Sowing & Growing

Achieving success with root vegetables hinges on the quality of the soil, making it worthwhile to invest time in preparing your patch. Begin by digging over the soil in late winter or early spring, meticulously removing stones and working the soil until it achieves 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 improve drainage. Once the seedlings display their initial rough leaves, thin them to 5cm (2in) between plants.

Carrot seeds dislike drying out and have a slow germination process (14 to 21 days). If sowing 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, reducing competition and facilitating rapid growth to harvest size. While the plants require little attention during growth, ensure they are well-watered, as insufficient water can lead to coarse, woody roots.

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

Regarding 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.