Under Your Feet

14

SHOOTS

AND ROOTS

You only need to look at a chunky

carrot and the thin tendrils sprouting from

leeks to know that roots come in different

shapes and sizes. Noodle-like fibrous

roots and thick taproots spread out in

the soil beneath vegetable patches.

LEEK

ONION

BEETROOT

Bulbs

A bulb is a stem, which

holds up the parts of the

plant above. It stores

water and transports it

from the roots beneath

to the leaves above.

The white part

of a leek is

formed from

the bases of

its leaves.

Leeks are able

to last through

snowy weather.

The bulb

grows in

spherical

layers.

Fibrous roots

grow out of

the bulb in a

tangled bunch.

Th

e

r

o

u

n

d

p

a

r

t

o

f a

be

e

t

ro

o

t

i

s

i

t

s

s

t

em.

Fibrous roots

These roots

grow downwards and

outwards from the main

stem of the plant.

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