Author Topic: Afghan Purple Carrot  (Read 25328 times)

Jeannine

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #20 on: April 11, 2007, 00:00:46 »
Do we know how many of us there are,I have just joined so am still finding out about things XX Jeannine
When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

angle shades

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #21 on: April 11, 2007, 09:48:50 »


I love you MAPark ;D

No pressure then... guard those carrots with your life!/ shades x

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MacArthur Park

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #22 on: April 11, 2007, 10:11:18 »
Oooeer! The stress!! :-\
I think I need to treat these carrots with way more care now! I have a half blue barrel on my plot which is where I stick my junk - hence the tidy plot! ;D. Methinks I will empty it and fill with a mixture of soil and compost and put my (4 so far!!) precious babies in there. What dya think?
Fingers crossed everyone - I am only a newbie!   :-*

sweet-pea

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #23 on: April 11, 2007, 10:14:05 »

Has anyone ever used the back section of the catalogue (with the names and addresses), just wondered how it worked!


Yes, I did.  I wasn't sure how it worked either. I basically wrote to the individual listed asking if they had a few spare seeds I could have, and offering to send something in return if they so wished. I enclosed a SAE.  In most cases people were very generous, I only had one reply from someone saying that I hadn't put enough postage on the SAE and that it should have been a bubble wrap type envelope, I think she was a little annoyed with me  ::)  But that is totally understandable, so next time I'll make sure that I put more postage  (I'd forgotten that the postage had changed, and also people send more seeds than I was expecting) on the SAE.
I'm hoping that by next year I will be able to offer something in return.

SP x

angle shades

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #24 on: April 11, 2007, 10:42:11 »
:)

I think the barrel idea will be fine MAPark,

keep us posted ;D/shades x
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Jeannine

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #25 on: April 11, 2007, 10:46:44 »
Pardon me, if I am wrong but with carrotts for seed, I am pretty sure they are biennial, you won't get seeds from you carrotts next year, You will have to lift them as usual,store them over winter,then replanted in the spring, then they will regrow  put out flowers  about 5 feet tall  from which you will get your seed which you can harvest and save for the following year.  I think in a very mild area they can be left in the ground to grow again .

Sorry If I am wrong but I am pretty sure.

If I am right, maybe you should send folks carrotts  this year !!

Please educate me.

XX Jeannine
When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

angle shades

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #26 on: April 11, 2007, 10:50:19 »
:)


no you are right Jeannine,I would leave one in the ground to go to seed, but it should be protected from other carrots so it doesn't cross pollinate.

that why i save toms,beans and peas, less trouble ;D/shades x
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OliveOil

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #27 on: April 11, 2007, 11:40:12 »
Oh what a palarver! Will it be worth it??? I would most likely lose the carrot in storage!

Jeannine

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #28 on: April 11, 2007, 18:44:56 »
May I please ask what is so special about this carrot by the way,I have followed this thread  with interest but would like specifics.  Is it very special, can someone tell me more about it please XX Jeannine
When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

Deb P

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #29 on: April 11, 2007, 18:47:57 »
Quote found for you.......

"You won’t find an Afghan Purple carrot in Tesco. Or Sainsbury’s or Safeway, or even Waitrose for that matter. Supermarkets wouldn’t like it because it doesn’t look like the average customer’s idea of a carrot. For a start, it’s not orange. Nor is it really a regal purple. It’s more the colour of raw meat. As for the shape, it’s rarely cylindrical. In fact, it varies wildly. It could be anything from a map of South America to a cow’s udder to the misshapen claws of some mythical creature from the bowels of the earth.


