Allotments 4 All

I've grown Purple Haze F1 carrots before in a mix and they do look lovely.

This year I thought I'd grow several different varieties, as many as I have room for to compare. Most are open pollinated varieties, so I can aim to save seed from those if they are good. I have Cosmic Purple as they are meant to be tasty. From the HSL I have Afghan Purple and John's Purple, both new to me varieties. I don't know how 'purple' they are but I'm looking forward to growing them and finding out. Still on the black coloured carrot theme are Morada and Turkish Black seeds although I'm not sure how tasty they are compared to regular types. I've read the Turkish Black might be quite thin and a bit tough.

Also caught my eye Deep Purple F1 and Purple Sun carrots F1. Both hybrid varieties but they do look spectacular

Love purple haze, I always leave in or replant a number of other types of carrots for seed saving and lovely bunches of flowers which do have a vase life!

They are beautiful aren't they? Does Purple Haze's flowers have a tint of colour in their flowers?

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsiyah%2Bhavu%25C3%25A7%2Btohumu%2Bt%25C3%25BCrkiye%2BFETHIYE%26biw%3D1035%26bih%3D477&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=tr&u=http://www.e-fidancim.com/Siyah-havuc-tohumu-fiyati,TA-3856.html&usg=ALkJrhhzIqYrpTLfEEu2XPnG4DshLbryPA

Note the prices are actually in Turkish Lira so the price of 4,21 is about £1.16  But the picture shows them as flecked with orange.  The true black ones seem to be smaller and much more expensive.

I am going to Turkey in a few weeks, but the area where I go all the carrots are all orange and they do not seem to sell black carrots seeds either.  When I tried to buy carrots seeds they politely told me it was too late to plant them, (may) 

A few years ago I went to an area where all the carrots were black/purple but could not find any seeds.  They were actually quite tasty.  Not like the ones which are purple on the outside only, there was not sign of orange in them at all.   They made my tongue go a funny colour.

It was very rural, they used dried cow pats for heating in the winter and each farm had huge piles of them.

I have been wondering if I could buy some and get them shipped to the hotel.

This one looks interesting though I can tell you they are not rare to the east of Anatolia.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-CARROT-RARE-ANATOLIAN-HEIRLOOM-1000-FRESH-SEEDS/281284862513?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222006%26algo%3DSIC.FITP%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D21398%26meid%3D5798020487447889257%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D9407%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D110961467658

as you can see the ebay ones are rather expensive in comparison since the first ones are 10 grams ie about 8000 seeds for £1.16.   But they do appear to be purple all the way through.

I grew some carrots which ended up having pink flowers but not sure what they were originally.

Thanks for the links

Quote from: Digeroo on March 28, 2014, 07:18:18
I am going to Turkey in a few weeks, but the area where I go all the carrots are all orange and they do not seem to sell black carrots seeds either.  When I tried to buy carrots seeds they politely told me it was too late to plant them, (may) 

It might be too late in Turkey, their summer are so hot, but I think as they are closer to the wild type carrot they should not be sown early in the year or they can run to seed prematurely.

Quote from: Digeroo on March 28, 2014, 07:18:18
A few years ago I went to an area where all the carrots were black/purple but could not find any seeds.  They were actually quite tasty.  Not like the ones which are purple on the outside only, there was not sign of orange in them at all.   They made my tongue go a funny colour.

They sound great, that's what I'm hoping to find. My Turkish Black ones came from http://wonderseed.ecrater.co.uk/p/18350318/black-carrot-rare-anatolian-heirloom-1000  though whether they will look like the picture, I'll let you know. Happy to share some, pm me.

Quote from: Digeroo on March 28, 2014, 07:18:18
I grew some carrots which ended up having pink flowers but not sure what they were originally.

I think I've had some pink ones too, but not sure if I was confusing them for something else.

Sorry can not remember but I'll be sure to find out in a year or two!! I just found it so much easier to grow lovely lacy flowers from carrots than fancy flower packeted seed.

P.s I've just an article about how we have made some of our perennial veg into annuals so I guess we are missing out something for the vase too! And parsnips are ohh so  designer.

There is something about parsnips both in flower and seeding, love looking up at the sky through them 

It was very rural, they used dried cow pats for heating in the winter and each farm had huge piles of them.

I have been wondering if I could buy some and get them shipped to the hotel.

Each to his own!

did you mean cow pats or black purple carrots/seeds at your hotel

What was the article, Markfield? This is something I've been aware of for a while, but I could do with some details.

Morning Robert, it was by Lia Leendertz in The Garden if you go to her blog it will come up in Features . Hope this helps.

I had a look at her blog, afraid I'm a bit of a numpty and couldn't find the article.

Neither could I.

Sorry to lead you up the garden path, try lialeendertz.com  then features the middle of the first articles it's from The Garden April 2012. Fingers crossed.