[Bluedave]

here comes another question (or two!)

I've read conflicting advice on the spacing of carrots - how far apart should they be grown? Also how many carrots should you expect in a crop?

Last one for now - if you have limited space is it better to grow them in tubs to save space on the plot? How does this effect the crop (size, quantity, taste etc) and what sort of tub? Could I make a 'tub' from some old pallets (alright it would be a square wooden tub but hey.....?)

cheers

[Bombers]

Hello Bluedave. Well, from my limited knowledge I would say that it makes little difference thinning out Carrots to be honest. My biggest Carrott this year was surrounded by tiny carrots,tight up against the timber around the edge of the raised bed. :wacko:I think they make their own minds up how much space they need, and If you like small carrots, then thin them out as and when you need them.

Last one for now - if you have limited space is it better to grow them in tubs to save space on the plot? How does this effect the crop (size, quantity, taste etc) and what sort of tub? Could I make a 'tub' from some old pallets (alright it would be a square wooden tub but hey.....?)

cheers

I grew enough in a 4ft sq raised bed area for us, but we don't eat that many. Personally, I wouldn't grow them in tubs, because they need a good depth for the tap root to develop. But I know plenty of people do, and if raised 2ft or more above ground level can deter the fly. Good luck.

[Bluedave]

Cheers Bomber,

So in the ground it is then - how many carrots do people expect from a crop? I'm looking at a row about 5m (16.5') but could increase or decrease that depending on how many you get - there's 5 of us (alright 2 of us are big people, 2 little people (who sometimes eat like big people!) and 1 tiny person) and we all love carrots!

[Bozwell]

Hi Bluedave
I have built myself a raised brick carrot bed it is 3 feet tall out side, inside I filled up with a foot of broken brick and stuff for drainage. It is 6 feet long and 4 feet wide.
I fill it up with composted bark which I find low in nutrients to stop the carrots forking and very fine so that they send down perfectly straight tap roots. In march I sow two rows of the nantes type carrot fly resistant variety and then every two or three weeks after I will sow another two rows until  the end of may when the bed is full.
The first few rows are ready to pick the thinning's and use as whole carrots leaving spacings of 3 inches of those you leave to grow on. keep doing this in the 2 week intervals that you sowed until you reach the last row. By this time the ones that you left to grow on are ready to harvest, again in two week successions.
this keeps me in carrots all through the season and quite a few for store at the end to last through the winter.
I do though change the compost every year in this bed to prevent the chances of carrot fly attack. The compost I remove improves the soil elsewhere in the lottie/garden.
We are carrot lovers and have found this method fool proof and highly rewarding.