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Mis shapen carrots

GwenrGwenr Posts: 150
in Fruit & veg
I am absolutely flawed with what's happening to my carrots, they are twisted and bent, yet grown in good compost. They are also grown in a large built wooden planter and some grown in large plastic troughs that are excess seedlings. To start with they were all coming out straight and long, but now all I lift are twisted ones. I can't see any sign of carrot fly, no grubs, the carrots are tasty and have no holes, just twisted. I did at one stage see white fly on the tops of the carrots on the leaves and have noticed that some seem to be in the soil now, but can't see white fly causing this. Would too much nutrient cause the problem. Any help please?

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Too many nutrients can certainly be a problem for carrots. They like quite poor, light  soil without too many stones, as that can also cause forks and twists.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Yes you’re right, too much nutrient Gr,   Carrots are best sown in soil that something else had been grown in last year..
    You can get some weird shapes, almost rude at times😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • GwenrGwenr Posts: 150
    edited October 2021
    So what can I do? If I keep planting will the nutrients gradually diminish? There are no stones in, it's used core from a nursery and it was put round strawberries. The core is brilliant stuff and I've grown with great success, the Spinach is proof of that, the carrots are a different matter. I did add some fertiliser when planting as this is the first time I've grown in wooden troughs and not in the ground.


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They won't do you any harm, but you can certainly plant other things in there if there's room. It won't make a difference to any of the carrots that are formed though. 
    The soil you have in there just now will suit them for next year  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    gr.letley said:
    I am absolutely flawed with what's happening to my carrots, they are twisted and bent, yet grown in good compost. They are also grown in a large built wooden planter and some grown in large plastic troughs that are excess seedlings. To start with they were all coming out straight and long, but now all I lift are twisted ones. I can't see any sign of carrot fly, no grubs, the carrots are tasty and have no holes, just twisted. I did at one stage see white fly on the tops of the carrots on the leaves and have noticed that some seem to be in the soil now, but can't see white fly causing this. Would too much nutrient cause the problem. Any help please?
    As long as they're edible I wouldn't worry. Unless your showing them (??) I can't see why a vegetable needs to be visual perfect...nowt wrong with wonky veg.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The only problem is if you need to peel them  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GwenrGwenr Posts: 150
    Chris-P-Bacon said:
    gr.letley said:
    I am absolutely flawed with what's happening to my carrots, they are twisted and bent, yet grown in good compost. They are also grown in a large built wooden planter and some grown in large plastic troughs that are excess seedlings. To start with they were all coming out straight and long, but now all I lift are twisted ones. I can't see any sign of carrot fly, no grubs, the carrots are tasty and have no holes, just twisted. I did at one stage see white fly on the tops of the carrots on the leaves and have noticed that some seem to be in the soil now, but can't see white fly causing this. Would too much nutrient cause the problem. Any help please?
    As long as they're edible I wouldn't worry. Unless your showing them (??) I can't see why a vegetable needs to be visual perfect...nowt wrong with wonky veg.
    Very true and ours are very wonky, but they do taste very tasty and no sprays used. Plus, no storing, we pull and we eat, no plastic wrapping or transporting, straight from the compost to the kitchen, what more could you ask for.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That’s the main thing GR. 
    We live and learn.🙂
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    here was me thinking we might have a thread of "naughty" carrot pics :(
    Devon.
  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    Me too @Hostafan1!  Might have to wait until the next Gogglebox for rudey things though.
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
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