Harvest & storage
Lift root crops without snapping them
Check a sample root and the variety’s harvest guidance.
When to do it
When the crop has reached its intended size; test one before lifting the row.
What you need
- Fork or trowel
- Clean harvest container
How to do it
- Check a sample root and the variety’s harvest guidance. Days from sowing are only an estimate.
- If soil is very hard and dry, moisten it ahead of lifting where practical.
- Insert a fork well beside the root and ease the soil upward. Pull gently only once the root is loosened; avoid stabbing it.
- Separate damaged roots for prompt use if sound, and follow crop-specific storage and preparation. Do not use this general method as preparation advice for cassava or taro.
What success looks like
- Roots lift intact with little bruising.
Watch out for
- Pulling tops hard enough to leave the root in the ground.
Plant guides using this technique
Carrot
Roots grown where you sow them.
Beetroot
Tender roots, with edible leaves as a bonus.
Radish
A quick crop best picked while tender.
Parsnip
Parsnip with practical five-zone Australian timing.
Turnip
Turnip with practical five-zone Australian timing.
Daikon
Daikon with practical five-zone Australian planting guidance.
Rutabaga
Rutabaga with practical five-zone Australian planting guidance.
Celeriac
Celeriac with practical five-zone Australian timing.
Related help
Handle and store a fresh garden harvest
Use clean hands and containers; keep produce away from soil, animals and garden chemicals.
Sources and review
Checked 24 September 2026. Source-checked editorial guidance; not field-tested or independently reviewed by a horticulturist.