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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: cacran on October 20, 2008, 21:49:44

Title: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: cacran on October 20, 2008, 21:49:44
I have some carrots growing in a tin bath. I pulled acouple but they were very small. would you leave them in or should I just use them small?
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: betula on October 20, 2008, 21:55:12
You can leave them in for ages,nothing to stop you eating small ones if you can;t resist :)
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: star on October 20, 2008, 22:01:02
Do you have any fleece? I would be tempted to cover them for extra protection. But I really couldnt give expert advice.

I have sown some carrots 3 weeks ago under a coldframe, they are just germinating. But I have no idea how they will cope with cold temps and lack of day length. But if I dont try I wont know.

I can only think that if the conditions are not right for them, they will be woody and inedible. Maybe we should let them grow on and compare notes later on?  ;)

Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: KathrynH on October 20, 2008, 22:01:44
Depends whether they are protected. Leave them a bit longer if the bath is protected from insects. If it's not though, you may find that they start to get chewed quicker than you can cope with so may be best to pull them up and use them small.
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: star on October 20, 2008, 22:02:10
Thanks Betula, we posted at the same time. That gives me more hope now :D
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: star on October 20, 2008, 22:04:29
Good point Kathryn, thanks  ;)
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: betula on October 20, 2008, 22:16:59
Yes star,if they are recently germinated keep them fleeced.

The longer anything stays in the ground the more they are at risk,in a tin bath should be good. :)
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: manicscousers on October 21, 2008, 11:11:27
we tend to take small bunches up and leave the in between ones to get bigger, also, we earth them up to stop the necks getting nibbled, not sure if carrot fly is a problem this time of year, I've just taken the fleece off the outside ones  ?
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: Rhubarb Thrasher on October 21, 2008, 11:22:35
had the start of carrot fly grub attack about 5 weeks ago. Dug up the last of the carrots. V.F.E.10.M
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: Bean_Queen on November 14, 2008, 08:00:33
Use them up. They won't grow any more now, will be liable to slug damage, and will bolt in the spring.
Title: Re: shall I harvest my carrots yet?
Post by: shirlton on November 14, 2008, 08:10:32
We have taken all of our autumn giant up and stored some and froze the others. I just don't like the thought of all of the hard work to feed the slugs the slugs. Apart from that they are better to handle without the winter mud on them.