Following what our learned friend Trillium had to say above and, because its raining and I can't be on the plot, I would like to expand on the misshapen carrot subject.
Carrots need good growing conditions and prefer a light, stone free, well drained, and fertile soil with plenty of well-rotted organic matter in it.
Rich, sandy, peaty soil provides the best condition for carrot roots to grow deeply and swell.
Plenty of manure should preferably be dug into the carrot bed several months before planting.
Never work fresh manure into the soil, as this will encourage sappy growth and forking of roots.
Carrot roots may fork, twist or double for various reasons:-Damage to the growing tips of young carrots.
Soil insects and nematodes, feeding on the growing tips, may result in branching of roots.
Carrots need loose, friable soil to develop good shape.
Forking is caused by anything that impedes root growth. This includes stones, or heavy, compacted soil.
Other causes include soil insects and nematodes that feed on the growing tip resulting in branching of the carrot root.
Carrots twisted round each other have been growing too close together.
Carrots do not like their roots to be moved. Transplanting is not recommended; as this will usually give twisted or forked roots.
Roots can split, become hairy or tough because of moisture problems. Carrots are very sensitive to soil moisture levels. When the soil isn’t moist enough, main roots develop many small feeder roots so the carrot can soak up any available moisture more effectively. At the same time, it forms extra tissue to carry the water, so it becomes tough. But, if there’s too much moisture, carrots will often split along their whole length. This happens more often when they are close to maturity.
The key to assuring even, sufficient moisture to carrots is to ensure that the soil is rich in organic matter, which will allow it to hold moisture, but also drain well.
Carrots may produce hairy roots because of too much fertilizer. The soil should be fertilised
prior to planting but not during the growing period.
Aster Yellows Disease This disease
may be the cause of hairy roots but, if it is, other symptoms will also be noticeable as well.
Aster yellows is a bacterial disease that causes young inner leaves of carrots to yellow and then form dwarf/stunted leaf clusters. Roots will probably be seen to be bulging at the crown; be stunted and develop hairy secondary roots. Affected carrots will also taste bitter.
The probable cause of hairy roots in the UK this year will be a lack of moisture or irregular supply of water to the soil.
(Although gardeners in the North West may not think that to be so right now)
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May 01, 2012, 11:48