Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: penance on February 06, 2009, 19:36

Title: Carrots for pots
Post by: penance on February 06, 2009, 19:36

I've been chatting to my sister, who has no interest in gardening of any type and so has a garden size patio. She thinks im an old fogey because i go to garden centers, she's 43 and 5 years older than me :dry:

Anyway, it turns out her two young daughters love carrots, her nieghbour grows veg and passes nice fresh carrots over the fence for the girls to munch.

I have managed to persuade sister that she can grow carrots in pots for her daughters, Result!!!

Now, i have only ever grown carrots in beds and have no idea what varieties are good for pots. I'm thinking a few 12" pots with some multi purpose compost. They don't want big crops, just the idea of the girls growing a few of there own.

I know i can read the catalogues and they'll tell me what they think is good for pots but I think it better to hear the views of people that have actually done it.

So, whats your thoughts, what carrot seed should I be getting for them??
What growing medium would you use in a pot?
Am I an old fogey?

Title: Re: Carrots for pots
Post by: mumofstig on February 06, 2009, 20:11

I like these
http://www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk/acatalog/New_Vegetable_Seeds_CARROT.html#a0131B (http://www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk/acatalog/New_Vegetable_Seeds_CARROT.html#a0131B)

No way are you an old fogey, just cos you want to grow decent veg. I use multipurpose compo with a some soil sieved in. Don't forget to cover against fly or put them up higher than couple of foot. Think they'd probably like a deeper container tho...i grow mine in tubs about 16 in deep. If you haven't got anything deeper you could try the little round carrots  http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/catalogue/product/2534-1/ (http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/catalogue/product/2534-1/)

Good luck

Title: Re: Carrots for pots
Post by: Duracell on February 06, 2009, 20:14

I bought some parmex which grow round rather than long and am going to try those in pots this year. They seem to be recomended most places I looked and are quite fast maturing so good for kids. Last years crop was pretty bad of regular carrots in pots, can't remember what type they were though.

Title: Re: Carrots for pots
Post by: azubah on February 06, 2009, 20:19

Sounds like you are a young fogey, penance. You have to be at least 90 to be an old fogey. What is a fogey anyway?

I grow Flak carrots in an old water tank from a house loft. I get a very good crop with no carrot fly in them. I use bought compost from a garden centre so the carrots are clean and can be pulled out with the fingers.

Title: Re: Carrots for pots
Post by: vegmandan on February 06, 2009, 22:18

Amsterdam Forcing are a pretty small variety which should do ok in pots. :)

Title: Re: Carrots for pots
Post by: Stripey_cat on February 07, 2009, 13:43

Parmex do fine in normal window boxes, so 12" is plenty of depth.  I'd be tempted to try some Amsterdam Forcing types too.