Growing Carrots


Carrots grow best in a sunny spot that has light, fertile, sandy soil, free from stones. Don’t add manure to the soil when you dig it over as this makes the soil too rich for the seeds. One week before sowing your seeds, rake in a light dressing of general fertiliser.

 

Example pic

 

Sow the seeds thinly on a sunny, dry day in shallow drills around 2-3cm (1in) deep, covering the seeds once in place. Early sowings in March and April may need to be protected with fleece or a cloche in some parts of the country. Once the seeds have germinated and are showing their first rough leaves, thin the seedlings to 5cm (2 in) between plants.

 

If your soil is heavy clay, stony, chalky or otherwise difficult, you can try either growing the less-demanding short-root varieties, or sow into a large container or raised bed.

 

From June-July onwards, start pulling up your carrots as soon as they are big enough to eat.