Thinning Carrots

[Masonmou]

Hi Everyone
Just wanted to share thoughts on thinning out carrots. The packet always says thin to x-spacing, but being miserly, it seems such a waste of healthy plants. I let mine grow and fight against eachother and when the time comes to thin out, I always take the biggest specimens out and leave the smaller ones to grow on. That way the thinnings are are large enough to eat and the rest get some room to grow afterwards. They may not be at equal spacings but, hey, who cares? Is this OK or am I reducing my overall crop by using this method?
Cheers
Masonmou

[stanhol]

Hi,

I am hoping this is right as it is exactly what i intend to do with a patch of carrots in my GH ! Yes in the GH! They did so badly last year in the open with the rain etc i sowed three different types in the GH, All romping away and no room to thin!
I have sown some and thinned in the garden which are 1/2 the size of the GH ones, they are a different type, but still no where near the vigour! The thinned ones are even smaller?????????
2nd year in to veggie growing and still no carrot to taste!

Good luck

Sandra

[Masonmou]

Hi
Funny cos I tried early carrots in my GH & they were a complete failure. Outside only for me, I'm afraid but good luck with yours!

[Cloud]

I do the same,let them fight for space then pull a few for baby carrots then leave the rest in to mature into large carrots for winter use.

[markwcel]

we just let ours fight for space and thin by eating the biggest ones

[lynda66]

well i've planted hundreds of everything (can you tell i'm not expecting anything to actually grow) so if this plan works and they do actually do something, i guess thats how mine will work too

[zazen999]

I never thin carrots; just let them push each other apart and take single carrots from the pile and leave the other sot grow on. I deliberately now sow mine in pinches so that they grow in bunches; for this very reason.

[pjh75]

My theory too... and having tried numerous times to get them to germinate it would be criminal to waste any .

[gojiberry]

I think most people thin by taking the biggest to start with, it gives you an earlier harvest and does not affect the winter crop to any extent. I would think the only people who thin to leave the biggest and strongest is the show bench people who are after the biggest in class. Have started using the pot grown carrots and am pleased with the crop.

Ian