carrot autumn king 2 - leave them in over winter?

**Penellype** · 22-11-2014, 07:49 PM

I think most carrots are not really hardy, unless they are the specific winter varieties like Nantes Frubund or Eskimo. You could try protecting them with fleece or bringing the pot into a greenhouse if you have one to keep the frost off a bit. I think the farmers cover them with a thick layer of straw, but they will probably simply be protecting bigger carrots from frost rather than encouraging them to grow.

The main problem is likely to be that if they survive the winter, when they start to grow again in the spring they will bolt. Carrots are biennials and flower in the 2nd year, and at that point the roots become hard and tough. I planted some in early February this year, thinking that as the weather was warm they could have an early start, but when I came to harvest them in August some had already bolted and the roots were inedible. I'd be inclined to eat anything that looks to be of edible size now, but others may disagree.

**muddled** · 22-11-2014, 08:11 PM

Leave them til...til....THAT day in December. Baby veg is dead posh and folk will think you did it on purpose. They'll look very fancy garnishing a bowl of sprouts.
A fleece covering will protect them until then unless we have New York style snow which is rather unlikely.

Much longer than that in the ground and as penellype says, you'll get nowt edible at all I reckon.
(and please excuse the awful grammar of that sentence; I am enjoying my 3rd glass of mulled wine)

**Snadger** · 22-11-2014, 08:12 PM

I always leave my carrots in the ground until I need them.

I find they loose that 'fresh pulled' taste when stored along with most of there goodness.

You'll probably get until late March or April before they start going 'hairy' i.e. start putting out new hairy roots all the way down the barrel of the carrot, ready for running to seed.
Its very seldom that the ground freezes solid for the whole depth of the carrot but this depends on your soil type and location. Enviromesh usually gives me enough protection but I'm not using protection this winter as a trial.

**Greenleaves** · 22-11-2014, 08:14 PM

I also leave mine in, I cover with straw is snow is on the horizon or aprolonged frosty period is forecast

**Alison** · 22-11-2014, 08:28 PM

I leave mine insitu too, thy keep much fresher that way. A lot of mine are Autumn King too and they'll be fine. I have had to chisel them out before and sometimes there is a bit of frost damage at the top but not much. With regards protection I just leave the enviromesh that I've used to protect against carrot fly lying over them which will provide some warmth.

**Snow** · 22-11-2014, 08:31 PM

Thanks everyone, thats all handy stuff.

I'll pull the biggest in the next few days and see what it's like. If terrible small then I'll wait until Christmas and see what I get pulling one up then. If still no luck then I'll wait until spring!

And I'll put some fleece over them if I notice it getting cold, too.

**Bigmallly** · 22-11-2014, 08:41 PM

Originally posted by Greenleaves View Post

I also leave mine in, I cover with straw is snow is on the horizon or aprolonged frosty period is forecast

Am I wrong in thinking that snow is an excellent insulator?

**Alison** · 22-11-2014, 08:49 PM

Originally posted by Bigmallly View Post

Am I wrong in thinking that snow is an excellent insulator?

It is indeed but it's a right pain when it's frozen solid round the veg. With my enviromesh on top I get the blanket effect but can just brush it off to harvest

**kathyd** · 24-11-2014, 08:36 AM

Mine went all hairy and woody by February when I left them in, so do check them from time to time if you decide to over-winter them.

**Two_Sheds** · 24-11-2014, 09:19 AM

Originally posted by Snow View Post

I planted some carotts fairly late ...

What should I do? Leave them in over winter?

Woodlice eat rotten wood, and strawberries. They couldn't manage a carrot unless it was already rotting.
Your carrots aren't going to be getting any bigger: as you know, winter stops almost all plant growth. They just sit there, getting eaten by root fly larvae.

Originally posted by Snow View Post

I'll pull the biggest in the next few days and see what it's like.

You don't need to pull them up, just brush the soil away from their shoulders: if this looks wide enough to eat, then dig it up

However, as it's now winter, they aren't going to get any bigger than they are now.

If your soil is likely to freeze solid this winter, it's worth putting some kind of cover over those veg you're going to want to dig out: netting, fleece, straw, whatever.

**Nicos** · 24-11-2014, 10:30 AM

With all the rain we've had recently following on from weeks of dry, warm weather, my carrots have decided to split!

On the upside...we have absolutely no signs of carrot fly!

**Snow** · 24-11-2014, 01:51 PM

Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post

Woodlice eat rotten wood, and strawberries. They couldn't manage a carrot unless it was already rotting.
Your carrots aren't going to be getting any bigger: as you know, winter stops almost all plant growth. They just sit there, getting eaten by root fly larvae.

You don't need to pull them up, just brush the soil away from their shoulders: if this looks wide enough to eat, then dig it up

However, as it's now winter, they aren't going to get any bigger than they are now.

If your soil is likely to freeze solid this winter, it's worth putting some kind of cover over those veg you're going to want to dig out: netting, fleece, straw, whatever.

It was the seedlings they ate, which is why I only have a few in that patch rather than 50 odd.
But I'm going to go out in a bit and see what's there.

**Snow** · 24-11-2014, 02:43 PM

Haha, so small I don't think my camera is high resolution enough to take a pic. "mini veg" it is.

**BertieFox** · 24-11-2014, 05:25 PM

I like to leave them in ground if we can, but the main problem seems to be slugs and snails which devastate the crop in mild weather. They certainly keep better in the ground and unless you are in a very cold climate, all the business of digging them up and putting them in boxes with sand is just a waste of time. If you are not plagued by molluscs, then leave them in.

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carrot autumn king 2 - leave them in over winter?

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