[hubballi]

I planted Early Nantes carrots in March in a raised bed and have just pulled some. They are very short and stubby with some forking. I have watered and looked after them but why so small ?

[Ice]

According to Doc Hessayon poor soil condition is most likely to blame.  He also says that if they grow slowly you can spray with a foliar feed or water one in.

[Spana]

Is the soil in the raised bed too shallow.  Is it a new bed that you have placed on the ground and filled with soil?  If yes then perhaps the seedling carrots went through the new soft soil, hit the old ground and didn't think too much to it, if you get my drift
Shame tho after you looked after them.

[garddwr]

The only other thing I can think of is manure.

Was there any manure added to the bed or soil ?

[Ice]

Forgot to say the soil in my raised carrot bed is 50/50 bought cheap compost and sharp sand.  Worked a treat as my ordinary soil is heavy clay and never produced a carrot at all.

[Kagganz]

I'm with you Huballi, mine seem to take ages to grow, and even when they do are disappointing.  I've tried them everywhere in the garden to find a spot they like.  I thin them etc. 

I fancy trying the ones that are already sowed on tape next year.  Has anyone tried these?

xx

[DD.]

I don't thin mine.

I don't water mine.

The thinking on the latter is that if there's plenty of moisture near the surface, why bother putting a root downwards to find it?

These carrots were pulled up exactly 4 weeks ago now.

[garddwr]

I don't thin mine.

I don't water mine.

The thinking on the latter is that if there's plenty of moisture near the surface, why bother putting a root downwards to find it?

These carrots were pulled up exactly 4 weeks ago now.

You don't thin ?

I thought you had to thin to give them enough growing space and stop them forking, but obviously by the look of your carrots there's no need.

But are you really good at neat sowing and even distribuiton of seeds ?

Garddwr

[DD.]

But are you really good at neat sowing and even distribuiton of seeds ?

Garddwr

You have to be joking - with 5 thumbs on each hand?

I try to sow fairly thinly, but fail!  What you see there came out of a fork's width of soil.

Whilst not sandy, the soil's reasonably light and they push each other aside.

No thinning means less root disturbance and less carrot fly attraction.

[hubballi]

The raised bed was the old lawn and I didn't treat it with manure or anything beforehand as I only decided to build it around March. Beetroot are there and they are very big. I could manure it in the winter but I need the space for cabbages over winter. How do I get round this ?

I have some flyaway carrots in a tub that has sand/soil and compost mixed. They are very slow growing too. I also have another salad raised bed with 100% garden compost in. That has those small ball type carrots growing. Again, they are still tiny after a couple of months.

[missycat]

Right now I'd be happy with short stubby carrots, my first two sowings didn't even appear and my third sowing is looking pretty thin but I will not be defeated by a vegetable... The only carrot (yes 1) I've had this year was a seediling I found in  tray of plants (given by a friend) which I stuck in my herb garden because I hate to throw anything away!!

[digalotty]

im growing the globe golf ball ones in a large container should i thin them to allow growth as i sprinkled the  seeds all over and some are very close should i allow atleast 2inch between them

[hubballi]

I have got some Flyaway in a container in sand/soil/compost and they still have no root formation. To top it all the tops have been eaten off by good old slugs who have basically won for yet another year.

I will just have to face the fact that me and carrots don't mix.

[Carrie3]

I didn't thin my carrots either, and they don't look half as good as those!!

Kagganz - I tried seed tapes, they were rubbish and more expensive!  I didn't get any carrots and only got three parsnips! I won't bother again!

Carrie xx

[Sharonx]

According to Doc Hessayon poor soil condition is most likely to blame.  He also says that if they grow slowly you can spray with a foliar feed or water one in.

Ice, what is foliar feed if you don't mind me asking? Mine are a very poor size at the moment. I wondered because I had grown Autumn King 2 they wouldn't be a decent size until around Autumn October time, or is that just wishful thinking?? Thanks