Root vegetables are generally storage organs, rich in carbohydrates, such as starch or sugars, they therefore make important additions to any balanced diet. A few of these are not roots but have been grouped here as they are cultivated and used in a similar way. Generally they are not difficult to grow, provided you prepare the growing bed in advance ensuring a deep soil with stones removed. These are one crop where application of manures is detrimental and any any fertiliser should be used sparingly to avoid excessive top growth that comes to the detriment of root development. If seed are too thickly sown the seedlings will need thinning out to allow good development of the remaining roots.