[Kajazy]

Ok, ok, I know all good organic gardeners (one day, that might even include me!) should just grow what their soil is adapted to BUT - given that carrots are the ONE veggie my kids LOVE (and yes, I've told them all the usual lies about seeing in the dark etc), please, please help me grow them on my particularly stony and clayey ground...
what can I do to make it work???
I'm willing to try most things...

[Yorkie]

Perhaps prepare a trench before you sow the seeds?  Dig out the stony soil to the depth of the spade, perhaps about 6" across.  Improve or replace with compost / sieved soil / some sand (depends on how clayey the soil is - it isn't necessary a complete barrier). Sow onto that re-filled trench.

[Kajazy]

Well that sounds surprisingly straightforward! Thank you. I was worried about adding compost because all the literature screams at you NOT to add things to the soil to make it too rich - I guess compost is quite mild compared to manure. Will give your tip a go - thank you!

[Trillium]

I was going to suggest the same thing as Yorkie but she was faster   

[DD.]

You can also try growing them in deep pots of compost, or shallow rooted ones like Parmex.

[mumofstig]

I grow mine in deep 30Lt containers filled with a mix of old used multi purpose compost and sieved earth - werks fer me!

[sunshineband]

The clay soil is less of a problem than the stones tbh


(Says she who has clay with stones  )
 

Everytime I prepare a bed, I take out buckets full of stones -- one day I shall be able to grow carrots without trenching and creatin something special  :blink: :blink:

[Christine]

I'm with mum. The compost is always useful at the end of the season for improving the clay here - could have made bricks out of mine when I first took the plot.  Be a few years before I can say that it's not going to need extra help.

[TerryB]

My soil is clay with a lots of stones, so I form a V shaped trench by pushing the spade into the ground then pulling it back and forward untill the V shape is formed. When the length of the bed is complete I fill the V with a sieved mix of compost and sharp sand. Its just as Yorkie said but without digging out the trench so less compost and sharp sand required.
Don't forget to cover them with some form of net to stop the CF.   

[Carrot Man]

Some good tips above

If you are only growing to eat, try this tip. I did this on my allotment and had some fantastic size and great tasting carrots

Core a hole 2' deep and 6" apart I use a potato planter and pull the soil out.
Then fill the hole with some compost. Plant 4-5 seeds per hole
Thin down to 2 then to 1
It's a similar method to when you grow for show but without all the technical stuff and mixes
You'll be pleasantly surprised

[Kajazy]

Wow! That's some seriously long carrots...! Thank you for all the tips - I was so eager, I went up to the allotment today to have a scratch around...huh!...fat chance....everything frozen SOLID!

[Carrot Man]

These are big carrots
These were approx 5'

[Kajazy]

Wow!!

I'm seriously impressed...

[Carrot Man]

They were ok
They won the NVS Southern National Championships

[Carrot Man]

If you want to know how to grow them, take a look at the growing tips on this site

Here is a link to save you navigating back through

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable-show/growing-show-long-carrots.php