overwintered carrots

[jacob]

I sowed a late crop of carrots at the end of last summer in a containers, hope to get an end of season bonus. It turned out I'd left it far too late and there was nothing to eat.

However, said pot of carrots is still alive and well and apparently growing. I was kind of expecting them to bolt, but so far (OK, it's early) no signs.

Should I eat the micro carrots now as a novelty veg, or hold on in the hope that they will continue to swell, not bolt and give me a proper crop?

[roitelet]

Carrots are bi annual so they will bolt this year. Enjoy the micro carrots now!

[vixylix]

or wait and save the seeds?

[Alison]

or wait and save the seeds?

You want to save seeds from your strongest plants, not the runts so I wouldn't advise it.

[Paulieb]

I would expect once the weather warms up they will begin to grow a seed head rather than bulk up the root.

However, onion sets for instance (another biennial plant), are grown to a small size in the first year then grow a big onion in the second year. Some obviously bolt but others would only seed in a third year if left to grow!!

It would be interesting to see if they all go to seed quite quickly or if the root isn't large enough to induce seed production would it grow a bigger root?

[planetologist]

Carrots bloom after Queen Anne's Lace. I think that's not until June. So there is time yet. To save seeds from them should be fine (they are small because you sowed them late, not because they have a poor genotype), you'll need to leave at least 6 carrots to minimize inbreeding.