How to Grow Carrots

When did you last see purple or white carrots in your local supermarket? Probably never!  That's because supermarkets won't risk anything out of the ordinary - they won't risk an unpopular purple carrot taking up space when they can guarantee you'll definitely buy an ordinary yellow one. You can't blame them - it's their job to sell lots of predictable, conservative carrots! Unusual veg takes up space and may not sell.

However, when you grow your own carrots you answer to no one.  The profit motive doesn't come into it.  You can grow any colour of carrot you want and any shape too - including globe-shaped carrots.

Here is just a small sample of the huge variety of carrots available from seed catalogues, garden centres and the internet. These varieties are popular and reliable but there's plenty of  carrot diversity  out there if you want it.

Carrots can be sown directly into the ground from March to June, at two week intervals for a long cropping period. However, they  can also be sown earlier or later, but make sure to cover sowings with fleece to protect from early and late frosts.Carrots grow best in a light, well drained soil, so avoid clay. At the same time, the soil should be able to retain moisture.

• Prepare the soil by breaking it down with a fork, sieving it if needed, and then add some well-rotted compost.   

• Make sure the soil is really broken down because, like beetroot, carrots are a root vegetable and stones can get in the way of their growing reasonably straight. However, some carrots do grow in very amusing and ribald ways and are no worse for it!  

• Don’t worry if the soil isn’t quite right – it’s possible to grow a good crop of carrots in deep containers, about 30-45cms, filled with compost or fine garden soil. 

• With the edge of a hoe make a 1cm deep seed trench.

• Seeds should be sown thinly in the bottom of the trench and then covered over with soil. Water thoroughly but gently. 

• Once the seeds germinate they become prey to the dreaded carrot fly. Cover the seedlings with fleece to avoid attacks and keep covered throughout the growing season. This may not look particularly attractive, but carrot fly can devastate crops. They also seem to be able to spot a carrot patch from miles away!  

• Thin out seedlings so they are approximately 8cms apart.

When harvesting, lift the carrots carefully to avoid breaking them. It’s a good tip to lift them after the rain, or water the ground first. This makes for easier removal.

To store your delicious, home-grown carrots go to this website for a lot of information.

Now that the carrots are harvested, it's time to start cooking! See here for a link to my two delicious carrot soup recipes.

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