Growing Carrots

[ducks4you]

I am getting the BEST advice on growing on this site--MUCH better than any of the plant/vegetable/flower growing books I have in my library. I have never had any good carrot crops, then I read the post of "swimming" with them from the harvest. I have a lot of room to grow things, I am in Zone 6, with acidic post-glacial farm soil, I KNOW that I have to add sand, but I can buy sand, so that's not the problem. How would you suggest that I prep a growing area for carrots. Should I build a raised bed and mix just the right blend of soil and sand? Should I deep till a row in my 10 x 40 garden bed? Should I grow them in the bed north of my garage--(good drainage there)? Should I start them inside and transplant them? I planned my garden last year, and would have had better than moderate success if it weren't for the almost record rainfall that we got--even my tomatoes didn't do well--all 77 plants!!

 

[lesa]

You can definitely grow carrots! I have more carrots than I know what to do with- I never added sand. Had mine growing in a raised row of dirt/compost. I planted the seeds, early spring - never did a thing and harvested this weekend. Certainly, one of the easier crops to grow!! I tried a few different kinds of seeds, just to see what I liked better....Do not try to transplant carrots, they don't like it and it's not necessary. Just sprinkle the seeds, cover lightly with soil, press down with your hand, and wait! We had rain nearly everyday, and it didn't bother them at all, just make sure you have drainage. Thank goodness for my raised rows, or I just would have had a lake! Good luck!

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks, I like the idea of a raised bed. I can create this around my cistern, where the ground slopes away from the house, southern exposure. What do you do to prevent weeds? Carrots are so small when they first come up, I've had my carrots competing with them in the past.

 

[lesa]

I didn't have too much trouble with weeds. I plant the carrots close together, so very shortly there is no room for weeds. If I feel like having carrots in the summer, I just thin them a little. The leaf is so distinctive, you won't pull them up by accident. Sounds like you have the perfect spot. Think spring!!

 

[ducks4you]

Do you ever have a problem with the carrot fly?

 

[lesa]

Never heard of it... No bug problems at all.

 

[vfem]

I don't have much problem with bugs with my carrots either. I plant my carrots 1 every 3". They are great for getting a lot of with very little space.

 

[ducks4you]

Do you'all take ashes from wood you've burned and add it to the soil for your carrots? I know I've done that for beets, before.

 

[miron28]

i also grow carrotts and never had any problems growing them other then rabbits eating the tops off them but even with that i still get a lot of carrotts and i just till the ground and add fertilizer and that is it and i get some really big carrotts

 

[vfem]

Do you'all take ashes from wood you've burned and add it to the soil for your carrots? I know I've done that for beets, before.

I add the ashes to my chicken run to help keep down fleas ticks and mites.