FAQs about Growing Carrots

Carrots - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about Carrots, i was write this article for sharing Article Carrots, Article FAQ, Article growing foods, I hope this article very helpfull for you

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Carrots

This is our next article on FAQ series. Today's edition is CARROTS. Here are some of the questions generally asked about carrot growing.

Which variety should I plant?

If your soil does not have very good drainage capacity growing shorter varieties is best. For a deeper and loose soil you can always select the longer varieties. Read more about soil classification.

How much space is needed?

Though most of the time carrot seeds are planted very closely you need to thin them after germination. For normal loose soil two plants for every one inch of soil is ideal. If the soil is heavy and tight you need to give more space.

What are seed stalks?

Carrots are biennial. They grow from seed to flower-producing plants over two years. Carrots or many other biennial crops, such as cabbage, will produce seed stalks the first year if young plants are kept in cold weather. Carrots which produce seed stalks often lack flavour, are woody and have poor texture.

What is the best soil type?

A light sandy or loamy soil is ideal for growing carrots. For more details Read carrot growing tips.

What are baby carrots?

By definition these are small immature carrots that are pulled before reaching maturity. Now a days there are referred to several varieties of carrots which are smaller in size upon maturing.

What are the health benefit of eating carrots?

Carrots are good for skin. It helps in fighting infections, preventing wrinkles and delay the aging process. Due to the presence of beta carotine it helps in keeping good eye sight. Also it has been reported to fight against cancer.

Why my carrots taste bitter?

In a carrot there are both trepenoids and sugar. Presence of trepinoid makes the carrot bitter. During its growth trepenoid develops earlier than sugar. So if you harvest your carrots too early it will have bitter taste.

In some species the quantity of trepinoid is far greater than others.

Why do my carrots are bolting?

Carrots are binnual plant. That means they flower in the second year of planting. But if you see them flowering in the first year itself that is due to the fact that there might be a change of temperature or a change in day length. Also growing carrots through out summer can make them prone to bolting. There are several bolt resistant variety which you try growing if you want to grow them in summers.

Can I transplant carrots?

You can. But probably you should not. Carrots actually doesn't do too well in transplanting. They are much more erratic.

Why do carrots split or crack?

Inapproprite watering is the major cause of spliting carrots. If you don't like splitted carrots make sure the soil is moistured evenly. Adding coconut coir or peat moss with the soil can solve this problem.

Why there are galls and swelling in the roots of the plant?

It is called a disease caused by root knot nematodes. Click here to read more on this.

Have any more questions? Please post it in the comment box. We will be happy to answer those.

This is our next article on FAQ series. Today's edition is CARROTS. Here are some of the questions generally asked about carrot growing.

Which variety should I plant?

If your soil does not have very good drainage capacity growing shorter varieties is best. For a deeper and loose soil you can always select the longer varieties. Read more about soil classification.

How much space is needed?

Though most of the time carrot seeds are planted very closely you need to thin them after germination. For normal loose soil two plants for every one inch of soil is ideal. If the soil is heavy and tight you need to give more space.

What are seed stalks?

Carrots are biennial. They grow from seed to flower-producing plants over two years. Carrots or many other biennial crops, such as cabbage, will produce seed stalks the first year if young plants are kept in cold weather. Carrots which produce seed stalks often lack flavour, are woody and have poor texture.

What is the best soil type?

A light sandy or loamy soil is ideal for growing carrots. For more details Read carrot growing tips.

What are baby carrots?

By definition these are small immature carrots that are pulled before reaching maturity. Now a days there are referred to several varieties of carrots which are smaller in size upon maturing.

What are the health benefit of eating carrots?

Carrots are good for skin. It helps in fighting infections, preventing wrinkles and delay the aging process. Due to the presence of beta carotine it helps in keeping good eye sight. Also it has been reported to fight against cancer.

Why my carrots taste bitter?

In a carrot there are both trepenoids and sugar. Presence of trepinoid makes the carrot bitter. During its growth trepenoid develops earlier than sugar. So if you harvest your carrots too early it will have bitter taste.

In some species the quantity of trepinoid is far greater than others.

Why do my carrots are bolting?

Carrots are binnual plant. That means they flower in the second year of planting. But if you see them flowering in the first year itself that is due to the fact that there might be a change of temperature or a change in day length. Also growing carrots through out summer can make them prone to bolting. There are several bolt resistant variety which you try growing if you want to grow them in summers.

Can I transplant carrots?

You can. But probably you should not. Carrots actually doesn't do too well in transplanting. They are much more erratic.

Why do carrots split or crack?

Inapproprite watering is the major cause of spliting carrots. If you don't like splitted carrots make sure the soil is moistured evenly. Adding coconut coir or peat moss with the soil can solve this problem.

Why there are galls and swelling in the roots of the plant?

It is called a disease caused by root knot nematodes. Click here to read more on this.

Have any more questions? Please post it in the comment box. We will be happy to answer those.

Carrots Growing Tips

Carrots - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about Carrots, i was write this article for sharing Article Carrots, Article growing foods, Article vegetables, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Carrots Growing Tips
link : Carrots Growing Tips

Carrots

Today is third edition of the easiest growing crops series. Today's focus is carrots. You can also check the prior two crops Tomato and Cucumber. 

Carrots are actually taproots which have enlarged. They have a very wide and deep root system. It is a cool climate crop and need to be sown in the winter specially in the sub-tropical areas. The optimum temperature for carrots is 60 to 70 deg F. Though we are used to experience carrots as orange in colour, there are other varieties which can be white, crimson or even purple in colour. But rather than focusing on colour your main concern should be on the root size to suit your soil.

