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Tin bath ideas

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You wouldn't need a huge gap at the edges, and you can grow carrots successfully in containers of all kinds, and quite close together, but it would be a bit wasteful to use something of that size for carrots. They need a reasonable depth, depending on the variety of course, but the amount you'd spend on compost would be prohibitive, and would make it a very expensive crop, so it would be better to use something else in the base to part fill it. 
    You'd also need to ensure there was plenty of drainage holes. What is the bath made of?

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    edited June 2022
    A while back on the Big Dig on UKTV Gardens a lady was planting carrots in what looked like an old water barrel, she had sown them in decreasing circles and unless TV had really distorted how the space available, there was no way there was 15cm between the circles - so does this mean that amount of space is not really necessary? Also, if anyone happens to know how many liters of compost it takes to fill a bath do let me know!
    Did you see the actual crop from the barrell? Just because she planted them like that doesn’t necessarily mean it was successful! I say this as I’ve tried to grow carrots in a trough for about 4 years running and never managed more than a few feeble little efforts. I’m sure others have had much more success but it’s just never worked for me, so I’m sure somebody will be along to offer better advice.

    in terms of compost you will probably need way more than you think, I’d guess about 80 litres or more. It’s amazing how a seemingly massive bag of compost can look like nothing in a large container 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've grown carrots in large pots -around 18 inches diameter. You do have to thin them etc, but I had quite a nice crop.
    80litres of compost wouldn't even fill a baby bath  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    Ive just googled it and looks like most baths hold about 180 litres of water. Im always a bit suspicious as to how they measure the litres in compost though, I have a feeling its when its when its full of air and not when its been compressed in a bag for months!

    Must just be me then @Fairygirl, Ive always thinned them out etc but they just never amount to much 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Perhaps not enough depth for them @Jellyfire?
    I only grow them now and again, more as a novelty than anything else. I'd need to turn the whole garden over to carrots if I wanted enough to supply me  ;)
    I found this pic from a few years ago - the pot is around 15 inches rather than 18. We had a decent little crop, although I probably took a few of those out.
    Sown around beginning of May

    Cropping by the third week in July.
    I think they were Nantes, but I can't really remember

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    Oh blimey, I’ve got 6 of them in a planter about 30 inches square and 2ft deep, all I want is one meal from it! I’m obviously doing something wrong! The tops all look fine this year, but then they always do, will have to wait and see again!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Perhaps it's the variety @Jellyfire?
    I don't do anything special with them -old compost or garden soil, any stones removed. I might add a little fresh compost, but nothing more.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • They look perfect @Fairygirl ... I think I might give it a try. Is it too late to sow seeds now? 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Probably not too late. I expect it depends on the variety though, as to the length of time till there's a crop.
    I had a look re the Nantes one that I thought I'd grown, and it was definitely that variety. It takes around 2-3 months from sowing to cropping, which was pretty much spot on with mine.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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