Horticultural advisor Anne Adam shares her expert tips for growing these popular roots
Carrots are a versatile vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked and even made into carrot cake. I adore the flavour of fresh, crunchy carrots straight from the garden or allotment. By sowing regularly from early-spring until summer you could be harvesting your home-grown carrots from early-summer until late-autumn and even store some for winter use.
Carrots vary in their maturity, shape, and size. Early carrots such as Amsterdam and Nantes types are good for early sowing and summer crops, followed by chunkier Nantes, Berlicum and Autumn King types for the maincrops used in winter. Where the soil is shallow stump-rooted Chanteney types are effective. For tubs and troughs use little round rooted carrots that don’t need deep conditions. White, yellow and purple carrots are available, as well as orange ones. The purple carrots rich in anthocyanins are a particularly healthy option.
How to grow
Any reasonable garden soil in full sun will suit carrots. The little seeds need a fine seedbed achieved by digging or forking, followed by treading and raking. No dig gardeners will simply sow into the surface compost mulch. Carrots only need a little fertiliser – typically 35g per square metre of an organic-based product such as fish, blood and bone.
Sow shallowly, about 12mm, in a groove (drill) made with the corner of the rake and sow thinly allowing a finger width between seeds. Allow 25cm between rows. Cover with raked soil and gently firm with the back of the rake for good seed soil contact. Carrots really do not like being transplanted, forking readily therefore aim to sow direct. They also resent overcrowding so thin the seedlings when they can be handled to 5-7cm apart.
With fleece or cloches March or even February sowing is possible but wait until April before sowing maincrops which can be left uncovered.
For container carrots choose a tub or box at least 45cm deep and fill with multi-purpose potting compost.
Growing on
The pale green feathery foliage of carrots is very attractive but casts no shade to discourage weeds. Careful hoeing and hand-weeding ensures the crop flourishes. Be gentle with the carrots as bruising releases scents that attract carrot fly. For the same reason remove and d
