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Sorry, no pics to bore you with, but just wanted to mention that I left my carrots in the ground this year, and I dug some today and they look amazing!  A very late sowing - can't remember type, but long chunky roots!  A couple of parsnips also, and a couple of leeks and a couple of mooli!  Weekend dinner sorted!

All in all, for this time of year, everything seems to be in full swing still!

When Prinkie, OO and I went to Barnsdale for a course on 'four season harvesting', Nick Hamilton said that carrots were frost-tender and should be lifted. There were some (discreet ;)) murmurings among us then, cos we thought they were biennials and had all left em in. The only problem harvesting we could think of was if there was a frost, or a real bad problem with slugs. Right, pic or not, I'm gonna leave them in next year (if I can get any to grow  >:(!)
SSXx

I'm jealous. I can't grow carrots to save my life  ::)

Quote from: supersprout on December 09, 2006, 08:44:26
Nick Hamilton said that carrots were frost-tender and should be lifted. >:(!)

In the fields near us where they grow them commercially they leave the carrots in during the winter but protect them from the frost with a deep mulch of straw.

I was given advice here to leave the Autumn King in, covered with straw.....so that's what I'm doing. Haven't protected them yet cos it's still so mild. Pulled some yesterday & they're really good. 8) Intend to leave them until such time as I can't be bothered to go and pull them - then I'll lift & freeze them.

Quote from: Alishka_Maxwell on December 09, 2006, 10:32:04
Pulled some yesterday & they're really good

You are lucky - if I left any in the ground they would be full of tiny - worm???- holes

Mostly those small black slugs, the tiny soil dwelling ones Flossie.
;D

;) ;) Got loads of parsnips but wish I had carrots left, ate them ages ago, note:  must plant more next year.   :) :) ;) ;) :D :D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Wish I had more parsnips, germination was poor this year - and I sowed twice, Do like parsnips.
Still got some carrots in, but find that if they are slightly attacked by carrot root fly in warmer weather, the b***ers do overwinter in them and make the problem worse next year. I think the little slugs get into the holes made by them, and munch away happily.
Leeks look ok, have had some Mammoth out which were very nice and the Musselburgh are coming along OK too.