Leftover Carrots

[so lucky]

I wandered out to the garden this morning after feeding the chickens, to see if it is in shape to plant something today, and I spied a little carrot sticking up out of the ground, left from the fall. They had been so bitter in the fall that I didn't even pull many of them, just left them in the ground. Today I pulled that little carrot out and took it in and washed it off. It was only about the size of the baby carrots in the store. Taking a small tentative bite, I was pleasantly surprised at the crispness and sweetness of it. Quite good! Maybe carrots need to overwinter in the ground to be edible? I will pull/dig the rest of them today, and check out the horrible winter radishes that are there too. Maybe they are edible now, as well! I will note that we have had a mild winter here. Kinda cold, but not that long deep cold that others are having.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've found carrots will stay sweet in the ground over winter until they start to grow, even if they freeze and thaw some. But once they start growing new growth, I've had them turn bitter.

 

[lesa]

What a fun surprise! Enjoy your new found carrots!

 

[digitS']

I have suspected that dry conditions are the problem with bitter fall carrots.

I think there may be a "best time" to harvest the different carrot varieties. Those that develop early should probably be harvested early in the growing season. Those that take many months should be the choice for winter storage.

I do know that carrots won't usually make it thru the winter here. Oh, one part of them will - what was down deeper in the soil. A missed carrot in the garden will soon be one with the top rotting off with the warmer weather. Still, the very best place I've found for winter storage is a pit dug into the soil and covered with pine needles. A root must think it just belongs in the soil.

Steve

 

[897tgigvib]

While I was raking off the beds I found some round red turnips, watermelon radish, a long black spanish radish, and several white carrots from my rainbow mix. Nice little surprise!

Cuisine and gourmet descriptions to follow after I munch them down!

 

[Greenthumb18]

I have carrots left in the garden from last season too. It is the cold that gives sweetness to the carrots I find. Maybe thats why carrots grown in warmer states with no cold don't taste as sweet.... .

 

[so lucky]

Interesting...I wonder if next fall if I plant carrots, and intend to leave them in the ground, if a layer of compost or straw would help protect them if we do get a cold winter. (I just used "if" three times in one sentence.row lol)

 

[April Manier]

Over wintered carrots are really good. Be careful to eat them before they start sprouting white hairs. Then they are done!

 

[897tgigvib]

I found another one, next to 2 freckles lettuces. it looks like it sprouted recently.

 

[TanksHill]

I have carrots left in the garden from last season too. It is the cold that gives sweetness to the carrots I find. Maybe thats why carrots grown in warmer states with no cold don't taste as sweet.... .

Not to sure about that. I grow lots of carrots in raised beds. They taste great. Maybe it's a soil thing.

I have also left carrots over winter accidentally, but they usually get hairy.

Gina