Intensive Gardening – Growing Carrots, Beets and Root Crops in Containers

Vegetables that require intense cultivation often need to be grown in containers, from flower pots to half whisky barrels. Make sure each of your containers features drain holes.

Cool nights slow growth, which means many vegetables take longer to mature in fall compared to summer. Check seed catalogs for harvest dates in order to plan and enjoy fresh, crisp vegetables throughout winter!

Planting Dates

Carrots thrive in containers and raised beds as long as they’re deep enough. Short varieties like Little Finger, Tonda di Parigi and Red Cored Chantenay do well in containers 12-16 inches deep; longer varieties require deeper containers but don’t reach as tall. Carrots can also be grown in window boxes, planters or fabric grow bags – I prefer open bottom types so their roots have room to move into the soil more freely.

Sam notes that transplanting carrots is more cost-effective and quicker to produce. He suggests choosing small transplants sold in six pack quantities over larger plants, as smaller transplants develop better roots more quickly than their larger counterparts.

As with other vegetables, carrots have the ability to run amok when grown in containers. A sudden temperature change may trigger early flowering or “bolting”, shortening harvest season while potentially leading to root rot fungus development.

To prevent this from occurring, carrots must be thinned as soon as they reach 4 to 6 inches tall, and again about one month later. Thinners include tools like the Scott Viner Harvester that runs a digging shoe underneath each carrot before lifting its top and dropping it onto a conveyor belt for sorting and transport.

Root vegetables in containers require constant temperature and humidity monitoring as temperatures can rapidly become extremely hot and dry, potentially becoming hazardous if temperatures go above 90F. A mulch such as shredded bark, hay or sawdust should help keep the soil cool while also keeping roots thriving.

Soil Requirements

Most root vegetables thrive best in loose, rich soil with excellent drainage. Drainage is especially essential in containers which dry out quickly during summer. A deep container should be at least 4 inches deeper than anticipated mature root length and use a soil moisture meter or simply insert your finger in the top inch to check moisture level; it should feel moist upon contact if it needs replenishing before draining out through its drain holes at the bottom.

Root crops thrive best in soil with a pH range between 6.0 and 7.0, with slightly acidic conditions being optimal. Organic matter such as manure, compost or peat moss enhance soil structure for all containers; manure compost or peat moss especially are recommended in containers where carrots or parsnips may experience issues in alkaline conditions while leeks, kohlrabi turnips or winter radishes thrive better when grown on neutral to slightly acidic environments.

Container vegetables require more frequent but less intense fertilization than garden plants due to their smaller root spaces. A water-soluble fertilizer with liquid fish emulsion, kelp meal or blood and bone meal should be added at planting time as well as every two-four weeks thereafter.

As soon as your carrots begin to sprout, tamp or roll the rows to ensure good soil contact and to assist them with standing upright. A light dose of nitrogen helps them form a robust root system. Once sprouts have reached 12-3 inches long they’re ready for transplanting into larger containers or being thinned out so their seedlings may be used as baby carrots.

Some leafy vegetables such as lettuce, arugula and spinach can tolerate full sun exposure while tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and squash require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Other leafy veggies, including kale and chard; beets and sweet potatoes can tolerate partial shade exposure; root crops like carrots rutabagas and turnips however are less tolerant but still suitable to grow alongside leafy varieties in a garden area.

Fertilization

Root crops require constant replenishment with nutrients throughout their growing season, particularly heavy feeders like carrots and beets. Fertilize them regularly using liquid or soluble vegetable fertilizer at half strength recommended on product labels until their plants begin growing; when that time arrives switch to dry granular fertilizers such as cottonseed meal (6-2-1), ammonium nitrate (5-0-0), or nitro-trichium nitrate (13-0-0).

Root vegetables thrive best when planted early spring once soil can be worked and have had time to warm. Sow them immediately upon soil being worked up, as soon as the weather allows; 60 to 65 days is their expected maturity timeframe. If frost risks exist in your area, begin indoors four to seven weeks ahead and transplant seedlings into containers or the garden as planned.

When planting root crops in rows, keep their spacing no closer than three inches apart to allow enough room for their roots to fully develop before harvesting them. For an improved harvest, intercrop your root veggies with leafy greens such as lettuce or Swiss chard; when one round is harvested, another such as New Zealand spinach or Swiss chard transplant can be planted as replacement.

Once root crops reach finger length, they can be harvested and either enjoyed fresh or stored for winter use. Their thick skin keeps in moisture and nutrients for extended storage life – for extended preservation pack them in damp sawdust or sand bed and store in cool place such as root cellar or refrigerator for best results.

Although most of the same methods used to store carrots will work on other root vegetables, larger ones such as turnips and winter radishes require storage in a cooler (such as a root cellar). Due to their susceptibility to rot in warm soil conditions, cover them with soil or mulch prior to placing in refrigerator storage; when their tops have wilted off cut off any leaves and store. This will reduce risk and extend shelf life.

Watering

Intensive garden techniques like wide row planting, raised beds and intercropping allow you to grow an abundance of crops in small spaces. Plus, with movable crop covers that protect vegetables from early or late frosts you can extend the growing season even further! Consistent watering is essential to successfully cultivating containers crops. Due to a reduced soil volume and lack of insulation, plants in containers tend to exhaust water resources more quickly than their counterparts in open ground environments. Carrots, radishes and other root vegetables require consistent moisture for healthy roots to develop properly. To maximize results when watering in the morning before sunrise when temperatures remain cool – this prevents leaves becoming wet at the height of heat during the heat of the day which could promote mildew growth.

Containers make it easier to manage the amount of water and fertilizer your crops require. Water-soluble fertilizers should be applied at one-quarter strength every other watering session beginning two to four weeks post planting; organic options like liquid fish emulsion, kelp or blood and bone meal are great choices for intensive carrot beet and root crops; slow release fertilizers help avoid overdoing it and the risk of burning your crops by applying too much at one time.

When selecting the ideal container for carrot beets, take into account their variety and its size. Some cultivars, like Tongi di Parigi and Little Finger can reach 12 inches long; therefore, these will require either a large pot with adequate drainage, or perhaps you could try fitting them in smaller containers that have ample depth without overcrowding their root systems. A 15-gallon fabric grow bag would work wonderfully.

For other vegetable crops, container sizes depend on their space requirements. Tomatoes require larger containers than peppers or eggplants and cucumbers require taller ones than beans; you have many choices of containers from 5-gallon buckets to plastic 18- and 27-gallon totes equipped with drainage holes; it’s key that their spacing matches up so as to minimize competition for nutrients and water, thus preventing disease while encouraging healthier crops.