Have the tastiest Christmas ever, by growing and harvesting a variety of your own root vegetables.
These helpful harvesting tips will allow you to make the most out of every vegetable you harvest, just in time for Christmas Dinner.
Roast potatoes
Did you know shop bought potatoes are harvested anywhere from 2-12 months prior to you buying them off the shelves?
Growing and harvesting your own potatoes and vegetables for Christmas will result in not only a fresher vegetable, but they will be much higher in Vitamin C, B6 and Potassium.
Potato harvesting can be broken down into three stages.
- First early potatoes, should be ready to harvest in June and July, when the flowers open and the tubes are egg size
- Second earlier, ready in July/August, same as above.
- Maincrops, which are ready from late August through to October. Wait until the foliage turns yellow. Remove this and wait approximately 10 days before harvesting the tubers. Make sure they are fully dry before storing away.
You should already have your veg stored in paper or hessian sacks to last until Christmas Day.
When it’s ready to move them to counter top, why not try our vintage style vegetable storage tins.
But remember keep checking your vegetables for any that might have gone rotten and remove them for a healthier Christmas crop.
Parsnips
These favourite Christmas vegetables are delicious when oven roasted in honey.
These roots are ready to lift when the foliage of the vegetable starts to die down in late summer or autumn. They can be left in the ground and harvested as needed up till February.
The perfect vegetable for harvesting right before Christmas Day to ensure maximum nutrient retention.
Cold conditions increase sweetness so store your Christmas parsnips in a garage or shed in breathable nets to minimise damp and rot. These vegetables can even be stored in the ground in the lead up to Christmas, just remember to protect them from frosts in fleece.
Our organic parsnip seeds are great to have when sowing season starts again in February.
Carrots
Depending on variety, carrots can be harvested anytime from May to February. Why not harvest your carrots on Christmas Eve for a fresher more nutrient dense Christmas dinner.
This vegetable will be ready for harvesting 12-14 weeks after sowing, therefore repeated sowings are ideal for consistent harvests.
The closer to Christmas Day the better as most vegetable produce loses 30% of its nutritional value within 3 days of being picked.
Just like parsnips, carrots can be stored in breathable nets to help damp and rot. And in the ground, frost- protected in fleece.
Brussel sprouts
The beautiful Brussel sprout is truly a Christmas Dinner favourite vegetable. These little green gems are full of Vitamin C and Antioxidants, but much of this is lost in between farm and fridge.
Growing and harvesting your own ensures these vegetables are still packed-full of nutrients. Use a handy harvesting apron for ease of collection of all your Christmas vegetables.
Harvest between November and February, so just like carrots harvest as close to the Christmas Day as possible.
This little vegetable’s flavour is improved after the sprouts have been frosted, and when they are the size of a walnut. Simply snap off, starting from the bottom.
Store them in the fridge as their preferred temperature is 0-4 degrees. Wrapping these tasty vegetables in a damp towel stops them drying out and keeps them fresh for Christmas Day.
Conclusion
Nothing is more satisfying than growing and harvesting your own vegetables, especially to serve friends and family on Christmas Day.
You can take pride in your vegetables this Christmas season knowing you’ve grown and stored them exactly as they need.
No one will complain about having to eat their vegetables this Christmas
Happy Christmas harvest.