I am pretty sure that there's no way that I can grow any carrots or parsnips on my plot as it's so stony, so I had this great idea of growing them individually in old 2 litre water bottles.
Is this a great idea or am I being foolish? Not that there's any sign of my seed germinating yet, sigh. :-\
(I mean, I know it's a bit heavy on compost, but I could get great shaped roots!)
I don't see why not, this is how we do it..the bed covered with fleece :)
I think some exhibition growers use drain pipe ,so give it a go.
i remember a post from someone who just gardened in milk bottles, so i think its a great idea :-)
You can use this method in any ground by making a wedge and filling it with your fine mix
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r111/stumpinsci/Picture031.jpg
thanks everyone - am going to give it a go - hubby planted a few carrots and I don't want him to be disappointed. ;)
Sounds a great idea - be you get some whoppas- Keep us posted. :)
If you can get hold of any of those blue barrels, they are wonderful for carrots. Apparently they are the right height above ground to avoid the carrot fly too.
I grow my best carrots in an old cold frame filled with home made compost...
;D
Quote from: Elle Ess on May 18, 2007, 16:11:47
If you can get hold of any of those blue barrels, they are wonderful for carrots. Apparently they are the right height above ground to avoid the carrot fly too.
ELLE, I am afraid that growing in 45gal drums is not so easy unless you are going to cut them into three. Then you need to have the space to put them.
Just for fun I sowed some carrot seed in a large pot about November time, my greenhouse is just about frostfree as long as there is no electric cuts. Jusy started having the first few, as they were growing above 2 feet there can be no problem with carrot fly. Also very easy to get out by giving a good watering and gently pulling.
(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/6030/1000530bb4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Quote from: queen of the cobs on May 17, 2007, 16:17:09
I am pretty sure that there's no way that I can grow any carrots or parsnips on my plot as it's so stony, so I had this great idea of growing them individually in old 2 litre water bottles.
Is this a great idea or am I being foolish? Not that there's any sign of my seed germinating yet, sigh. :-\
(I mean, I know it's a bit heavy on compost, but I could get great shaped roots!)
They look wonderful, Lauire. I can almost taste them - funny I never liked carrots much till I started growing them. :)
Try Mokums !!! XX Jeannine
Quote from: Jeannine on May 19, 2007, 22:56:29
Try Mokums !!! XX Jeannine
Just got some from T&M in their sale cos you rated them so highly - now where can I squeeze them in? :)
I sowed Mokum carrots in a balck florist's bucket on Friday. I've never sown such an expensive carrot seeds, even when half-price, so put a plastic back on top to prevent snails eating seedlings. I can't wait to harvest them!
I'm going to try making a trench and filling with compost at my plot (heavy clay) and sow cheaper carrot seeds from Wilko. ;D
After 4 faliures sowing direct, the trench filled with compost worked for me Tora. Best of luck. ;D
Like you, it feels like my plot has more stones than earth at times. Carrots last year were a disaster: small, strange shaped, unscrape-able, split from drough-to-rain changes etc. This year I wasn't going to bother but OH looked crestfallen so we filled a huge pot with earth, added some water retention pellets and sowed away.
The pot went for a burton when one our fence panels was blown across the garden, OH - miserably - scooped up the earth and shoved the pot to one side. The carrots have sprouted (not in little rows, but never mind - can't remember if it was just variety sown so should be interesting!) and are growing away merrily much to OH's surprise.
If you have room to do this, it's ideal - and you can make sure they get water when they need it too.
...do you think they would grow in 1 litre pop bottles??
Debs
why not. give it a try. just make sure that the bottles are taped together well so they can't fall over and don't sow too many at once. And let us know how you did!
Those shopping caddies that people used to put their shopping on the special trolleys at Sainsburys (they don't do them any more, I got mine from a friend who had broken the handles off hers and was going to throw them out). Purrrrfect.
I too have very stoney ground, so i removed the soil from a trench i have for my carrots then i riddled the soil and put it back and hopefully my carrots will be straight ;)
Great idea, you could also dig a trench with half sieved and half bought or home made compost!! Ive got 2 baths from skips full of carrots, good for keeping the carrot fly off too!!
We're trying ours in a trug this year - standing on table in the garden, so above the 18" that the carrot fly can reach. fingers crossed. Like the idea of water / pop bottle, gonna give that a go too.
Joolieeee
sigh - it doesn't seem to matter anyway. I had one sprout from my tray of carrot seed and that died in the baking sun last week. :(
Next year I'm going to start earlier with my carrots and parsnips.