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AnnieS
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11-09-2018, 08:05 PM
1

Pathetic carrots?

It's simply beyond me why despite much nurturing my carrots are always tiny and stunted. We are thinking of having raised beds next year and I am hoping this will lead to normal sized carrots.

But I was wondering if anyone has any tips and tricks, because surely carrots must be so easy to grow?
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11-09-2018, 08:16 PM
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Re: Pathetic carrots?

You need to dig your soil really well AnnieS to grow carrots successfully. We used to sieve our soil to remove all the stones as they hate anything that stunts their growth.
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12-09-2018, 03:05 PM
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Re: Pathetic carrots?

Originally Posted by Panda ->
You need to dig your soil really well AnnieS to grow carrots successfully. We used to sieve our soil to remove all the stones as they hate anything that stunts their growth.

Also, big stones can make the carrots 'fork.'

Just a thought, but have you tried several different varieties Annie, or do you always try and grow the same type?

Might be an idea to try a completely different strain in your ground.
I have had some delicious Royal Chataneys this year.
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12-09-2018, 04:15 PM
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Re: Pathetic carrots?

Annie I understand it has been a bad year for carrots.
They do like a really sandy soil so if you are putting in raised beds try making part of one very sandy to get long straight carrots.
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12-09-2018, 04:17 PM
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Re: Pathetic carrots?

Originally Posted by Meg ->
Annie I understand it has been a bad year for carrots.
They do like a really sandy soil so if you are putting in raised beds try making part of one very sandy to get long straight carrots.
Do you literally mix sand with soil or do you have to buy it?
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12-09-2018, 04:30 PM
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Re: Pathetic carrots?

Originally Posted by Longdogs ->
Do you literally mix sand with soil or do you have to buy it?
Yes LD there are different kinds of sand depending on the use.
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12-09-2018, 04:33 PM
7

Re: Pathetic carrots?

Sand in the soil thats all

Best year we had we carrots we used a huge pile of manure, something they say carrots don't like - go figure

This year so far they are tiny but we will keep them in and see how they fare
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12-09-2018, 07:52 PM
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Re: Pathetic carrots?

Very bad year for carrots on my allotment they all failed
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12-09-2018, 09:41 PM
9

Re: Pathetic carrots?

Oh gosh I have been using the wrong soil! Thank you for the advice about sand and sieving will follow through next year. It sounds so much more complicated than I expected, but using heavy soil will explain it. We accidentally bought some topsoil but I didn't realise it would be so heavy. The tomatoes loved it though. It happened last time a few years ago but they were planted right in the ground then (a different variety) but it must have been the stones.

The only things that have done well this year are tomatoes, potatoes (yum) and a totally luxuriant horseradish I planted two years ago and have little use for as it's so hot it will blow the lid off your head!
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12-09-2018, 09:42 PM
10

Re: Pathetic carrots?

I will try to see if I can find Royal Chataneys in the garden centre maybe that will be third time lucky
 
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