[Broadhaven]

First time grower of anything!! Just looked at my carrots and wow I can see orange coming through the soil.

I am so proud!! 

Is it time to pull some of them up now?

[barney rubble]

When were they planted - you might need to cover the tops to make sure you don't end up with green tops

[Ice]

Have a furtle.  You can eat them at any stage and they will be the best carrots you ever tasted.

[Broadhaven]

I started them off in the greenhouse early March, but can't remember when I planted them out. If it helps the tops measure 15inc or 38 cm.

[barney rubble]

unless you believe in old wives tales the top don't necessarily measure up with whats down below

Like Ice says, you can pull them anytime, and yes they will be the best you've ever had. Try one and see, and if you want bigger ones just leave them for longer

[Broadhaven]

What a laugh I have just had with my hubby.

Decided to have a furtle!!! and I did say at the start of planting that I would be lucky to get anything as the soil was not fine.

Well its certainly got a good top, but underneath its about 2 inches

Its a bit knarled looking but hey with the right soil its has proved that I can grow them.

Hubby just pulled bag of carrots out from fridge and said, Never mind we can always have these!!  cheeky boy!!!

[barney rubble]

Bet the 2 inches still tastes better tho

Best not to comment on chilled conditions....

[Ice]

I grow mine in a 50/50 mix of compost and sharp sand in B&Q plastic crates.  Never had any luck in my ordinary soil.

[Bozwell]

Try growing your carrots in composted bark. This stuff consistently produces the finest straight rooted carrots you will ever have seen.

[hamstergbert]

started them off in the greenhouse early March, but can't remember when I planted them out

Might be a clue there - very hard to transplant taproot crops (carrots, parsnips etc) without getting some degree of gnarliness introduced during the process.

Try chucking in some more seed direct into similar ground and see what happens - clue as to whether the problem is the soil structure for next year if nothing else.

My late dad's sneaky trick, for what it is worth: if you need to transplant taprooters (or want to transplant early thinnings) you may wish to try laying a strip of folded newsprint flat alongside where you want to insert 'em, with soil/compost layer on it, place your thinnings flat on the soil/compost, root straight across.  When the row is filled, more soil/compost on top and then more newsprint.  Effectively a seedling sandwich. Use the newsprint to carefully ease the whole thing down into a narrow trench in the desired spot, easing the sandwich upright and backfill outboard of the newsprint.  Finally either gently tease the newsprint out or simply leave it to be broken down.   No guarantees but seems to reduce the risk of introducing kinks.

[Broadhaven]

Thanks for all the advise.

I did plant my first lot in toilet tubes in the greenhouse and then into the ground. This is the one that I have just dug up. (By the way just eaten my attempt raw and what bit I had did taste good  )

The second lot I put the seeds straight into the ground and I have now just sowed some more this time with some sand and compost, once again in toilet rolls.

If nothing else this growing lark is about never giving up and if at first you don't succeed try and try again. 

[Kristen]

My Carrot Furtling Method is to just rub away the soil from the shoulders of the carrot root, and see what the diameter is. The length is normally proportionate to the diameter