The seed was donated to the Ryton Organic Gardens, near Coventry, by a United Nations project manager in Kabul in the days before the current conflict. If you want to grow these curious carrots yourself, you could try Ryton’s Heritage Seed Library (the £18 a year membership includes six free packets of whatever is in the catalogue). Along with the Rat’s Tail radish, Mr Bethell’s Purple Podded pea, the Lady Godiva squash, the Blue Coco climbing French bean and many other rare varieties, the Afghan Purple will be one of the stars of the Vegetable Kingdom, which should have established itself amid these flat Warwickshire fields by May 2003. Work is due to start this month. A £940,000 grant from the National Lottery has just ensured that the £1.7m project will go ahead. For Jackie Gear joint executive with husband Alan of the Ryton-based Henry Doubleday Research Association, this is the fulfilment of a long-held dream."
If it's not pouring with rain, I'm either in the garden or at the lottie! Probably still there in the rain as well TBH....🥴

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MacArthur Park

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #30 on: April 11, 2007, 22:19:41 »
Here's a pic for you Jeannine. They are supposed to have "a more pronounced 'carroty' flavour than orange varieties." Also said to have resistance to root fly.

Jeannine

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #31 on: April 11, 2007, 22:32:44 »
So you would recommend them? XX Jeannine
When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

MacArthur Park

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #32 on: April 11, 2007, 22:46:37 »
I've never grown or tasted them - this is the first time I've seen the seeds offered. I love things that are a bit different so I would recommend them for that reason alone. :)

My other choices have been as random:
Hutterite bean because I studied them at uni. (The religious group not the bean!)
Cherokee Trail of Tears for the history.
Lazy Housewife CFB for the name, etc.

When I get the catalogue I sit with a cuppa and choose the ones that jump out at me, regardless of whether I think I need them or not!

The carrot has proved extremely popular, and I noticed on the Garden Organic website that you can adopt the variety which I think entitles you to the seeds. Or you could put your faith in a complete novice and wait 'til autumn 2008!! :D

I've had a word with them by the way, explained the enormity of their responsability. They were a tad non-commital, which could be a trait of carrots, or they could have needed time to ponder. ;)

I will keep you updated with their efforts to supply seeds to A4A peeps, possibly on a different thread tho' Keep your eyes peeled ;D!! ;D

Jeannine

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #33 on: April 11, 2007, 23:31:37 »
Actually the reason I ask is because I   think I have found a source, I am waiting for an email back   Fingers crossed everybody!!!XX  Jeannine
When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

MacArthur Park

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #34 on: April 11, 2007, 23:42:03 »
You mean I could actually get to EAT mine?!!!  :o;D ;D ;D

Good luck, I bet angle shades dumps me for you!!!  :P;D ;D

Jeannine

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #35 on: April 11, 2007, 23:50:03 »
Don't get excited the list I have might not be up to date,they were available a few weeks ago,XX Jeannine
When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

angle shades

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #36 on: April 12, 2007, 12:01:10 »
;D ;D.

don't worry MAPark, you can still have the pleasure/pressure of growing me some!!

I have also e -mailed HDRA, no reply yet,

I also ordered them because of the history behind them, I didn't know they were as rare as hens teeth ::)

Have you heard yet Jeannine? ;D/shades x


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Deb P

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #37 on: April 12, 2007, 16:55:37 »
I wonder how different they are from Purple Dragon, which I grew last year? Anyone know?
That variety was orange on the inside, but kept its exterior purple colour when cooked.
If it's not pouring with rain, I'm either in the garden or at the lottie! Probably still there in the rain as well TBH....🥴

http://www.littleoverlaneallotments.org.uk

Jeannine

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #38 on: April 12, 2007, 17:22:50 »
I have just had an answer to my e mail and yes I have got them!!!! They are coming from the US,I am not sure how many but the seed swap there for carrotts is 60 so it should be at least that many.  It will be a couple of weeks no doubt but still time to plant them this year.

XX Jeannine

When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

MacArthur Park

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Re: Afghan Purple Carrot
« Reply #39 on: April 12, 2007, 17:50:47 »
Go girl!!! ;D ;D ;D

Well done. It's not what you know but who you know!! ;)


 

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