Carrots in a bin.

[caroline7758]

I'm thinking of growing some carrots in an old metal dustbin I've got, to try to avoid the dreaded carrot-fly. How much depth of soil/compost do they need, and what would you put in th bottom? I was thinking of chunks of polystyrene.

[caroline7758]

[manicscousers]

don't see why not, some of the gardeners from the big dig did theirs in old water butts..we put polystyrene in the bottom of the sweet pea pots..good drainage  :)
oh, yes, our carrots are in a raised bed..2 feet high but it is on soil so, if they need to grow down further, they can  ;D

[saddad]

It depends on the variety Caroline one foot would be enough for some of the smaller ones... I reckon 18" to 2' for Autumn King and deeper for exhibition carrots like St Valery...
;D

[Pumper]

Hows about carrots in drain pipes? I think I've heard rumbles about that before, and I can get quiet a bit of drainpipe for diddly?

[saddad]

If it's plastic yes.. put a cut in along the length so that you can get the carrots out!!
;D

[Larkspur]

I grow carrots in galvanized dustbins. Put about a foot of rocks or rubble in the bottom ( not polystyrene the bins will be too light and might blow over). Top up with compost and once you have sown the seed tie a bit of fleece or plastic sheeting over the top to keep everything cosy till they germinate.

[caroline7758]

Thanks for that tip, Larkspur- my site is quite windy.

[calendula]

all depends on the size of the variety and so the depth only needs to be as big as that plus a bit more, else you'll be wasting compost - any boxes, containers, diy concoctions, bowls, window boxes, tubs will do as long as they are deep enough for the chosen carrot

[caroline7758]

The idea of using a bin is that carrot fly apparently don't fly above 2ft.

[calendula]

what I do is place my containers on top of compost bins, tables, anything that has a height to it to avoid this but sowing in the ground and fleecing straight away will work just as well