Permanent carrot/parsnip bed

[tootles]

I have just built a huge cold frame to replace my greenhouse. It occured to me that, as my soil is very stoney, it would be a good idea to build another to serve as a permanent raised carrot parsnip bed. I could replace the soil easily each year. What would be a good depth though?? My planks are about 8" wide - would that do?? I have lots of chantenay seed, are there stumpy parsnip varieties too?

[bluemoon]

I've never had much success with carrots or parsnips due to the soil. I've been given two baths by my daughter (her old one and her first new one which the plumber cracked) so I'm hoping to have more success with those. I have grown chantenay carrots in a small raised bed which I use for salad crops, the bed itself is about 9 inches deep, but I suppose the soil depth is only about 7 inches.

[Eyren]

My raised bed is only 6" high - a single tier of Link-a-Bord - over hard stony clay soil (the typical compacted stuff you get an a recent-ish housing estate) and I got a great crop of Early Nantes last year. Mostly baby ones, but that was my intention. Chantenay did well on the lottie (well, the ones that didn't get mown down by slugs!), which is also quite clayey. Don't know about parsnips, though, as this will be my first year growing them.

[Two_Sheds]

What I did last year that worked really well was to sow into big pots (Morrison buckets) of multi-purpose, and then bury these in the ground (so they don't dry out).

Or, did a trench and fill it with multi-purpose and sow into that. Could be expensive unless you have lots of old compost to use up.

[Snadger]

I have two deep beds (and by deep I mean 18" high!) I've grown carrots in one and leeks and onions in the other for the last two years. Both have born good crops.
One is narrow (the carrot bed) and one is wide(the allium bed). This year I am widening the carrot bed so they are both about 4 foot X 18 foot.

Not wanting to push my luck as far as crop rotation is concerned I will grow alliums in carrot bed and vice versa, alternating each year.

This should mean I can muck the proposed allium bed for that year and by the second year when it will have carrots in it the muck will have dissipated.

At least that's the plan!

[Mike and Louise]

Our raised beds are 6" deep, but then of course you got the main soil underneath the 6" of compost.

We have grown 'Supreme Chantenay Red Cored' in them for 3 yrs now and had very good success.

[jaykay]

I have two deep beds (and by deep I mean 18" high!) I've grown carrots in one and leeks and onions in the other for the last two years. Both have born good crops.
One is narrow (the carrot bed) and one is wide(the allium bed). This year I am widening the carrot bed so they are both about 4 foot X 18 foot.

Not wanting to push my luck as far as crop rotation is concerned I will grow alliums in carrot bed and vice versa, alternating each year.

This should mean I can muck the proposed allium bed for that year and by the second year when it will have carrots in it the muck will have dissipated.

At least that's the plan!

I'm thinking about doing this, although my beds will not be as deep to start with. I'd be interested to find out how Snadger got on this year. Did the plan work? Any extra tips? Thanks,

[Snadger]

I'm thinking about doing this, although my beds will not be as deep to start with. I'd be interested to find out how Snadger got on this year. Did the plan work? Any extra tips? Thanks,

Thanks for asking jaykay! Ok, the new carrot bed has performed really well. I've been harvesting (mainly Autum King)carrots every week for about the last 6 weeks. Its still enshrouded in enviromesh and I don't think I've used 10% of the carrots in it yet. I shall keep harvesting weekly (using carrots within a few hours if possible, it really does make a difference to the taste!) throughout the winter until the carrots start to go 'hairy' in about Mar/April when they start putting down new roots and preparing themselves to flower and set seed (carrots are biennial).
Once I've cleared, dug the bed over and exposed it to the elements for a while, I intend trying a second year of carrots in the same bed, then the following year revert to the original bed.
The original bed has been 'pocket planted' this year with a variety of veg and flowers including,courgette,sweet corn,cauli's,chrysanthemums,leeks, swedes and onions, some of which are still being cropped. The pocket planting is an ongoing mission and who knows what will be grown in it this coming year!
The key to good carrots in my neck of the woods is covering in enviromesh 24/7 (at least 2 foot high) and in my case the easiest solution was a purpose made bed!

[jaykay]

Good to know it worked. You've also answered another question for me - how long can carrots stay in the ground!

The soil on my plot is heavy clay, so I thought it would easier to keep using the beds where I've actually grown edible carrots for the first time. I can see how rotating every other year will be better, and the pocket planting idea uses a range of crops.

I'd better get the enviromesh ready!

[Geordie]

A few years ago when a new housing estate near to me was being built I 'acquired' some large plastic pipe (about 2' diameter) I sawed it into 3' lengths (1' below ground for stability). I use these for growing carrots and parsnips as I have quite heavy clay soil. The pipes were filled with a 70/30 mix of sand and mp compost, but I only replace the mix completely every four years or so. Each year the pipes just need a bit of topping up to maintain levels. I seem to have suffered no ill effects by using the same growing medium for a few years but I do water with comfry and occasionaly tomato food to give a nutrient boost when they are growing. By getting the pipes away from ground level by 2' carrot fly have never been a problem. (touch wood )

[gojiberry]

I am still experimenting with a bed system for carrots. I have tried a permanent bed surrounded by 2'6" of enviromesh but found it impossible to weed. Planted in the open this year and must have been lucky with the timing as there is no fly in the row. Have a couple of 45gal blue drums that I am going to use for some large carrots.

Ian