When I picked these carrots I was only expecting to get one or two tiddlers. I went out to get the "last few" from the second of my boxes, just to finish them up, but I was amazed to find LOADs of them:
These are almost all "Amsterdam III Sprint", with just one or two "Mini Finger" (the very slender ones).
I have said this many times before, but having limited space is no excuse for failing to grow your own veg. My carrots all came from two black plastic boxes, 35cm long x 25cm wide x 20cm deep. They cost £1.97p each, so not much financial outlay there! And they were filled with about half a bag of bog-standard commercial compost.
Apart from watering them, no further attention is required. Depending on where you grow them you might need to protect them from the Carrot Root Fly, but as regular readers will know, I grew mine well above ground level and was not troubled at all by the fly, despite providing no protection whatever. No, I tell a lie: in this last batch there were actually three carrots which had a little fly damage, but that's it. What could be simpler? And it is just so nice to eat carrots that are straight out of the ground. As my daughter Fiona put it the other day "They are really CARROTY"!
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| All spruced-up and ready for the chef! |
I'm so enthused with carrots at present that I'm contemplating the idea of devoting to them the whole of my big Woodblocx raised bed. I could grow a lot of baby carrots in that, couldn't I ??? Maybe it's time for me to have another go at growing maincrop carrots...
Hi Mark. thanks to your post about growing carrots in pots to avoid the root fly, we also had our first crop of beautiful, delicious, "carroty" carrots this year. Yum!
ReplyDeletethank you for leading us (really, my husband. I read the blog and he does the work) down the carrot path. there is no turning back!
No I could never get bored by carrots (now tomatoes and peppers are another matter, but only because I can't eat them anymore). Lovely carrots. I wonder if your carrot flies are like mine. I find I can grow a very early crop and avoid most of the carrot fly. But for me they start to get damaged at the beginning of July. If I can get them out of the ground by the first week I'm usually fine. Later crops need the row cover (as I have no place that far above ground).
ReplyDeleteI am not bored by your carrot postings, I'm inspired! I struggle to grow good carrots but keep on trying and believe me, I am keeping some of your tips in mind for next year!
ReplyDeletewow, what an amazing harvest you've had this year!... the carrot pics are fab. If you're wondering what to do with them may I suggest this... you won't be disappointed. x http://www.belleaukitchen.com/2012/09/potato-carrot-and-rosemary-kugel.html
ReplyDeleteI am not bored either, I am envious, but I think I will try your method in the box above ground.
ReplyDeleteYou just can't beat the flavour of home grown carrots! Fiona is spot on.
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