Overwintering carrots

[Ovce domácí]

Overwintering a couple of rows carrots this winter to gather some seed next year.

Just pulled one today and it was in good shape, thankfully, no critters eating it like some we have had.

But the tops are starting to get a bit exposed, the soil has eroded an inch or two from where the leaves sprout leaving the tops exposed.

Should I earth them up a bit?

[sparrow100]

If they are just for seed I can't see the problem in exposed shoulders. You won't be eating the roots after all. (Am standing by to be corrected... )

[Nicos]

Remember carrot seed is best the following year...and maybe the next- do you really need to leave 2 rows to go to seed????

[Ovce domácí]

When googleing this the first thing that came up about earthing up was a post on here from 2009 I think Ill earth them up with compost and mulch.

The most recent ones on the internal search were mostly about Carrot Fly which I dont think we get here yet. In laws have been growing carrots for years without CF and the Mrs had never heard of it.

If they are just for seed I can't see the problem in exposed shoulders. You won't be eating the roots after all. (Am standing by to be corrected... )

Im hoping to get away with eating them as well, if they flower and I get my seed before next years carrots bear fruit.

Remember carrot seed is best the following year...and maybe the next- do you really need to leave 2 rows to go to seed????

A third year? I understood that you plant them this year, eat some, leave some. The ones you leave till next Spring will flower, you gather the seed heads and you are good to go.

Also read the more carrots left the better so when the bees pollinate them they wont get inbred. Its not been a massive hardship to leave 2 rows for seeds. Ive never seen so many carrots in my life as this year, havent bought any from the shop for half a year, we still have one big freezer draw full and we eat a fair amount twice a week. Caught Bugs Bunny trying to break in last night...

[Zelenina]

Hi OD. I also want to save seeds from carrots I grew this year, so I was looking for the same information recently. They can sometimes be kept in the ground successfully over winter, and it's recommended to protect them with a thick mulch if you want to do that. But for seed saving it's generally recommended to dig them up and store them indoors for the winter, and replant them in the spring. This reduces the risk of losing them to harsh winters or hungry creatures. And it also allows you to select only the best roots to produce seed from so you get better carrots in future years. This is the method I'm trying because I only have a few of them and they are rare varieties. But if you have a lot of carrots you could try half in the ground and half dug up to see which works out best. Here's a good video showing you how to do it. https://youtu.be/8D5TZbbRnJw

[Zelenina]

No you can't eat the same carrots you save seed from. Though some seed savers and breeders cut off a small bit to check that they taste good and have the right colour inside. Best to dig them all up, keep the best looking ones for seed, and store the rest for eating.

[sparrow100]

When googleing this the first thing that came up about earthing up was a post on here from 2009 I think Ill earth them up with compost and mulch.

The most recent ones on the internal search were mostly about Carrot Fly which I dont think we get here yet. In laws have been growing carrots for years without CF and the Mrs had never heard of it.

Im hoping to get away with eating them as well, if they flower and I get my seed before next years carrots bear fruit.

If they have flowered they will probably be no use for eating. Most of the root's energy will have gone into producing the flower and the seed. If you do try it, let us know what they taste like. Though I think you'll find that by the time they have flowered and the ripe seed is ready to harvest the next sowing of seeds will be ready to pick. It takes a lot longer than you think.

[Ovce domácí]

In the end we ended up with 37 pulled up carrots in good shape to store and replant in Spring, left about 20 in the ground so hopefully will end up with a fair amount that doesnt rot or gets eaten to make some seed with a decent gene pool.

We still had two wash bowls full of not the best and half eaten carrots for chopping and freezing from this exercise and we havent ate what we harvested in autumn still.

So it doesnt look like we will be able to eat what we leave and they should go to seed in mid-June I believe.

[lottie dolly]

that sounds interesting,a good video find Zelenina,will have to dig up the Norfolk giants,it will also get another bed prepared for the true spring,

[Snadger]

Hi OD. I also want to save seeds from carrots I grew this year, so I was looking for the same information recently. They can sometimes be kept in the ground successfully over winter, and it's recommended to protect them with a thick mulch if you want to do that. But for seed saving it's generally recommended to dig them up and store them indoors for the winter, and replant them in the spring. This reduces the risk of losing them to harsh winters or hungry creatures. And it also allows you to select only the best roots to produce seed from so you get better carrots in future years. This is the method I'm trying because I only have a few of them and they are rare varieties. But if you have a lot of carrots you could try half in the ground and half dug up to see which works out best. Here's a good video showing you how to do it. https://youtu.be/8D5TZbbRnJw

What a cracking little video!

[Snadger]

that sounds interesting,a good video find Zelenina,will have to dig up the Norfolk giants,it will also get another bed prepared for the true spring,

I've never even seen Norfolk Giant carrot seed for sale. Can you recommend them LD as I might give them a try

[lottie dolly]

this is the first time i have grown them,they do taste nice,some are large,some are not,i dug em all out this afternoon,will wash em off a bit tomoz,and put a pic up for you,with a measure,so you can see for yourself,
i got them from wilko,front of pkt says carrot large,the back says norfolk giant 2,i have other varieties for next year,i hope to do as the video says,these i will put down the lottie on their own under a curtain netting,

[Snadger]

this is the first time i have grown them,they do taste nice,some are large,some are not,i dug em all out this afternoon,will wash em off a bit tomoz,and put a pic up for you,with a measure,so you can see for yourself,
i got them from wilko,front of pkt says carrot large,the back says norfolk giant 2,i have other varieties for next year,i hope to do as the video says,these i will put down the lottie on their own under a curtain netting,

Managed to get a hold of a packet of Norfolk Giant today at Wilco's along with Nantes and Autumn King. I'll give them all a trial back to back this year!

[Bigmallly]

I've never even seen Norfolk Giant carrot seed for sale.

Must be an age thing Snadge:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ots_12784.html