carrots

[robo]

I pulled a few today for our evening meal along with a couple of snowball turnips, this is probably the third year ive grown carrots as they are that cheap to buy it did not seem worthwhile, I planted nantes on a tape they have been great one of them today was that fat I just had to put it on the scales, it came in at a touch under a pound

[Ricard with an H]

Hi Ron.

I tried storing beetroot in dry compost. The beets tasted like dry compost so I assume if I store carrot in dry sand they will taste like dry sand.

I don't quite get the point of storing stuff if it tastes horrible, same with freezing.

Robo,

Even this years tasteless "Chantenay" carrots taste better than carrots from supermarkets who's carrots taste like they were dipped in paraffin.

[peter]

Clamps, as soil mounds, enclosing root vegetables with an internal straw wrap, are called, were the only practical method of storage prior to affordable energy and accurately temperature controlled storage.

[Ricard with an H]

Thanks Peter, I was aware of clamps and I did try a smaller version of clamp with beetroot but they tasted horrible after six weeks.

I did more research on the internet, it appears that carrots improve with a little frost. Carrots are biennials so I can leave them in the ground. Presumably after the peak flavour period they will decline.

[peter]

Putting it another way, outmoded technology is outmoded for a reason.

Better methods are available commercially for fruit & vegetables. For the private individuals the domestic freezer is held to be the optimal solution. Domestic canning systems are available, as is the Kilmer jar and the pickling pan.

But storing as "fresh" takes us to two options, the domestic fridge or the clamp and its variants, e.g. sand bucket. Clamps et al are best for large and firm ( woody even) vegetables, so Autumn King carrots rather than Nantes.

Leaving carrots in the ground should be fine if your ground doesn't freeze, although that just means difficulties getting them out.

[Ricard with an H]

I've been working diligently on the soil in all my raised beds which now number 6, if I can easily pull stuff out then I've beaten that horrible clay that would hang on to everything even when warm and moist. Sand and organic material has been mixed in until I got that consistency that drains but holds moisture. If I do keep carrots in the ground over winter I'll have to keep my eye on the low January/February temperatures though they are rarely as cold as in the south east.

I grew various salad items through last winter and though the wind pulled my cabbages I'm more prepared this year, you'll be surprised at how good enviromesh is at slowing the wind down.

My soil is so crumbly that I won't hold pegs to hold stuff down like mesh and fleece so all my beds will have thin slate baton/laths screwed to the sides and I use market style spring clamps to hold another slate lath down and trap the fleece/mesh combination.

[Motherwoman]

Don't some commercial growers pack their carrot beds with straw to keep the ground from freezing so they can lift? Would a similar thing work on domestic beds? Or even dried bracken. My carrots are usually gone to plate by the time really cold weather arrives.

[Geoff]

I just leave the carrot cage round mine and leave them in the ground all Winter. If get notice of a prolonged frost we dig a few in advance.

[Ricard with an H]

Thats good news Geoff.

In order to maintain my current enthusiasm for growing I need to grow things I use and whilst composting is all useful putting my efforts in the compost bins will eat away at my enthusiasm.

I'm still not very organised at successional growing though I am doing it, I give more away than I use and whilst this doesn't break my heart I need to grow smaller quantities and more varieties.

Regarding clamping, I was put off by the results of clamping beetroot so I was never going to attempt clamping carrots.

Regarding successional growing, just enough seed to fit between my finger and thumb has given me 25/30 Little Gem and the same with Cavelo Nero, next year I'll try a different method with carrots by starting them in boxes then transplanting. From what I gathered the timing is crucial, you have to transplant before they send a tap root down then they are happy.