Carrot time??

I'm confused about the rich soil/poor soil thing  :blink: . I've read conflicting advice (no surprise there) on the Net and in books. Some say poor soil, some say rich soil. I watched Hugh F.W. plant some in wooden boxes in very rich looking soil and he had a bumper crop, then other TV gardeners use poor soil and also seem to have a bumper crop.

I don't think Rich Looking Soil matters, its just recent additional of Manure / Compost that seem to be the problem.

Joy Larkham says they need "Light, Deep, Fertile, stone-free, well-drained" soil and that "Roots cannot penetrate and swell in heavy or compacted soil" she also says to "dig in well-rotted manure or compost several months beforehand"

However both my RHS book and Dr. H say "ground should not have been manured for at least a year before sowing"

All three say to work in some general purpose fertilizer a couple of weeks before sowing.

I don't know what the problem is with manure, one thing I read said it has the same effect as stones - the tap-root cannot easily grow through manure, similarly to a stone, so it forks.

Here's what mine looked like in May

How many are you growing in those tubs? and the sage tip seems good.

Quote from: Kristen on February 07, 2011, 13:19

Here's what mine looked like in May

How many are you growing in those tubs?

I let them grow at about 1/2" space and then try to thin them to 1" spacing, and then pull them when we need them - once they get to the point of not growing any more they stay like that for ages, with leaves, so they will "keep" so-to-speak - depends how many Pots, and Mouths, you have as to whether you have any to keep! or not.

(I expect you know this, but you can click on the thumbnail and a larger version will appear in its place)

Because of carrot fly gave up growing in the ground a good few years back. (must treat myself to some enviromesh)
Grew in raised buckets for a few years filled with fresh multipurpose compost, only real problem was fine hairy roots on sides of carrots, good crop other wise.
Last year tried used compost mixed 50/50 with sieved soil, much less hairy roots.
I usually start my 1st buckets off end of Feb in cold greenhouse.

Might give the Sage a try too