Carrots

[brownfingers]

Not my own carrots, which aren't ready yet, but shop bought ones. I don't seem to be able to store them successfully. I've tried leaving them out in a veg rack in the kitchen. I've tried the salad drawer in the fridge. I've tried them in those net bags. Every time it's the same thing. Within 2 days they start to go manky and soft. Am I missing out on something simple?

[Shadylane]

Do you store them in a bag? I find they keep ages if kept in a plastic bag in the salad draw, not sealed though. It stops them drying out and going soft.

[Goldcrest]

All my veg and soft fruit goes in with a piece of kitchen roll in plastic bags in the fridge. I've just checked and everything from last week is fine (apart from the mushrooms - oops)

[brownfingers]

It doesn't seem to matter what I do. I bought some last Friday, used some for Sunday dinner, by Tuesday they were starting to go soft and manky at the ends, shortly to be followed by the rest ofthe carrot.

[Alison]

Can you store your home grown ones? If so then they might just be rubbish quality ones you're buying (it's not always obvious to look at them), if you're buying from a supermarket then you might be better buying from a market / farm if possible or a decent greengrocer if you have one. I've probably not bought carrots for about 5 years but do remember that they were always somewhat different from the ones I grow myself - not sure if this is due to the varieties or storage.

[Bill HH]

Don't forget, shop bought carrots may have been out of the ground for weeks if not months. But you need to store them in a way that retains moisture, inside a fridge can be a very dry and dehydrating place. So yes in the fridge but also within an open bag.

[brownfingers]

I've tried them in those net bags which are supposed to keep food fresh. Not having much sucess lately. I do'nt remember it being a problem in the past.

ALI: I buy my carrots from a local farm shop.

[Alison]

ALI: I buy my carrots from a local farm shop.

Dunno then, my theory of blaming the supermarkets doesn't work for once . I just store mine either in the ground or in brown paper bags on a rack under the stairs, works for me, never even considered putting root veg in the fridge (believe me, there really isn't room!)

[brownfingers]

I may have made a ground breaking discovery. A few of days ago, I planted the remnants of what was left of the last batch of carrots in a raised bed where I usually grow carrots. There was just a bit of space left, so I thought I'd try it. I pulled one just a few minutes ago. It was absolutely covered in really fine white hairlike roots. The skin had gone a sort of streaky purple. The carrot itself was very solid with no soft manky patches. I peeled and scoffed it. It was fine.

[brownfingers]

Those carrots I buried are still fine!

[brownfingers]

Carrots now mush.

[GrowMoon]

Oh dear! I hope you work out how to store your carrots!

[sparrow100]

All my veg and soft fruit goes in with a piece of kitchen roll in plastic bags in the fridge. I've just checked and everything from last week is fine (apart from the mushrooms - oops)

I only came across this last year and it's a brilliant tip - I use a damp piece or two of kitchen roll in the plastic bag with the veg and have kept veg (carrots/cukes) fresh and crisp for a couple of weeks. I have no idea why it works, but it does.

[Martin H]

I only came across this last year and it's a brilliant tip - I use a damp piece or two of kitchen roll in the plastic bag with the veg and have kept veg (carrots/cukes) fresh and crisp for a couple of weeks. I have no idea why it works, but it does.

It works really well with lettuce too.