The Poultry Keeper

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

I am very much a beginner at growing anything for myself so please bear with me!...I have a couple of very basic questions about carrot growing and when you stop laughing at me not knowing the simple things please explain them for me!!

1, I have just realised that you get one carrot per a plant?...for example middle son has sown lots of carrot seeds in a seed tray and I am in the process of moving them to small pots and then they are going in large tubs outside. Was going to move about 10 of the best ones but now see I need to grow them all on? They don't have lots of fruit/veg on like say a tomato plant?

2, Do they need support or do I just let the tops flop and do their own thing?

3, How long after planting out can I expect carrots?...If I pull them too early then that one will be wasted?...Or do I wait a certain number of weeks and then the ones I pull maybe not the biggest they would get but would be fine eating like baby carrots?

Told you it was basic!

Thanks...

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

hiya Gina, normally you would sow the carrots straight into the ground in a narrow channel. Sow the seed very thinly ~ as you now know you get one carrot for one plant and just cover the seed with soil. I used to put a fine layer of sand instead of soil, so then I knew where the line was. You let them grow for a while till you can see them, and then gradually keep thining them out. It used to be that you would walk over the new plants when they were about 2" tall something to do with carrot fly, but I don't think you need to do that now. (maybe Nigel will know better how it works). If you have sown them thin enough you won't need to thin them too often and only need to do it as they are getting to maybe finger thickness, then you can use these things for a meal. Each time you thin them you can eat them, no need to throw them away.
Just saw, no they don't need staking ~ the carrot grows under ground all you have on top are the feathery leaves. I think it can be as little as 10 weeks, but not sure with yours as they have been transplanted so that will set them back. Maybe you could start again with some straight into the soil as well as the ones your son started

Lisa · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:04 pm Post subject:

I'm no expert either... but I think carrots grow what is called a tap root and they don't normally like being moved about.

If you've got them early enough, and disturbed them little, you might be okay. But don't do it again.

They will grow in some way, but I think the roots might be a bit small, or they might split or "fork"... they'll taste okay, but be a pain for cleaning and cooking Confused

Its a shame to go to all that effort and end up with something you don't want. I think it might be worth considering trying again - ie sow another lot direct into the tub, and just thin out what you don't want. This should be okay since carrots can be sown for quite a long time...

IIRC there was an article in Kitchen Garden Mag on carrots. Let me see if I can find it (sorry, not very organised here Embarassed

)....

Lis

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7177 Location: isle of lewis

not had a lot of luck with carrots ,goats keep eatting them ,daughter just reminded me before the goats they used to pull them and eat them ,but ,yes they don't need any support ,they don't transplant very well best thing to do is to sow in the tubs where you are going to grow them ,a friend who often wins the southsea show with his plants seeds in toilet rolls and then puts the whole thing in the soil ,you will know when they are big , you can scrap a bit of soil from around them and see ,baby carrots are lovely ,
suz

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

O.K...thankyou.

I have some more seeds - so - can they be planted in a tub now and that tub be put out in the garden? (I don't have a green house, have been growing things in conservatry and not a lot of room!).

Lisa · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject:

Woo hoo!!

Three answers in how many minutes

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease can we have a gardening section too??

Pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease....???

Lis

Lisa · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:13 pm Post subject:

Gina,

What sort of carrots have you got?

They usually say on the back of the packet when is best to sow each variety.

They shouldn't need a greenhouse....

Lis

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

Thanks for fast replies...OH is out shopping now and is buying 4 very large pots for carrots as I type!

I don't have the packet from the ones already growing but think I will plant these in one pot and see what happens Very Happy

Other packets are 'carrot amsterdam' and 'carrot sugarsnax 54 F1 hybrid'. One packet says they need a sunny spot and other a cool spot!....one says outside other one doesn't really say, so am now assuming they can go outside.

Sowing them straight out will be alot easier!

Lisa · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:34 pm Post subject:

The only reason I would grow carrots inside (in a cool greenhouse) would be to try to get some extra early ones. When I have tried this I just scattered the seed over the pot (and covered with soil) and thinned later to a few inches apart all over.

They grew lovely, sweet, early carrots. Small, but the earliest I've ever had. The only thing to think of if doing that was that it did start getting rather hot in the greenhouse and things can get a bit leggy if not careful...

If growing in pots outside, just follow the timings for growing outside.

I found sugarsnax on the Thompson and Morgan website and its says sow April to June. So sowing another lot now would be perfect timing Smile

Amsterdam comes in different varieties, but a quick look via google and they all seem to be great for baby carrots and I think you could quite happily sow another lot now.

Just keep them watered well if in tubs.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I think most carrots are meant to be sown periodically throughout the season, so that you always have nice new sweet ones rather than the older ones. Most can be sewn through to August I think, but then you have to be careful for watering them to get them germinating.

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

Right!...I have 4 pots. Going to use one for carrots already growing (trying to rescue some for middle son!). Other 3 pots I have sown with seeds and am hoping that by the time they need thining there will be carrots we can eat? Putting pots outside and well watering?

Thanks everyone!

Lisa · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 2:55 pm Post subject:

Sounds an excellent plan. You can see what results you get from transplanting carrots (and do let us know) and by sowing some more now, you extend your "carrot season" Very Happy

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

That is great!

Now on to tomatoes!... Wink

I have also started of these by seed (now wish I had just waited and brought them in as plants but nevermind) with youngest child (do you see the child theme?...lol). They are growing O.K and I have today repotted the best 9 plants. I am going to move these to growbags outside 3 to a bag. When should I do this?...how big do they need to be before going outside?

I know these need support so that's something!

nigel · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:34 pm Post subject:

we have amsterdam forcing and sugar snax in the greenhouse in pots right now. Sow thinly and then thin out at the baby carrot stage. Keep cropping/thinning, the ones left just carry on growing. The great thing about pots is that you pretty much avoid carrot fly.

nigel · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:36 pm Post subject:

Tomatoes can be hardened off outside underglass (coldframe etc) at end of May. I'd plant out mid June when chances of serious frosts are gone

Just thought - please adjust dates if you're much further North/South than me.