Grow Your Own Magazine

I sowed some carrot seeds in pots earlier in hte year, and at the weekend, I realsied they needed more space, so instead of separating them all like i did the last lot (disasterous, when people tell you not to transplant carrots, it's good to listen!! I tried to be clever, and it failed. LOL) I planted all of the small pots in one big pot without separating the individual plants, and mulched with gravel for a change. The idea is that as they grow, they will push each other apart, and I just need to watch them grow and water sometimes.

What I want to know, will the gravel help to deter carrot fly?? I'm hoping so, and is it ok for my to mulch with gravel??

Many thanks,

Jennifer

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Whilst typing the above reply, I was probably supposed to be doing homework. My excuse: I'm hooked!

Gravel probably won't make any difference but if your carrots are in a large pot they may not be affected. I grow all mine in containers and I don't get carrot fly damage.

Can I ask why are you sowing in small pots and transplanting? Root veg really needs to be sown where it is to grow to maturity or its growth will be compromised.

I have some carrots in pots and I am thinning as required and using the thinnings in the kitchen. Don't always get a mealfull but can be chopped and put into salads (tops as well). The idea being that eventually I will end up with a pot full of fully grown carrots.

Ian

I don't really know why I was sowing in small pots and then transplanting. I only did this with one batch, and about 3 have survived. I think it was because I had no space available, and I thought I could sow them in pots and then plant them out when I had space. Ah well, it's a lesson learned.

Thanks for the advice re pots etc!!

Jennifer

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Whilst typing the above reply, I was probably supposed to be doing homework. My excuse: I'm hooked!

I am growing my carrots in Morrisons flower buckets,, about 20 seedling to a pot, will this be ok, or should I use bigger pots ?, sorry to crash in on a thread but seemed pointless opening another post

Think about how big a carrot is, and think about how big your container is, ie 6 inches + deep, and at least an inch wide, each.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

So do you think 20 in a 10" wide bucket is ok ?

Why are you all growing carrots in pots? Do you not have any garden or lottie?

Nope Very small garden and no chance of a lottie in the foreseable future

I had first carrots in pots because the ground wasn't ready yet, and I was desperate to sow seeds (its so addicting!). Now I've got carrots growing in gutters to slide into the ground.

Jennifer

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Whilst typing the above reply, I was probably supposed to be doing homework. My excuse: I'm hooked!

I'm sorry to crash this thread too, but have a carrot question so pointless to start another. I sewed Nantes carrots in a raised bed end of March and they are looking healthy with lots of greenery.....a row of spring onions either side to defeat the carrot fly. My question is when do I know they are ready to be pulled up? Haven't a clue what is going on below and hope below is as good as on top. I haven't thinned them out. I tried to sew thinly and they don't look too crowded.... Like all my Newbie comrads I can't wait to pull one out and have a peek...

if you just look close to the soil and shift it a little you should find the top of the carrot, that should help you decide if they're big enough to eat as baby carrot. Then just take out a few along the rows and this thins them out making room for the others to grow bigger still

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Off to China

The ones we sowed direct all got scoffed by slugs. So the only ones to survive are ones we grew in modules / seed trays and transplanted, some into the ground and some in containers (troughs a foot deep - because the open ground is a bit lumpy and we wanted a back-up plan). Still attempting some direct sowing but not holding our breath...

The transplants all look healthy as far as you can tell from the top - although obviously we've no idea what's going on underneath

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Warning: I have a dangerous tendency to act like I know what I'm talking about.

I grow 'em in pots because I have to use the available soil space for other things - things which can't be grown in pots!

I grew a lot more than twenty in a florist's bucket last year, and they did fine enough - I didn't get very big ones, more like (largish) baby carrots, but they lasted fine enough, liked the company, and were a dawdle to net against the carrot fly. I basically forgot about them once they were in and netted !
But growing them in guttering - damn, that's clever, why didn't I think of that ? - oh, that'll be why !

got four rows of early nantes in my raised beds i havent thinned them yet but when i get back from my holiday in peebles i am going to thin and use the little carrots in a salad

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joanne culyer