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GROWING CARROTS

Because they are easy to grow, packed full of nutrients and a great source of vitamin A, B6, C and other essential minerals, growing carrots is a must for every gardener.

Envy Hybrid Carrot
Growing carrots is very rewarding, they are probably the most popular and versatile vegetable in the garden, can be eaten raw, steamed, cooked, even turned into wine. There are orange, purple, yellow and white varieties to choose from. What meal, cooked or raw wouldn’t benefit from this fantastic vegetable, kids even accept it as a treat, now how good is that.Too much manure and fertilizer applied just before seeding can result in forked roots, so plan well ahead. If your soil is stony you need to remove as many as possible as they will interfere with the development of the root and you will end up growing deformed carrots.

Four-Way Soil Analyzer
Prepare a plot that has good drainage and gets full sun, make sure when growing carrots that you have deep, loose, well-drained soil, they do not do well in strong acid soils therefore a pH range of 6.0 to 6.8 should be maintained for best results. To accurately measure sunlight, soil pH, moisture and combined NPK within seconds buy yourself a Soil Analyzer.For those of you who are short on space why not try growing carrots in containers or raised beds.

Click here to visit Gurney’s, Seed and Nursery Company for great deals on seeds and plants.

You can start growing carrots as soon as you are able to prepare the garden bed in the springtime. They are a hardy and cool season plant, will put up with lots of moisture, but will not tolerate drought conditions which will result in an acrid taste. A temperature range of 60/70 degrees F is ideal for growing carrots.

Sow seeds ¼ inch deep, with rows a foot apart, and cover seeds with a fine mulch or seed raising mix. Water with a gentle spray to stop the soil forming a crust which will hinder the seedlings as they emerge.

Growing carrots
When growing carrots remember to thin out
the seedlings. The ones on the right were
not thinned out enough
The seedlings emerge in about 2-3 weeks, and when they are about 2 inches tall it is necessary to thin them out so the roots will develop in size and so as to avoid growing carrots which are stunted and deformed. You can control the size with even more thinning.It’s always common sense to mulch when the plants are established so as to reduce weeds and conserve water, remember do not let them dry out as the secret to growing carrots is to keep the moisture evenly distributed throughout the season.

You can pick and use them as and when you need them, they will quite happily live in the ground so long as you continue to keep the conditions suitable with mulch and water, that’s about all you need to do when growing carrots. Check the information on the packet as to the expected size of the carrots you are growing but usually about an inch thick is when they taste the sweetest.

They should be ready to harvest in 70-80 days, grasp the green tops and pull giving a slight twist at the same time. If the tops break off you can use a spade to dig the roots up.

If you are bothered by carrot fly try growing rosemary as a companion plant or a member of the onion family – garlic, shallots or chives.

Now to answer the long going argument about why growing carrots are good for your eyesight, yes, they really can help you see in the dark (never seen a rabbit with specs on have you). One of medium size has enough beta carotene which the body converts to supply two days worth of vitamin A. No, more isn’t better, will just give you yellow skin. Research tells us that cells within your eye bind vitamin A with a protein called “Opsin” which forms “Rhodopsin” which is essential for night vision.

As I said, growing carrots is very rewarding, give them a go. Why not also try  to grow some other vegetables in your garden.