raised bed for carrots and salad leaves

[dingerbell]

Hi after a couple of years trying to grow carrots on my boggy heavy lottie, I've decided to build a raised bed just for carrots and a few salad leaves. Does anyone have a "recipe" for perfect carrot loving soil? :)

[dingerbell]

[Tin Shed]

I now grow my carrots in raised beds. The orginal  beds were filled with a mixture of compost and home grown compost from the compost heap and then for the following year I added some horticultural sand  and more basic compost - usually the best and cheapest deal I can get, to top it up. Good results, but have to sort the carrot fly problem out.
Also grew the courgettes and aubergines in the raised bed last year - they seem to have loved it.

[Biscombe]

I used a mix of potting compost and sieved soil from the garden. Thought I'd be clever and sow 2 old bath tubs full, but the carrot fly has just attacked!!  >:( thought the bath tub would be high enough!

[mokanoo]

This may provide some help for the carrot fly.
http://www.organicgardening.org.uk/factsheets/pc17.php

As regards the soil this may help.
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/todo_now/newfaqs.php?id=57

[Tin Shed]

Thanks for the web site info, mokanoo - they are really good.

[Jeannine]

I grew my carrotts is an old  rather high wooden cold  frame, the soil is more or less what others have advised, especially the sand,in my frame the soil level is about 10 inces lower than the height if the frame which is about 30 inches and about18/20 inches deep.I have not  had carrot fly and presume it is because of the height,maybe it is just luck. I shall find out this year as the frame finally collapsed in the winter,so mine will be in a regular raised bed this year. I have never grown the salad leaves and carrotts together.I grow regular salad stuff in it's own raised bed  in season and all through the winter I grow loose mixed salad leaves in a box made to fit an area in my  'at home ' greenhouse.  XX Jeannine

[manicscousers]

we have three raised beds, 20 inches  high, one for parsnips and two for carrots..all covered with fleece..no carrot fly  ;D