One of the most popular veg to grow at home, carrots are easy to cultivate and can be included in many different dishes due to their versatile, sweet flavour.
Follow these instructions and you will be harvesting your own crunchy roots in no time, and can enjoy impressing your dinner guests!
Add these sweet and tasty roots to your plot, with help from the experts at Grow Your Own Magazine – it’s easier than you think!
Growing carrots at a glance…
Sow: March – June
Harvest: August – December
How to sow carrots
Due to their size, long carrots are best grown in the ground to allow them to reach their full size, although plenty of shorter rooted types can be grown in pots. The ideal time to start is between March and June.
First, thoroughly rake the soil to a fine tilth and remove any weeds and stones that may hinder the growth of your crops, then water thoroughly. Make drills spaced 30cm apart that are 1.5cm deep and sow the seeds thinly. Cover over with more soil.
How to look after carrot plants
Keep the soil evenly moist and you should start to see seedlings appear within 21 days. Once this has happened it is time to thin them. Be sure to water the soil beforehand and keep the strongest seedlings – allow 10cm of space between each one. The removed crops could always be planted elsewhere – with a bit of luck they could produce even more roots!
Just be warned – pulling up these baby crops can increase the sweet aroma that they give out which can attract carrot fly. If this pest takes hold your yields could be ruined when their grubs burrowing through the skin. To prevent this from happening you can purchase insect-proof netting at a reasonable price from many online suppliers. There is also evidence to suggest that thinning in the early evening reduces the threat of infestation.
Aphids can also target the leaves for their sap. These tiny insects will not cause serious damage but they can also be reduced and controlled with insect netting. You can try squashing them by hand to instantly reduce numbers.
How to Harvest Carrots
Your carrots will be ready from August to December, you can pull one from the ground to see if the entire crop has reached the appropriate size. Eat the yields straight away or remove as much of the soil as possible and store them in crates filled with sand.
Favourite Carrot Recipes
Take a look at some of our delicious recipes that feature this bright orange root vegetable that’s versatile, sweet and nutritious.
Grow Your Own is a monthly magazine packed full of expert advice for fruit and veg growers. Subscribe today and enjoy great savings on the usual cover price. Find out more at www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/subscribe
I look after communications and marketing at Dairy Diary. I’m a busy mum and love home baking and cooking for my family. In my spare time I enjoy visiting the theatre, eating out with friends and exploring the great outdoors!
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