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help please from those who know about growing carrots

adamadamantadamadamant Posts: 278
in Fruit & veg
Hi, my first time growing carrots, and as I have limited space generally I am doing quite a few veg in boxes on my shed roof.  If I plant carrots up there, do you think I could avoid a carrot fly barrier?  Monty said they dont fly much higher than 30 or 40 cm so a barrier higher than that will be sufficient to deter them.  Can I risk the seedlings up at 6 foot unprotected? Thanks

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Yes, they should be fine at that height but make sure you sow a variety that doesn't make long roots so you ca get away with shallower, lighter pots and troughs.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Scarlet Nantes are nice.. but make sure whatever carrot you grow has very even watering.  I've grown them in pots before.. it was a real challenge, with some carrots split and others quite bitter tasting.  
    Utah, USA.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I know it's stating the obvious but do check on the load bearing capabilities of the shed roof ... a box of damp soil/compost can be surprisingly heavy.  
     :) 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • adamadamantadamadamant Posts: 278
    Thanks everyone, I am sowing a very short variety, Burpees Short n Sweet which are apparently especially good for containers.   I appreciate the advice about watering, am prepared for mistakes, have made plenty in the past!  That however is how we learn!  Thanks fellow forum people 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've always grown mine in containers. Make sure the soil you use isn't stony - that can cause them to fork/split, and use some old compost or soil for growing them in - they don't like a rich growing medium. I use the old compost from the previous year's sweet peas etc.   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • adamadamantadamadamant Posts: 278
    Ah great, I didnt know that about the compost.  Many thanks


  • flowerbynameflowerbynatureflowerbynameflowerbynature Posts: 13
    I have grown carrots in pots twice as an experiment really, 1st year I did nothing with the soil and had some funny shaped carrots, and I found they didn' germinate as well as I hoped.
    The second year I added some sand and had a great crop.
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