Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi everyone,
i'm new to this so please bare with me if this sounds silly. The lady on the lottie next to me grew carrots in a tub then transplanted them onto the plot. Has anyone else tried this and is it a success? i always thought that they weren't suitable for transplanting.

Never a particularly good idea to transplant root veg as you an damage the root. I've always planted direct and then thinned out but I do know of people of have managed it OK.

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welcome to the forum kate&rob! its a great place to get help from! So many nice people here! good luck with the growing year!

I'll keep an eye on how hers are doing, it seems a bit fiddly if it's not going to be very successful. i think i'll stick to growing mine in a tub!

thanks for that Headfry. been observing for a while, it's good to see that others have the same probs as we do.

Hello

I started mine in a large tub and then thinned them in 3 pots no problem growing away like mad, Can't wait yummy carrots.

Cheers
Brogusblue

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Jay's Humble Little Veggie Plot Blog

Been growing carrots for years and I've never tried it. aways sowed and thinned but have started using pelleted seed. Makes life a lot easier. Or try using Seedtapes, which you can roll out in the drill.

what Alison said is right, never a good idea to transplant root vegetables

Welcome to the Vine Kate & Rob. I think everyone will say there's no need to tranplant carrots. I just sow them where they are to grow - in the ground or a container - then thin them if necessary. Transplanting only leads to problems - damaged plants, attracting carrot fly.
Good luck with all your growing. Do tell us what else you are growing.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

I sowed some carrot into paper pots and transplanted the whole lot (doesn't disturb the root)...grew well for a while...then I peeked under the fleece y'day and snails have eaten the whole goddamn lot.

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I tried the carrot seed in newspaper pot and transplanting the whole thing last year and it worked well. Not so good this year, so have sowed straight into the ground, hope I havent left it too late! Bernie

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I dont think you have left it to late as I plan on doing at least a couple of more sowing with the freebie from GYO - Autumn King (March - July on the packet for sowing)

The problem with transplanting carrots, isn't just the carrot fly, lovely little buggers that they are - but you can spread viruses, carrots and roots are more susceptible to viruses. However, if you direct sow your carrots in anything over 18" e.g. a tub or raised bed, you're laughing, as the carrot fly doesn't fly much over this height - do they suffer from vertigo?

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Best wishes
Andrewo
Harbinger of Rhubarb tales

Thanks folks! The carrots I planted today were little globe type ones, the ones that havent done so well were rainbow coloured ones - both freebies from GYO! I've rigged up one of those fire guards that you put round fires to stop kiddies getting too close and covered that in mesh fabric - I'd like to see the flies getting through that! Bernie

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

I think thats an urban myth even though you still hear and see it written someone (on here I think) said that they have been found on trees and I dont think they meant Bonsai

I have got a crop of carrots growing in a rolled down compost bag on the plot. I put some in there as insurance against the ones in the ground going wrong in some way. Well, last week I transplanted some of these into spaces where germination wasn't too good with the others and they seem to be romping away very well.

Well I sure hope it's not too late to plant carrots as I've just planted my Autumn King (Thank you Hazel)

I think I'm with TEB on how high carrot fly can make it. I don't have a problem with them here , but if they can only fly 18" above the ground, where would I measure that from. My garden is not level so what would I take as a base line and what radius would I add.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

i have tried carrots in a tub last year and they didn't grow very well.what kind of soil do people use?the rolled compost bag sound interesting.g

I'm new to growing my own as well (as it were ) and after spending a happy afternoon transplanting 200 Autumn King seedlings, that I started off in a tray in the green house, a gardening buddy said "you can't do that - they'll never grow". Well I must have done something right beacuse, as much as I value his advise, they are all doing very well. I guess there are always exceptions to the rules...

All that might be wrong with transplanted carots is that they fork, not pretty but still very edible.

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http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

You're carrots will probably do well Big John. But they might have done just as well if you had planted straight in the ground, save you all the transplanting. You could run a trial for yourself next year, or now. Plant some straight in the ground, and some in a tray and transplant, and see how you get on. Then you'll know for sure and you can tell the rest of us.
I ran a trial like this with spring onions this year - some straight in the ground, some in pots in the greenhouse then the whole pot planted out. The greenhouse pots are well ahead so now I know about that one.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

The carrot root fly not being able to fly above 2' off the ground is a myth. Bristol University (I think) found them over wintering 60 feet up in a tree.
As for transplanting, the tops will look fine until you pull them. Rather than one nice thick carrot there will invariably be a selection of thin, misshaped, curly orange things which, by the time you've peeled them, will give you a saucer full of strands. Always best planted direct.