Need help with root vegetables

Most of our garden does well, but for some reason we haven't had any luck with our root vegetables. Our potatoes do ok, but no where near the yeild we should be getting. Carrots come out short and fat. We've never been able to get onions or garlic to form bulbs. Could any of you tell me what we're doing wrong? What methods do you use to grow these veggies?

We have the same problems with our root crops. We can't get beets nor turnips to grow large enough for eating. I was thinking it was just us but there must be something missing from the soil.

I'm wondering if it may be because of the clay in the soil. We're going to try more compost in the area we'll be planting our root vegetables this year.

Hi,
I would say the soil is not loose enough. The clay content is great for water retention, and sand content is good to prevent compaction, but there is more than that going on. If you have a broadfork, use it. The carrots are not able to push deeply into the soil sounds like they are hitting "hardpan". If you do not have a broadfork, you can "double dig" the area. (note tillers just cannot go deeply enough to help with this problem) To double dig start by digging a trench one spit (one shovel (spade) depth and width) Then re-dig that trench another spit deep. add a thin layer of compost and move over just enough to take the next shovel width and turn that top spit into the bottom of the first trench. Then dig the second spit depth in the second trench and put this lower soil on top of the first trench. Do this all the way through the bed you want your root crops to grow in, then mulch with leaves or straw.

Thanks for the info 12acrehome. We don't have a broadfork, but we should be able to do this with our shovel or pitchfork. Hopefully we'll actually have enough root vegetables to get through from harvest to harvest.

I quit trying to grow root crops in the garden because I still have too much clay, I grow them in containers or grow bags I make from landscape fabric. I have been amending my garden soil for over 9 yrs already and it still has a lot of clay in it. Don't get me wrong, it's much better than when I started, but it still has a way to go.

What are you amending with? How are you incorporating the ammendments into the soil?

I'm amending with chicken manure, straw, leaves, peat moss and cooked compost mainly, early on I add some wood chips to help keep it from compacting too much. Basically anything organic I can get my hands on. This ground was in very poor shape when I started working it. The first couple of years the roto-tiller tines just bounced of the earth when I tried to till it. In the first season or two I added some sand and that was a HUGE mistake, it turned everything almost to concrete, that's when I added the wood chips from a neighbor's freshly cut down tree. I basically am tilling everything in, I spread it on in the Spring and till it in then let it sit a week or so and plant. I don't put raw chicken manure on until the Fall then I just spread it and let it sit over winter.

Well that sounds like what I am trying to do here (and sounds like my first tilling efforts) If that is just not working maybe a raised bed with compost, peat moss and topsoil layered in so that the peat moss is the top layer / seed starter / mulch.

You cannot get the clay to "go away", it is the second finest soil particle (silt being the finest and sand being more coarse). To "dilute" (if you will) the sticky and hardening effects of clay all of my references say add humus. Lawn clippings, shredded leaves, etc. are all recommended, in large quantities. So if all of that is not working and you want to grow carrots, try a different method

Thanks 12acrehome. The garden soil is improving every season, it's just taking a lot of time to get it back to good rich soil.

you are welcome. Good luck with your garden, sounds like it's just going to take longer than the books and internet sites make it sound.