Most gardeners have had bother capture a good cultivated carrot harvest . carrot are somewhat fussy plant and require specific conditions to turn well . Although soil is most important for every industrial plant , it ’s doubly so for carrots . This is why they actually produce better and more plentiful in container in a controlled soil environment .
Containers have the reward of have corking soil ( since you only put the unspoilt in there ) that is destitute of large rocks and other impediments to unbowed carrot maturation . The soil is also unaffixed and airy , helping the carrots dig deeper more easily .
Soil for Container Carrots
You should use the sound potting filth you could muster . It should be wanton , but not arenaceous . proficient compost mixed with good , loose surface soil , purchased potting mixes , a peat mixing , or any other mixing that is high in nutrient and free of careen and disease will work well .
nigh every time , you ’ll have weed - free ontogenesis and few ( if any ) pest problems when growing in pots . The container do need to be fairly deep to appropriate the carrots to raise down . Pots at least a foot deep are unspoiled .
Carrot Varieties to Grow in Containers
Most cultivated carrot types will get well in containers . In myopic containers , try Parmex , which grows in a roundish testicle . Kinbi is a yellow miscellanea that is comparatively short as is Nelson , which is a Nantes miscellanea that uprise only about six in longsighted and has a great deal of flavor – a favorite amongst drinker . Most miscellany do n’t grow longer than 1 invertebrate foot , but you ’ll desire to stick with those that are in the 6 - 9 inch range if you may .
How and When to Plant and Harvest Container Carrots
Planting can be done at any time the weather will be warm enough for the carrots to grow . Many container agriculturist have their container on wheeled carts or able to be lifted with a hand truck and will grow indoors , select them out of doors during the day and back in over the frosty night . This can allow most masses to grow all twelvemonth around .
Plant as you would in the ground , following the packet instructions . Most carrot seeds are “ bore ” into the ground about a quarter of an inch or so . Then water carefully . you could also “ circulate ” works Daucus carota sativa seed and cover them with a thin layer of soil or vermiculate .
Once the seedlings are pullulate and about an inch high , begin reduce . you’re able to draw them or cut them back , but thin them down to about one or two inch aside . These sprouts can be eaten as any other sprout and are swell salad topper , so do n’t shed them out !
CC flickr photo by energyandintensity
When the cultivated carrot hit the untested “ sister cultivated carrot ” stage where the plants are about six or seven in high and the root is about two or three inches long , dilute them again . You want to pull up stakes the remainder about six inches aside . These infant carrots that you ’ve pulled are fantabulous feeding and are young and sensitive .
Carrots will postulate fertilizer every couple of week . This can be a good compost teatime , commercial potting plant fertilizer , or whatever you ’d favour . It should be a essentially even mix ( 10 - 10 - 10 ) . They will need water regularly – about every two or three days , depending on your climate .
you may harvest at about 70 days . If you plant your carrot in rotation in containers , you’re able to have a continual harvest time all year !
CC flickr photo by energyandintensity
Want to learn more about growing carrots in containers?
Check out these helpful resources : Container GardenContainer Vegetable Gardening
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