The Last Carrot
It's getting cold out there. As night time temperatures dip into the 20Fs, it's time to harvest what you can from the garden. Although the soil is warmer than the air this time of year, soon it will get even too cold for root crops. It's time to act like Bugs Bunny and dig them up.
Carrots, parsnips, beets, and turnips are some of the most common root crops you may still have growing in your garden. When the temperatures dip into the low 20Fs, you have two choices. Either dig up all the remaining roots or protect them. To dig up your carrots and other roots, use an iron fork or shovel. Moisten the soil before digging if it's not already wet. Work around the bed to loosen the soil. Once the soil is loose, the roots will pull out easier. Avoid digging too close to the root crops or you may break them.
Once harvested, clean the roots well and store them in plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper. They will last up to a month in the refrigerator. If you have a root cellar or basement that stays just above freezing, you can store them in wooden boxes filled with slightly moist sawdust or peat moss. Some roots can last for months under proper storage conditions.
If you don't want to dig all the roots at once, mulch them heavily with hay or straw. Bury the bed in a 6- to 8-inch deep pile of mulch. This will prevent the soil from freezing, creating an "in-ground" root cellar where you can harvest roots throughout the winter by digging through the mulch.
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