Try to find the uniform blend of soil, it should be without any lumps and stones. These can cause the roots to fork. The depth of the soil should be at least twice that of the mature size of the carrot. The pH of the soil ideally is between 5.5 to 7.0. put sufficient amount of compost or rotten organic matter. They require nutrient enriched soil. Adding of nitrogen can be very crucial to the growth and aesthetics of your carrots. Organic sources such as blood, alfalfa meal, horn meal etc can be used. Also think about using companion planting and crop rotation techniques. Growing carrots after legumes can eliminate the need of adding extra nitrogen. Avoid hot nitrogen source like fresh manure and fish fertilizer. They can cause roots to fork.

Carrots also do well with most plants. Rosemary and sage can deter carrot flies. Check companion planting for more details. If you are planning to grow the carrots till it gives you seed, it is necessary that you avoid planting Dill, Coriander or other plants of Umbelliferae family. These plants cause cross pollination and thus chances of getting the seeds are greatly reduced. Though if you have only planting for the roots and not concerned about getting the seeds, this might not much of an importance to you.

Good news for the urban gardeners, you can grow carrots in the containers also. Just choose the pot which are at least 12 inches deep(container should be twice as deep as the size of the mature carrot) and with good drainage facility. In case you need more information about container gardening check out my earlier blog. In this case try to plant the seeds 1 to 3 inches apart. Cover the seeds with soil and water frequently(More on watering techniques here). It is always better to try for the smaller varieties.

It generally takes 12 to 15 days to germinate. Once they have emerged cover them with a fine mesh netting. It will help to get air, water and sunlight but keeps pest at bay. Applying mulch can retain the moisture level and also reduce the weed problem. The growth of the carrot seedling is always slower than the weeds. Nematodes can be prevented from harming the plant by applying plenty of compost. These are rich in predatory microorganism and can prey on nematodes. 

Carrots can be harvested in less than three months for most of the varieties. You can judge the size of the carrot by looking at the top. Usually the largest carrots have the darkest and greenest top. Most are at their prime when about 2.5 cm in diameter at the crown. It is crucial that you don’t leave your carrots for too long in the ground. It can make them too long, tough and some times distasteful. Do some watering before harvesting. It will soften the soil and will be easier to take out the carrot.

Cut off the leaves as soon as they are out with some sharp knife. Do not just break the top as it tend to sprout and will shorten their storage life. Leaving them for too long in the ground can attract the carrot fly. Gently wash them with cold water to remove all the dirt and it will also cool them down.

If you follow these above mentioned processes.You will be pleasantly surprised by the flavor of home grown carrots. They have a flavor that many modern mass market carrots seem to have lost. 

Related video: Five Useful tips for transplanting a plant

Today is third edition of the easiest growing crops series. Today's focus is carrots. You can also check the prior two crops Tomato and Cucumber. 

Carrots are actually taproots which have enlarged. They have a very wide and deep root system. It is a cool climate crop and need to be sown in the winter specially in the sub-tropical areas. The optimum temperature for carrots is 60 to 70 deg F. Though we are used to experience carrots as orange in colour, there are other varieties which can be white, crimson or even purple in colour. But rather than focusing on colour your main concern should be on the root size to suit your soil.

Try to find the uniform blend of soil, it should be without any lumps and stones. These can cause the roots to fork. The depth of the soil should be at least twice that of the mature size of the carrot. The pH of the soil ideally is between 5.5 to 7.0. put sufficient amount of compost or rotten organic matter. They require nutrient enriched soil. Adding of nitrogen can be very crucial to the growth and aesthetics of your carrots. Organic sources such as blood, alfalfa meal, horn meal etc can be used. Also think about using companion planting and crop rotation techniques. Growing carrots after legumes can eliminate the need of adding extra nitrogen. Avoid hot nitrogen source like fresh manure and fish fertilizer. They can cause roots to fork.

Carrots also do well with most plants. Rosemary and sage can deter carrot flies. Check companion planting for more details. If you are planning to grow the carrots till it gives you seed, it is necessary that you avoid planting Dill, Coriander or other plants of Umbelliferae family. These plants cause cross pollination and thus chances of getting the seeds are greatly reduced. Though if you have only planting for the roots and not concerned about getting the seeds, this might not much of an importance to you.

Good news for the urban gardeners, you can grow carrots in the containers also. Just choose the pot which are at least 12 inches deep(container should be twice as deep as the size of the mature carrot) and with good drainage facility. In case you need more information about container gardening check out my earlier blog. In this case try to plant the seeds 1 to 3 inches apart. Cover the seeds with soil and water frequently(More on watering techniques here). It is always better to try for the smaller varieties.

It generally takes 12 to 15 days to germinate. Once they have emerged cover them with a fine mesh netting. It will help to get air, water and sunlight but keeps pest at bay. Applying mulch can retain the moisture level and also reduce the weed problem. The growth of the carrot seedling is always slower than the weeds. Nematodes can be prevented from harming the plant by applying plenty of compost. These are rich in predatory microorganism and can prey on nematodes. 

Carrots can be harvested in less than three months for most of the varieties. You can judge the size of the carrot by looking at the top. Usually the largest carrots have the darkest and greenest top. Most are at their prime when about 2.5 cm in diameter at the crown. It is crucial that you don’t leave your carrots for too long in the ground. It can make them too long, tough and some times distasteful. Do some watering before harvesting. It will soften the soil and will be easier to take out the carrot.

Cut off the leaves as soon as they are out with some sharp knife. Do not just break the top as it tend to sprout and will shorten their storage life. Leaving them for too long in the ground can attract the carrot fly. Gently wash them with cold water to remove all the dirt and it will also cool them down.

If you follow these above mentioned processes.You will be pleasantly surprised by the flavor of home grown carrots. They have a flavor that many modern mass market carrots seem to have lost. 

Related video: Five Useful tips for transplanting a plant