Topic: Carrots grown in in old metal baby bath.

[Petera]

Has anyone tried to grow carrots in a old metal baby bath? Someone told me  that it works well.

[pumkinlover]

Yes, well actually a full size adult bath. Just make sure that there is some drainage.

[caroline7758]

Maybe raise it up a bit, as they say the carrot fly doesn't go above 2ft (no doubt someone will say this is not true!). I use metal dustbins for mine, so a bit more depth.

[laurieuk]

Because of badgers on the allotment we grow all our carrots in containers, as has been said you avoid carrot fly by raising the containers up. This does not concern us as ours are on the balcony.

[Tee Gee]

Maybe raise it up a bit, as they say the carrot fly doesn't go above 2ft (no doubt someone will say this is not true!). I use metal dustbins for mine, so a bit more depth.

Well it is true but the trouble is they are so small they can be wafted upwards by thermal air currents and they sometimes get blown over 2ft barriers and raised containers, hence the assumption that it is not true.

The thermal currents phenomena can be seen if you watch a dandelion's parachute floating up and down on a windless day. a similar thing happens to carrot fly!

The best bet is to completely cover your beds/ containers

[ancellsfarmer]

The use of containers(such as your bath) easily allows you to optimise the compost, conditions and TLC to suit particular crops. Such small volumes  can be easily prepared, and adjusted to maximise the return.
It occurs that the concept of raised beds could lend to preparing specialised growing mediums to compliment the intended crop and this also would reduce the need to (constantly) water, as in containers.
Having got the raised bed framed, it would be relatively straitforward to sub-divide to create specific beds for individual crops, or crop groups and to change this as /if required. A systemised design of cover, be it polythene or mesh to control climate and/or pests, and specific modular support according to plant needs could be added as required.
It has become my view that, in general, allotmenteers tend to be too conservative, slavishly following convention and not thinking of what they actually are aiming to produce. When I read of constant concerns about the appearance, the time spent (wasted!) in tittivating,(and rotovating!) rather than maximising the successful production of quality, tasty vegetables and fruit, and the provision of all the basic conditions of fertile ground.

[Tee Gee]

It has become my view that, in general, allotmenteers tend to be too conservative, slavishly following convention and not thinking of what they actually are aiming to produce. When I read of constant concerns about the appearance, the time spent (wasted!) in tittivating,(and rotovating!) rather than maximising the successful production of quality, tasty vegetables and fruit, and the provision of all the basic conditions of fertile ground.

Here! Here!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Very much so. So many people garden by the book, without putting too much thought into it.

[Vinlander]

I use builders' bags for carrots (a tip from this forum) but with my own twist:- 

I  put earthy/muddy weeds in as the bottom layer - at least 20cm, - another 30-50cm of ordinary weeds topped with upside down grass plants that grew on my woodchip paths when they reached 2+ years old , and a top layer of 2+yr old woodchip from the clean paths underneath (my paths are a spit deep - the topsoil that came out made my raised beds). Water well and top up to make it settle to at least  80cm above soil level before you sow carrots in it - sowing April onwards on a bed that's settled a few months works extremely well.

Carrot fly never make it up there - even red and purple varieties are big and clean (the roots are like lace if I grow them at ground level) - all root veg love the light 'compost' that isn't too rich (celeriac are too greedy and they aren't roots anyway).

The flavour is very good and even better if plenty of heavy soil went into the bottom on weed roots. The tasteless carrots in the shops are grown on ridiculously light soil - the nutrients wash out so quickly they might as well be hydroponic.

I grow pea tubers on the S side of the bag where they tumble down and produce 'chestnuts' 3,4 or 5 times the size & weight compared to growing in soil.

Anything that isn't too greedy loves it - I've even had monster lychee tomato plants growing at the N side where they don't shade the carrots (proper toms are too greedy).

Cheers.

[ancellsfarmer]

"pea tubers" ?
would that be Lathyrus tuberosus ?

[gwynleg]

Was thinking today about carrots and carrot root fly. How come they find their way into my back garden which has 6ft fence all around?! The thermal currents are obviously the answer but as my friends kids would say: TNF (thats not fair!)

[Tee Gee]

The thermal currents are obviously the answer

Not necessarily the fly / grub may have overwintered on another host plant only to appear when you get your carrots growing again.

Like many pests .......they have many ways of surviving as in the case of different flies e.g. Cabbage Root Fly, Greenfly, Blackfly etc.

Meaning that good hygene is paramount which often means ensuring that hibernation sites are removed, but sadly that is  virtually impossible as I  have learned over the last forty years or so.

Yes you will get some but rarely will you get them all.

So basically I just take precautions when the problem is imminent like in the case with carrots.... I just cover them up as previously described.

[Vinlander]

"pea tubers" ?
would that be Lathyrus tuberosus ?

Yep. on of the few "substitute" veg that are actually worth growing (especially if - like Linnaeus - you are unimpressed by the potato or prefer the sweet chestnut - just don't get me started about bloody polenta).

I wasted a lot of time and money trying other stuff that turned out to be famine food.

Hop shoots are quite good though - they don't actually taste that much like asparagus but they are almost as nice.

Cheers

[gwynleg]

HI Teegee
the thing is that I have never grown carrots (or anything in that family) in my back garden. I grow my seedlings there but always with new compost etc...They are just pesky varmints I think