How About Carrots

[Tallman]

I just found this forum yesterday and am very glad I did. In looking over the site, I have not found much discussion about carrots. Could be that I missed it, but in any case, what can you enlighten me on about the questions below?

What do you like to plant?
What's your planting method?
How do you store your harvest?
Anything else that anyone thinks is important to know about the subject.

Tallman

 

[gudrin]

What do you like to plant?
What's your planting method?
How do you store your harvest?
Anything else that anyone thinks is important to know about the subject.

Tallman

I have tried Danvers Half Longs from a seed company. They did well when I planted them with a general sprinkling of seed over the ground and then thinned them. I also tried the "carrot tape" but did not get good results. They did not come up for me. We don't store our carrots, but eat them fresh. We don't plant many. I did have my dad can some of his without salt for use as baby food. That was wonderful! This year will be different. I'm planning on planting more and then either canning them or freezing them. I don't know. Maybe I'll be able to keep some in the basement where it's cooler.

Beth

 

[sred98]

First off... I just ordered seeds from Baker Creek Heirlooms. I ordered Atomic Red, Cosmic Purple, and then a mix of rainbow seeds that have yellows and whites in there, as well. Our soil is kind of thick, but they seem to do well here. This is my first year for trying the heirloom carrots. We'll see how it goes!

I usually sprinkle the carrot seeds around my tomatoes. According to a great book I've got by Louise Riotte called "Carrots Love Tomatoes" they are beneficial to each other. I have never had enough to store...my kids gorge on carrots, tomatoes, peppers, etc. that they harvest while they are outside playing all summer. I never have enough! Hopefully, this year I will. I was wanting to can some and dehydrate some.

Shelly

 

[me&thegals]

Welcome, Tallman!

I have finally learned how to grow carrots. Now that I don't even bother in the harder soiled areas, they are doing great. I really loved my Dragon carrots from Seed Saver's Exchange. Great germination, growth, flavor and storage. They are purple outside, orange inside. Didn't care as much for a variety mix of colors I got from another catalogue. Danvers and Nantes did great. Can't remember which one, but one of them got huge!

I plant by broadcasting the seeds on the surface of a 5'-wide bed, very well worked up, very fine soil. Then, I rake them in gently. Consistent moisture seems to be the key for getting them to germinate and stay alive, especially for those mid-summer plantings.

I thin them once they're big enough to be developing some root.

This year, I had enough to actually store. I dug them, brushing them off (did not wash), cut the tops off and then stored them in big plastic tubs. They actually stayed pretty good for a couple months. Then, they froze, splitting their skins. So, the rest went to the chickens. Next year I will pay closer attention and get them to the cellar once it is cold enough and the garage is too cold.

Good luck!

 

[Sylvie]

I have heavy clay soil and love Chantenay carrots. They grow about 6-8" long and as much as 3" wide at the shoulder.

I leave them in the ground all winter and dig as needed. I mulch heavily in fall with chopped leaves, say 10", so they are easy to dig.
If I know we are to get a deep 2' snowfall like we had recently, I'll dig up a bucket, leaving the dirt on.

I love the Chantenay sweetness and cold hardiness.
I've tried other carrots but none really produced under my conditions.
I buy the seed at my local feedmill which stocks seeds proven to grow well locally.

 

[Rosalind]

What do you like to plant?

Boring old regular orange ones. I'm not creative or picky about carrots, I just get whatever has the shortest growing season. I can't really taste a difference in home-grown varieties.

What's your planting method?

Mix 2 packets carrot seed with 1 large bucket (~ 4 gallons) sand. Prepare bed by forking a bunch of compost and leafmold in. Spread sand/seed mix evenly around bed and rake in with a pointy rake. Wait. Mulch w/ lots of leaves in fall if they look too small to pull by September.

How do you store your harvest?

In the fridge, or blanched and bagged frozen in a mix of stirfry veggies. I never have gotten so many I couldn't eat them all, we like carrot cake too much.

 

[Tallman]

Thanks to all. I'm picking up some good ideas.

I think that carrots are a great crop for the garden. Last year I dug a trench with my troy bilt (shovel attached). Then I filled the trench with potting soil and planted the carrots in that. It sure helped the weed problem in among the plants. I just had to till close to the row for the weeding job. I watered it gently and then placed some 1" by 6 inch boards on the row and let it set for about 10 days. They sprouted just fine. I should have thinned them, but failed to do so.

Like Sylvie, I left them in the ground under a heavy mulch and dug them as needed. I have no idea what type I planted, but this year I'll be trying some of the verities that you suggested, and if I have good luck, I'll put you all in my will!!!!!

Thanks a bunch.

Tallman

 

[setter4]

Thanks to all. I'm picking up some good ideas.

I think that carrots are a great crop for the garden. Last year I dug a trench with my troy bilt (shovel attached). Then I filled the trench with potting soil and planted the carrots in that. It sure helped the weed problem in among the plants. I just had to till close to the row for the weeding job. I watered it gently and then placed some 1" by 6 inch boards on the row and let it set for about 10 days. They sprouted just fine. I should have thinned them, but failed to do so.

Like Sylvie, I left them in the ground under a heavy mulch and dug them as needed. I have no idea what type I planted, but this year I'll be trying some of the verities that you suggested, and if I have good luck, I'll put you all in my will!!!!!

Thanks a bunch.

Tallman

If you are putting us in your will I want the Troy Bilt please!

 

[Tallman]

Hey setter4

You want the Troy Bilt?

That's fine - get in line.

 

[momofdrew]

I read somewhere that you can store carrots in a 5 gallon bucket that you have drilled holes into in a cool cellar or root cellar...

My favorite is Danvers Half longs...