Comments on: Holy Carrot!

By: Does Summer Gardening Really Need to End? — Green Talk®

Does Summer Gardening Really Need to End? — Green Talk® — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:06:58 +0000

[...] What is this, you must be thinking? It is my deformed carrot. This is my second year growing carrots. I tilled the soil about 12 inches and used alot of compost so that the carrots would be able to grow downwards. Guess what? I still got deformed carrots. I think I need to make a raised bed which is 18 inches in depth just for carrots and fill it will sand and compost so the soil is light enough for the carrots to being able to push through the soil as they grow. (See here about my issue with deformed carrots.) [...]

By: Anna@Green Talk

Anna@Green Talk — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:40:01 +0000

Kimberlee, was your forked carrot from planting seed. Remember, I transplant them because I just can’t get the seeds to grow in dirt.

Thanks for the compliment. I amuse myself. My kids don’t think I am funny. I am glad that I have one fan that thinks I am! My garden is my source of amusement because I can’t make these stories up. You should read my rabbit post. I guarantee you will get a kick out it. (Oh, and there is the slug one too. All true stories…)

By: kimberlee

kimberlee — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 06:40:53 +0000

I just laughed my head off at that carrot!! I can’t wait to show my carrot-loving daughter this picure. We grew some for the first time in a big barrel. One of those plastic barrels pickles and donut frosting come in. The donut shop sells them for $1. I knew I’d need one for harvesting…never thought to grow carrots in it. Well, carrots are not as easy as I thought. Maybe 2 good ones, and a few tiny ones and I had to replant seeds at first bc something kept digging into the barrel, I assume a squirrel. The last little carrot she harvested was forked. We got a kick out of it.
Next time, if there is one, I will use sand.
Anna, I love your blog! You’re an amusing writer.

By: Green Talk

Green Talk — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:21:54 +0000

Norm, how about putting chicken wire on the bottom of your beds so they can’t get through? I really did not think I was damaging my carrots since I was plopping them into the soil from their little seed starter container. I tried the glue/paper idea with my carrots but the paper just dried out too quickly. Nothing grew. (Sign) Anna

By: Norm Steele

Norm Steele — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:06:48 +0000

Anything that damages a carrot’s taproot will cause branching. I raise carrots in 15″ wide raised beds using paper towel seed tapes. I use gelatin to glue the seeds to the paper towel at 1-1/2″ intervals. The raised beds are 2 X 6s and the prepared soil which extends to a depth of 12″ contains compost and 15% perlite; 15% vermiculite. No fertilizer is used. The carrots love this set-up, but unfortunately, the moles also love it. They tunnel through in their never ending pursuit of earthworms all the while damaging taproots and causing the carrots to branch. I have tried several strategies to control the moles but so far have been unsuccessful.

By: Renewable Ray

Renewable Ray — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:53:41 +0000

I can sympathize, we are so excited in the spring time when we are sprinkling seeds since we want to do a “good” job.

Great picture!
.-= Renewable Ray´s last blog ..Energy Expert Tinkers Up An Ultra Green Home =-.

By: Green Talk

Green Talk — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:44:48 +0000

Farmer’s Daughter, they are so big right now. How large should their diameter be before I pull them? If they are tough, any ideas on how to make them sweet again? Cook them?

By: Farmer's Daughter

Farmer's Daughter — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:31:17 +0000

I have a couple answers for your questions. I agree, carrots don’t transplant well. I’ve always been successful direct seeding them, as long as I thin them out to about 1 1/2″ to 2″ apart.

I wouldn’t leave the carrots that have grown in your garden all summer in the ground, as they’ll continue to grow during the growing season and will get big, tough, and tasteless. I pulled all mine and froze the extras. You could can them, too.

However, if you’re planting some now for a fall crop, you can leave them in the ground until you need them. The shorter, colder days (if you live in a climate like mine… New England) will keep them from growing, just like being in cold storage. Additionally, some of those complex carbs stored during the growing season will convert back into simple sugars and the carrots will taste sweeter. I pulled carrots out of my garden until December last year, and I have a friend in Maine who pulls them as needed all winter long.
.-= Farmer’s Daughter´s last blog ..My Students Need Your Help! =-.