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Carrot growing soil
Hi everyone,
I'm planning to grow carrots in pots this spring, but I'm not sure of the best medium to grow them in. Is it safe to use normal multi purpose compost, or will this cause them to fork? Regards, Stuart |
In article , Stuart
writes Hi everyone, I'm planning to grow carrots in pots this spring, but I'm not sure of the best medium to grow them in. Is it safe to use normal multi purpose compost, or will this cause them to fork? Add about 20% sharp sand to the compost before using it. Carrots need more pot room than may be thought, particularly in height. It may be worth you considering growing them in tubes or pipes rather than standard shaped pots for that reason. -- Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs. |
On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 05:54:19 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote: ~In article , Stuart writes ~Hi everyone, ~ ~I'm planning to grow carrots in pots this spring, but I'm not sure of the ~best medium to grow them in. Is it safe to use normal multi purpose compost, ~or will this cause them to fork? ~ ~Add about 20% sharp sand to the compost before using it. Carrots need ~more pot room than may be thought, particularly in height. It may be ~worth you considering growing them in tubes or pipes rather than ~standard shaped pots for that reason. ~-- ~Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs. I have had phenomenal results with carrots this year in my incredibly stony soil simply by carving out a rather experimental 6" trench with a thin trowel and filling it with cheap multipurpose compost, watering it and sowing the carrots on that. Got perfect roots (give or take the odd carrot fly) and the control row, 6" away and in the normal soil is almost unusable except whole in stews. I didn't notice forking in the compost row (but compared with the soil, I probably wouldn't!!). My biggest root was 7" long and about 2" in diameter, and dead straight. Yes sand would probably help in pots as you have more control over it all. I'd just say sieve the compost if you can. Just don't forget to cover the seedlings with fleece or mesh or net curtain and make sure there are no gaps near the ground or you'll get carrot fly. -- jane Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist but you have ceased to live. Mark Twain Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks! |
jane wrote:
I have had phenomenal results with carrots this year in my incredibly stony soil simply by carving out a rather experimental 6" trench with a thin trowel and filling it with cheap multipurpose compost, watering it and sowing the carrots on that. Got perfect roots (give or take the odd carrot fly) and the control row, 6" away and in the normal soil is almost unusable except whole in stews. I didn't notice forking in the compost row (but compared with the soil, I probably wouldn't!!). A wrecking bar thrust into the ground and roatated at an angle lat each planting position leaves a nice conical hole to be filled with appropriate compost pk |
pk wrote:
jane wrote: I have had phenomenal results with carrots this year in my incredibly stony soil simply by carving out a rather experimental 6" trench with a thin trowel and filling it with cheap multipurpose compost, watering it and sowing the carrots on that. Got perfect roots (give or take the odd carrot fly) and the control row, 6" away and in the normal soil is almost unusable except whole in stews. I didn't notice forking in the compost row (but compared with the soil, I probably wouldn't!!). A wrecking bar thrust into the ground and roatated at an angle lat each planting position leaves a nice conical hole to be filled with appropriate compost pk I have only successfully grown carrots once, the first year. The second they were ruined by carrot root fly, this year I covered them with enviromesh, no carrot root fly, but very few and little carrots. Any help with combating Carrot root fly? I know of several theories, but would love to hear from someone who has been plagued by them and found a resolution. |
On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 09:18:19 +0000 (UTC), "pk"
wrote: ~jane wrote: ~ I have had phenomenal results with carrots this year in my incredibly ~ stony soil simply by carving out a rather experimental 6" trench with ~ a thin trowel and filling it with cheap multipurpose compost, watering ~ it and sowing the carrots on that. Got perfect roots (give or take the ~ odd carrot fly) and the control row, 6" away and in the normal soil is ~ almost unusable except whole in stews. I didn't notice forking in the ~ compost row (but compared with the soil, I probably wouldn't!!). ~ ~ ~A wrecking bar thrust into the ground and roatated at an angle lat each ~planting position leaves a nice conical hole to be filled with appropriate ~compost ~ wrecking bar? What's one of those when it's at home?! I knew that competition growers use long stakes to punch holes - I just wanted an ordinary row of maincrop carrots that were carrot-shaped rather than starfish :) and the trowel trench worked. I didn't think individual holes would be as good for my requirements, since I wanted to be able to sow a row rather than do station sowings. I like thinning to get the baby carrots :) Next year I hope to grow more stump-rooted ones, having grown conicals this year. Any recommendations? -- jane Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist but you have ceased to live. Mark Twain Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks! |
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Janet Baraclough.. wrote:
The message from (jane) contains these words: SNIP If you're transporting one to the allotment, do be careful not to speed/get stopped..I've forgotten the exact terms for the offence, but it's something about "going equipped to commit a criminal act". Janet. Be aware that also applies to pruning knives, except the offence is "Carrying a bladed" summit or other. If the latest agitators get their way it will carry a mandatory jail sentence. :-( |
"Broadback" wrote after jane wrote: I have had phenomenal results with carrots this year in my incredibly stony soil simply by carving out a rather experimental 6" trench with a thin trowel and filling it with cheap multipurpose compost, watering it and sowing the carrots on that. Got perfect roots (give or take the odd carrot fly) and the control row, 6" away and in the normal soil is almost unusable except whole in stews. I didn't notice forking in the compost row (but compared with the soil, I probably wouldn't!!). I have only successfully grown carrots once, the first year. The second they were ruined by carrot root fly, this year I covered them with enviromesh, no carrot root fly, but very few and little carrots. Any help with combating Carrot root fly? I know of several theories, but would love to hear from someone who has been plagued by them and found a resolution. We had severe problems with carrots, they either didn't germinate, and nothing at all with fleece protection, and if they did the root fly got them after the villains had pulled up a few and thrown them about. Now we grow from our own seed, Long Red Surrey, and get excellent germination, they even come up like weeds on other parts of the allotment, self sown. We also use some scaffold boards on edge around the bed to keep of the fly. Whilst these boards aren't as high as I would like they do keep off most of the fly, and anyway, with so many carrots we don't mind losing a few. -- Regards Bob In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London |
"Janet Baraclough.." wrote in message ... The message from (jane) contains these words: wrecking bar? What's one of those when it's at home?! Looks like a large school-teacher's "tick", in heavy steel, with a fork at the short end of the tick. A vital tool for gardening and general life, how on earth do you manage without one? :-) Invaluable for taking old palletts apart, prising up rocks, roots and sunken paving slabs, enlarging the kitchen... Do you mean a crowbar? [snip] Franz |
In article , Nick Maclaren
writes They come in all lengths from about 1' to about 4'. I have one of about 15" and another of about 2'. The smaller versions are often called pinch bars and the bigger ones crow bars - or Jim Crow to rail track workers. A pinch bar with a sharp pointed end was used in latter-day marine times for teasling out knotted ropes. Its name marlin spike came from the sharp point resembling the nose of the marlin shark. Garrulous sailors would be gaffed with a marlin spike. -- Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs. |
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