Topic: Leeks and Carrots

[caseylee]

My leeks have started coming through, but they look almost like blades of grass, are they usually that thin.  I'm positive its not weeds. 

My carrots have also started coming through they are also very thin, but not same as the leeks, I can see that some still have a piece of the seed on top.  I am also wondering if I can leave my carrots in my long newspaper pots to grow.  I am after small carrots so would it work.  the pots are just longer than a toilet roll

[twiggy]

has  anyone  here  tried to  grow  carrots  in a  huge  big  bin???ive  seen it  on t he  big  dig  and  it  looks  fairly  simple  ......the  carrot  fly  cant  get to them and  the  carrots grow nicely without the  worms  gobbling  them up.some  of the  older  guys  wrap  in  fleese  any  adice  would  be  very  helpful !

[jesssands]

trying this now...........

Got an old trolley from work, with one of the wheels broken off, leaving a hole in the corner.

I put a bit of rubbish, polystyrene etc in the bottom, filled with compost and sowed 3 rows of carrots in there.
covered it in perspex (but not air tight)

They have just started to show through... bless them, after bout 3 weeks.

Will let you know how it goes..... remind me cos I might forget!

[betula]

I have only grown Leeks once.A lottie neighbour gave me some about six in a pot and they were quite thin.I dropped them in the holes and they were fine,grew well into fat leeks :)

Not sure about leaving carrots in loo rolls I just sew mine straight into the ground.

Twiggy,I have heard that people grow carrots in containers and they grow fine.
Some people erect a little fence around them to deter  :)the fly.

[Old bird]

Yes they generally are very thin and weedy.  They generally come up doubled up and then the top end rights itself which is generally the way you can tell that they are not grass!!

Can't help you with carrots tho - rarely have any success with them!

Old Bird

[Tee Gee]

has  anyone  here  tried to  grow  carrots  in a  huge  big  bin

Yes!!

In my hay day I did them this way; http://tinyurl.com/33bom9

This was the result; (the box is 24" x 18")

[davyw1]

My leeks have started coming through, but they look almost like blades of grass, are they usually that thin.  I'm positive its not weeds. 

My carrots have also started coming through they are also very thin, but not same as the leeks, I can see that some still have a piece of the seed on top.  I am also wondering if I can leave my carrots in my long newspaper pots to grow.  I am after small carrots so would it work.  the pots are just longer than a toilet roll

The problem with carrots the tap root is far longer than the stem so why not get a box twice the deapth of your newspaper pots and put them in there leaving them in the pots, as long as there is a hole in the bottom of the pot the should do fine.

[manicscousers]

hiya, twiggy, nice to meet you, I've seen the big dig, it certainly seems to work..we cover ours with fleece, grown in a raised bed...keeps the carrot fly away  :)

[twiggy]

hello there  manicscousers nice to meet you  too..ive  a  new allotment itsnearly cleared  and i just  got some  leeks  and onions  garlic in last  oct ...im  just learning ..ive  grown things   at home  ok  but this  is  very  different  thinkin  what  gets  planted  with  what at   what  time  so i  can rotate  the  crops  ....im dreaming  about getting  eaten  by  giant  cabbages  .....ill need  some  help  and  tips  i think ....my hubby  just  wants to  do the  landscaping  and  get the  lines  and  edges  right  .....hes  getting  in  my  way  !!!!

[davyw1]

has  anyone  here  tried to  grow  carrots  in a  huge  big  bin???ive  seen it  on t he  big  dig  and  it  looks  fairly  simple  ......the  carrot  fly  cant  get to them and  the  carrots grow nicely without the  worms  gobbling  them up.some  of the  older  guys  wrap  in  fleese  any  adice  would  be  very  helpful !

Forget it,  i grow show carrots in 45 gallon drums and believe me it is not easy. Go for raised beds enclosed in fleece, pollythene, perspex etc.

[manicscousers]

my feller's the same, twiggy, he likes the hard landscaping and moving muck, thank goodness  ;D

[Crystalmoon]

Ive just been given some carrot seeds that are supposedly for growing fat round carrots that are meant to be especially for container growing. Sorry i dont have the original packet so cant give the correct name for them. Has anyone else grown these?

[caseylee]

they are parmex I think thats how you spell it, I have some too, going toplant them tomorrow suppossed to be good for containers

[davyw1]

I dont think there are any carrots purely to grow in containers, short fat carrots Chantenay Red Core comes to mind

[saddad]

Many carrots like early Nantes were bred for frame production... Parmex should be fine in those pots... Caseylee... they are the almost round ones...
 :)