Author Topic: Which carrots (Read 4777 times)

janebb · « **on:** January 04, 2006, 17:23:36 »

Sorry, I accidentally posted this in pests and diseases. Oops! I thought I was in "edible plants". Anyone know how to delete a posting?

Anyway, this is what I wrote:

Which carrots should I grow for flavour and a good crop?

Last year I grew Early Nantes 2 (Early) and Resistafly (maincrip).

The Early Nantes gave a really good crop but were quite bitter. The Resistafly tasted yummy but only grew about as big as my little finger.

Any ideas?

Incidentally, the Resistafly were full of carrot root fly. This is probably because I took my eye off the ball and didn't give them any protection (thinking they were root fly resistant). The Early Nantes which I protected with garlic spray were hardly touched at all.

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Which carrots should I grow for flavour and a good crop?

Last year I grew Early Nantes 2 (Early) and Resistafly (maincrip).

The Early Nantes gave a really good crop but were quite bitter. The Resistafly tasted yummy but only grew about as big as my little finger.

Any ideas?

Incidentally, the Resistafly were full of carrot root fly. This is probably because I took my eye off the ball and didn't give them any protection (thinking they were root fly resistant). The Early Nantes which I protected with garlic spray were hardly touched at all.

Derekthefox · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2006, 17:39:37 »

First of all jane, I don;t think you can delete a thread, only Dan can do that.

On the subject of carrots, I grew autumn king and berlicum last year, and had outstanding crops off both, and they had wonderful flavour. Remember that home grown carrots will have more flavour than shop bought ones, this can surprise some people and they think the carrots are not right. I always grow my carrots in the same beds as the onions so as to protect against carrotfly.

grawrc · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2006, 17:56:22 »

I grew Early NAntes and Chantenay and had disastrous attacks of carrot fly and very poor carrots overall. I grew them inside a rectangle of plastic about 18 inches high - clearly not adequate.

Derek, I'm going to take your tip and plant them among the onions. Do you do anything else to protect them? What about general cultivation needs?

Derekthefox · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2006, 19:45:51 »

The ground has been prepared for the previous season with manure, so is ideal for the onions. I do nothing else for the carrots, although the onions will get a dressing of BF&B and woodash ...

Paulines7 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2006, 20:31:30 »

I grew Royal Chantenay. I sowed my first crop in April in the greenhouse and was rewarded with some very tasty carrots. However, I sowed some seeds outside at the end of June and only had one carrot! :'( I have no explanation as to why this was. This year, I am going to try those that Derek grows successfully. fingers crossed!

Melbourne12 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2006, 21:06:01 »

We did Flyaway and Purple Dragon. The Flyaway lived up to their name, and were excellent flavour. I'd do Purple Dragon again, too, although the colour is literally only skin deep.

Wicker · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2006, 21:17:00 »

Our first sowing of carrots last year barely germinated so did two further sowings - both with great results. The best were the Autumn King (as always with us). As Derek says nothing to compare with homegrown carrots.

We have a frame over ours completely covered with Viromesh topped by chicken wire frame on top of that to stop foxes jumping in!! Have done it this way very successfuly for a few years now and NO CARROT FLY - we keep mesh over from sowing till harvest and do very little thinning

powerspade · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2006, 22:36:47 »

I have 1 pkt of Amsterdam Forcing, 1/2oz of Chantenay,1/2 oz of James Scarlet and 1/2 oz of Autumn King Carrots. Yes I love carrots. I have no more problems with Carrot Fly as I now drawn earth up around the carrots necks with prevent the fly laying its eggs and I keep earthing up throughout the growing season

lynndan16 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2006, 19:01:53 »

I was short of time last year and it was a case of no carrots or just throw them in and if they grew they grew. I just split the bed into four and broadcast nantes seeds in four blocks.
All I did was water and occasionaly weed them. I had the best crop ever. No fly and reasonable roots so I'll try that again this year and see if it was just a fluke.

