Carrots are a favorite vegetable the world over. A little known fact about carrots is that they were previously many more colors than orange, including purple, yellow and white. They have only been primarily orange since the 1700s due to domestication and selective breeding.
Varieties of Carrots
There seems to be a carrot for every occasion (and soil type!) Baby or Finger carrots are so named due to their size. They have small roots and therefore suits shallow or stony soil. Amsterdam carrots are also small but more square in nature – fatter is probably the word. They also suit shallow and stony soil. Nantes carrots are medium sized. They are sweet and like warmer areas. Chantenay carrots have stumpy roots. There are numerous cultivars within each type, so check what’s available and best in your region.
Planting Carrots
Carrots love cool environments, but not frosty ones. They enjoy soil which drains well that is able to be warmed, and that keeps a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Prepare the soil using organic matter and a complete fertilizer one month before sowing. As previously mentioned, if your soil is particularly shallow or sandy you had best go for the smaller varieties of carrot.
As usual, the best sowing time will depend on your local climate. Frost-free areas will suit growing carrots through winter, but seedlings don’t like the cool weather too much. They tolerate the cold much better in life. In especially cold regions, seeds should be sown in mid Spring so that they grow through summer. In tropical and sub-tropical climates, they should be sown so that the carrots grow through the drier period.
Carrot seed is tiny. It should be sown reasonably sparsely, otherwise it will require a lot of thinning. Your best bet is to mix it with dry sand and sow it in rows at a depth of 1/4 inch (about 6mm). Leave a foot (30cm) between rows. Carrots detest being transplanted and should therefore be sown in one location only – either the ground or in containers (see below). Cover the shallowly planted seeds with a seed raising mix or a fine compost. Ensure the surface of the mix or compost is rough so that the seedlings have an easier time breaking through. Carrots can be sown every month through the growing season for a continual harvest.
Growing Carrots
It takes about 2 or 3 weeks for carrot seedlings to break through the soil. You will almost certainly need to thin them out quite dramatically because of how tiny the seeds are when planting. Allow about an inch (2.5cm) between baby or Amsterdam varieties, or 2 inches (5cm) between larger varieties.
Weed regularly by hand. Carrots do not need much extra fertilizer after planting if the area has been prepared with organic matter. If you do use fertilizer, be careful of those high in nitrogen as they will promote too much leafy growth.
Growing Carrots in Containers
Small varieties of carrots can be grown in containers. Sow as per above guidelines in good quality potting mix and place in sunlight. Containers allow the gardener to grow types of carrots that may not be able to grow in the soil available. I recommend using as large a container or pot you have available.
Harvesting Carrots
Carrots can be harvested at any time. Some people like to harvest every second or third plant in the row when they are young, leaving others to grow to full size. Harvesting is done by simply pulling them out of the soil – they may need to be coaxed out with a fork if the soil is heavy.
The best place to store carrots is in the ground and they will generally last through winter. Simply leave them there until they are required. Cover them with straw or fleece through the winter to protect from frost. The only time I would not do this is if snails or slugs were wreaking havoc. In this situation, uproot them and store them in a pot of compost in the shed.
Threats to Carrots
Carrot aphids stunt carrot growth. They set up residence underneath the leaves and cause the leaves to shrivel. They can also communicate the motley dwarf virus, which further stunts growth and gives carrots a sickly yellow tinge. Aphids can be controlled using an insecticide, or by simply hammering them with a stream of water from a hose.
Leaf spot and leaf blight are fungal diseases that affects carrot leaves. Use a fungicide to combat it. I have not been able to find an organic solution to these diseases, but thankfully not much fungicide is required.
As always, try and choose a variety that is resistant to diseases.