has a rejuvenating effect on the body. This vegetable tones the intestines and helps to activate the brain. Carrots, due to the content of beta-carotene, are indispensable for skin care and maintaining the functioning of the organs of vision. In addition, its use enhances immunity. Parsnip is recommended to be included in the diet as a dietary vegetable (to replace potatoes). To free the body from toxins, it is necessary to eat radish. The best way to cleanse your intestines of toxins and remove cholesterol is to add horseradish seasoning to your food. It is also effective in the fight against cancer cells. Celery is recommended for people who are struggling with excess weight. It not only cleanses the body of toxins, but also breaks down fats and accelerates metabolism. That is why the root crop is not only an opportunity to diversify your diet, but also a chance to improve your health.
Neutralization of vegetables
The main danger of purchased vegetables is nitrates. We cannot be completely sure of the quality of the root crops we bought, so you should know some methods of neutralizing them. For example, in potatoes, more nitrates accumulate in the peel. Therefore, you need to thoroughly clean each tuber before cooking. Beets accumulate nitrates at the tip and top. Before preparing it, the upper and lower parts need to be trimmed well, not sparing. It is better to buy a radish of normal size and round shape. Oblong and large root crops usually contain more nitrates. If you are not sure that the vegetables are not oversaturated with harmful substances, then before adding to the dish you need to cook. Then most nitrates will go into broth.