[DuncanWaring]

A general question for the assembled multitude:

If you’ve got a bad growing season - cold, cloudy, rainy, etc, are root crops (carrots, potatoes, beets, etc.), which seem not to “ripen” like above-ground crops, generally edible/nutritious when half-grown?

[JDW11235]

Absolutely. In the case of all 3 plants you just named. Baby carrots, baby beets, and “new potatoes” are all eaten, and all popular. I’ve eaten all of the above. I wouldn’t eat a potato that’s neon green or anything, but I have never seen an inedible carrot. They start off as a tiny taproot and are orange and edible from the start (same with beets, just that they’re purple). All of the above are sold in stores.

[orsonwb]

Not sure about beets, but carrots and potatoes can be harvested and eaten while fairly small (ex. “new potatoes”). Just make sure they have not rotted from too much rain.

[Red_Devil 232]

I don’t know about the beets but the potatoes and carrots are very edible and nutritious when picked young - Red potatoes when picked young are usually called “new potatoes” and are coveted by cooks.

[Drill Thrawl]

You may want to add a good amount of sand\compost\vermiculite to you soil. It would give you better drainage to avoid rotting but still retain some mositure during any dry spell you may get.

I LOVE new potatos. Bake baby russetts (about 1 to 1.5 inches in size) sprinked with sea salt. Yummmmmeeeeeee!