Lynn

Icyberjunkie · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2006, 19:43:20 »

I also grew early Nantes and was disappointed. However, Autumn King as my main crop were superb in appearance and flavour as well as overwintering very well (I'm only pulling the last of them now).

I also have some Chanterelle (I think they're called) to try for even the supermarket ones taste good.

Iain

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2006, 22:19:20 »

I gave up on carrots because I couldn't grow them, and I couldn't find anyone else on the site who did any better. I'm going to try the potting compost trick this year.

flowerlady · « **Reply #11 on:** January 05, 2006, 23:04:56 »

I had very bitter Early Nantes too, and they were attacked by fly, the whole lot hit the bin!

I also said I was going to give up on carrots - too many stones etc!

But, it was on here that I was urged to try again, by taking out a 6" trench and filling it with potting compost.

So that is just what I'll do. ;) Any suggestions for a sweet carrot will be gratefully received! :)

Merry Tiller · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2006, 23:13:52 »

Quote

I also have some Chanterelle (I think they're called)

I think you mean Chantenay, a Chanterelle is a kind of mushroom

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2006, 23:24:01 »

I think that is the trouble with carrots, as it is not perhaps the variety you choose, but how prevalent the carrot fly is in your area. It can just totally devastate a crop. We have been very lucky with carrots, we grew them in between lines of onions in 2004 which was successful and in dustbins last year, but whether that was pure luck or not, I don't know. Fleecing them seems to be successful for some people and is worth a try. I have heard some mixed reactions to the resistant carrot fly ones. I did the using compost in a bin thing and it seemed a very good idea. busy_lizzie

jennym · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2006, 09:46:27 »

I like to grow Early Nantes, Chantenay Red-cored 2 and St. Valery. I do grow Autumn King too, but only for freezing chopped for stews etc.

raymee · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2006, 10:40:05 »

I am worried about the carrot fly... it devastated my crop last year. I have planted my onion sets in rows 14 inches and plan to sow the carrots in between the rows of onions. I am now goin to try your idea as well Powerspade the trouble is by earthing up the carrots there'l be less soil for the onions. Does anyone think grass cuttings spread thinly over the carrots necks will hep prevent the fly or will it harm the carrots.. I am desperate and determind to overcome the problem.

sandersj89 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2006, 11:13:36 »

I always seem to grow Nantes and Autumn King. The last couple of years I have also tried Fly Away and Sytan, both supposedly less attractive to carrot fly.

To be honest I would not trust the breeders claims and I always fleece my carrots. IMHO it is the only way to be sure to prevent the attack.

In this thread:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,8023.0.html

I explain how I keep the fleece in place.

HTH

Jerry

grawrc · « **Reply #17 on:** January 06, 2006, 11:29:03 »

I think all the breeders claim is that they are more resistant to carrot fly not that they're immune. Which to my mind probably means that if there are a lot of carrot flies about they'll attack any carrots.

What got to me was that I had miserable little fly infested carrots but the guy three plots along had a massive crop of 8 inch smooth-skinned beauties. Mind you he's there every day tending stuff, whereas I'm lucky to get there three times a week, and at this time of year it's weekends only by the time I get home from work.

Anyway I've got Amsterdam Forcing, Cubic and Resistafly. I'm going to use all the tips in this thread and see if i can't produce something more worthwhile.

Moggle · « **Reply #18 on:** January 06, 2006, 11:29:38 »

On my clayey, slug-infested soil at the old allotment my poor carrots didn't even get the chance to be infested by carrot fly. The slugs seemed to have a great time slimily munching all the little green tops of my young carrots.

It looks like the new allotment will be the same (clay and lots of uncultivated plots!) so I will be going for a combination of oversowing, sowing some under 5l water bottle cloches, and eggshells. Oh and beer traps too :-)

I will be doing parmex-type, as the few decent carrots I got were these, plus amsterdam forcing/nantes and some autumn king too.

MikeB · « **Reply #19 on:** January 06, 2006, 11:39:23 »

Hi Moggle,

Try this link supplied by Ozzie on slug control.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2067214.stm

News:

Author Topic: Which carrots (Read 4777 times)

powerspade