Growing really good carrots.

[Aberdeenplotter]

now as promised for VC.

below is the mix I use to grow carrots for exhibition. Others use different mixes but mine works for me.

You don't need to exhibit what you grow.

I punch a hole 18" deep in a raised bed(my soil is not that deep) with a pinch bar and make the hole about 3" in diameter. Holes about 6" apart. To fill, cut a 3" diameter hole in a sheet of polythene/cardboard/builders damp proof membrane/whatever and place over the hole. Place compost on sheet and push compost into the hole and firm with a piece of wood.

sow 3 - 4 seeds per station and thin to one later.

Important. Cover with fleece or environmesh from square 1.If you want to grow a really good quality carrot, buy sweet candle seed. T&M stock it. Beautiful carrot in terms of taste.

2 buckets peat
1 bucket sand
3 ozs Superphosphate
3 ozs Sulphate of potash
2 ozs calcified seaweed
2 ozs epsom salts or kersarite
2 ozs lime

[Verinda]

I'm going to try this mix in my newest raised border, its quite small and has no filling yet, my soil is a bit heavy and my carrots weren't the best last year. Thank you for sharing AP x

[veggiechicken]

Thank you Ap xxx
I may try this in big pots as I don't have any depth of soil - anywhere - but I'm working on it

[Aberdeenplotter]

VC, some folks cut a large blue barrel in half and cut out the ends. Fill with soil/sand and make the planting stations as normal

[veggiechicken]

First find your blue barrels That's one thing I've never managed to scrounge!

[Aberdeenplotter]

what a pity you don't live in sunny Aberdeen

[Thelma Sanders]

Can't seem to buy peat for love nor money lately.
(I know some people will say this is a good thing )

[Aberdeenplotter]

This last year, the weather just wasn't dry enough to allow enough peat to be harvested to cope with the usual demand. Such peat as was harvested is wet and very heavy and the size of bale of peat being sold has been reduced because of health and safety concerns. The smaller bales are still being sold at the original price which I guess is just natural law of supply and demand.

The amount of peat used for horticulture in the UK is a mere fraction of that burned in power stations in Ireland

[Potstubsdustbins]

Or sold as briquettes for the fire.

Potty

[Potstubsdustbins]

VC last year my paper shredder went pop so grew carrots in the plastic bucket type thingie that used to collect the paper. Gives a working depth of about 15 inches.

Potty

[SarzWix]

If you're just growing for the kitchen rather than exhibition, flower buckets aren't a bad size either

[Aberdeenplotter]

Remember also that there are golf ball shaped carrots available in most seed catalogues that need very little depth to grow.