should I harvest carrrots now or wait til october?

[wiswash]

I started harvesting carrots for freezing. Is it better if I wait til october (zone 4) I just thought if I wait then they get tougher or more starchy. Thanks.

 

[vfem]

I like to harvest fresh carrots as they are extra sweet... I always leave some to get to the full size and extra crunchy for storage for the winter. I am just planting some more now, and with our mild winters I should be pulling some in December

 

[lesa]

Have you had any luck freezing carrots? I used my pressure canner and they came out great. They are also good keepers if you have a place to store them. I harvest some of mine early- to eat, and let the rest go for a fall harvest. Never had a problem with them being woody... Good luck!

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

A lady I work with says that she presserves her carrots by getting a box deep enough for the carrots, filling the box with sand, and then stands the carrots in the dirt. She says that when she wants some, she just goes down in her basement and gets some out of the box. Says that they are wonderful throughout the winter. As a side note, she also wraps tomatoes individually in newspaper and puts them in a box in the basement. Says they keep and are just like fresh tomatoes for months after. Maybe worth experimenting with.

 

[Carol Dee]

A lady I work with says that she presserves her carrots by getting a box deep enough for the carrots, filling the box with sand, and then stands the carrots in the dirt. She says that when she wants some, she just goes down in her basement and gets some out of the box. Says that they are wonderful throughout the winter. As a side note, she also wraps tomatoes individually in newspaper and puts them in a box in the basement. Says they keep and are just like fresh tomatoes for months after. Maybe worth experimenting with.

I am going to asume her basement is on the cool dry side ! Like an old root cellar.

 

[wiswash]

Thanks all for the tips. Looks like I will freeze half and the other half store in dry sand in the basement. Sounds interesting.

 

[digitS']

You might also use about the same technique as sand in the basement and just put them together in a hole in the garden:

After shoveling soil back on top, pine needles piled over the top make for a good insulated covering.

Steve

 

[i_am2bz]

As a side note, she also wraps tomatoes individually in newspaper and puts them in a box in the basement. Says they keep and are just like fresh tomatoes for months after. Maybe worth experimenting with.

We used to do that too (when I had a basement) & had 'maters for much of the winter.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

A lady I work with says that she presserves her carrots by getting a box deep enough for the carrots, filling the box with sand, and then stands the carrots in the dirt. She says that when she wants some, she just goes down in her basement and gets some out of the box. Says that they are wonderful throughout the winter. As a side note, she also wraps tomatoes individually in newspaper and puts them in a box in the basement. Says they keep and are just like fresh tomatoes for months after. Maybe worth experimenting with.

I am going to asume her basement is on the cool dry side ! Like an old root cellar.

Carol, I think your right about the liking to a root cellar. Mine is like that and we live relatively in the same area. I'm going to try it this year and see what happens! I like Steves idea too, but am too lazy to go out walking through snow up to my knees to dig carrots out. A trip to the basement I can handle!

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

As a side note, she also wraps tomatoes individually in newspaper and puts them in a box in the basement. Says they keep and are just like fresh tomatoes for months after. Maybe worth experimenting with.

We used to do that too (when I had a basement) & had 'maters for much of the winter.

Hmmm....good to know! It is nice when you know that more then one person has done this with success!