Try proper fertilisers (chook manure mushroom compost after germination
and a healthy head of greens)and plenty of water. I had problems with my
carrots germinating, but irregular water was the prime cause. Also
because they are so close to the surface, they tend to dry out. So keep
them wet, or grow them in a shadier place.
The strong taste tells me not enough water.

0tterbot wrote:
"Andrew Gabb" wrote in message
...
0tterbot wrote:
was wondering if anyone has any clues as to why my carrots aren't that
nice. having tackled (and won) the germination question, we've been
eating carrots here for 6 or 8 months, & some are not bad, but many have
that slightly bitter, "gassy" sort of taste to them (which you will
immediately recognise if you've ever tasted carrots like that).
Most carrots (and parsnips) have a strong taste if they're picked early.
As they mature the taste mellows.

I mainly grow All Seasons, and they're fine if picked late. The thinnings
have a strong, almost metallic taste.

yes - that's the one.

A bit of a surprise
if you're not used to it. For the parsnips we mix the thinnings with
mashed potato to cut the flavour.

i'm still fantasising about being able to germinate parsnips to the point
where they NEED thinning! :-)

Maybe you're picking em a bit soon ....

i think in some cases yes, but then i've also had others that got away from
me completely & had become enormous & too woody - but still had that
paleness & the nasty taste, they never seemed to have gone through the nice
sweet orange phase.(?)

i do need more practice with this, but after terry's comments i am
suspecting the soil. perhaps i might have better luck with french round &
baby, (as the seeds arrived yesterday!!)

thanks!
kylie