Sowing & Growing

Achieving success with root vegetables is highly dependent on soil quality, making it worthwhile to invest time in preparing your patch. Commence the process by digging over the soil in late winter or early spring, meticulously removing stones and working the soil until it attains a fine, crumbly texture. Alternatively, if your soil isn’t ideal, consider preparing a sizable container. Avoid adding manure, as it can render the soil overly rich for the seeds.

For sowing, adopt a successive approach from March to August. Although carrot seeds are small, it’s advisable to plant them as thinly as possible to minimize subsequent thinning and potential pest risks. Mix the seeds with a handful of sharp sand before sowing to enhance drainage. Once the seedlings display their initial rough leaves, thin them to 5cm (2in) between plants.

Aftercare is crucial, as carrot seeds dislike drying out and have a slow germination process (14 to 21 days). When sowing seeds in summer, maintain moisture by placing wet newspaper on top of the damp soil. After the seedlings exhibit their first rough leaves, further thin them to 10cm apart, minimizing competition and enabling the carrots to grow rapidly to harvest size. While the plants require little attention during their growth period, ensure they are well-watered, as insufficient water can lead to coarse, woody roots.

Harvesting occurs from June to October. Start pulling up carrots as soon as they reach an edible size, preferably in the evening to deter carrot fly. Late-sown carrots intended for winter storage must be lifted by October. Keep in mind that winter carrots take a bit longer to mature than their summer counterparts.

Concerning overwintering, the planting window for carrots is quite broad. If planting for a winter crop, ensure early planting to guarantee full maturity before winter. Overwintered carrots can remain in the ground, ready to be dug up as needed. By April, dig up any remaining overwintered carrots to prevent them from restarting their growth.