[themoog]

Does anyone have a magic trick for pulling up large carrot thinnings without the folliage coming off and/or leaving half the carrot behind.

I've got some Amsterdam Sweetheart (or something like that) which I broadcast sowed. They've done really well in my raised beds and the soil is nice and sandy. But, even if I've watered the soil, I can't get the little blighters out. I've tried loosening the soil around with something thin like a screwdriver. If I use a trowel the carrots break apart and I'm having to dig up chuncks just to get to any decent ones. Even if I manage to excavate enough of the top to get a grip on them, there's no guarantee I'll succeed in getting a whole carrot up intact .

They need continuous thinning and my toddler is beginning to hear words that I don't really want in his vocabulary  . Any tips for winkling them out?

[Faz]

I give mine a jiggle from side to side before pulling and this seems to loosen them up and break their roots enough to get them out in one piece. Mine are short rooted though so that probably helps too!! 

[themoog]

Thanks, I'm thinking short-rooted too next year!

Off to give them a good jiggle 

[celjaci]

Just pulled my first today - wonderful.    No problems at all to pull and these were quite long - guess like a lot of things 'the answer lies in the soil'.

[themoog]

You might be right, I added a lot of sand to mine to improve drainage and help germination.

Maybe I overdid it!

[Bigbadfrankie]

I ease the ground with a fork