I struggle to keep track of watering evenly, sometimes a few of mine will run to seed like yours have - even if the carrot develops before this happens it will be mostly inedible. What bothers me is that with all the rain I've had this summer some of my spinach has bolted too - I guess there must have been more dry days than I thought (stupid office without windows).
Pulled some carrots tonight, 2 had obviously run to seed - they develop a kind of round thick stem instead of the usual squarish thin stems so I pulled them straight to the compost heap, the others made lovely sweet baby carrots for my tea. Was going to water them but the rain came on first... heavily!
Carrots usually take two years to complete their lifecycle. In the first year they build up a store of energy in the root - this forms the carrot that we want to eat.
In the second year the energy from the carrot is used up to produce the flower and seeds. The 'carrot' becomes old, withered and tough.
A shock to the system (e.g. drought or root disturbance) can cause the carrot to flower early (in the first year) as a sort of self-preservation strategy as it 'thinks' it's going to die.
Hope that explains it
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No, even before the flowers form if a flower stem appears the carrot will be like wood and tasteless...... It is a sign that you (and I) haven't been watering enough.
To tell when carrots are 'ready' scrape a little soil at the base of the stem and judge if the top of the carrot is as big as you are looking for (after all, some of us like them as babies, others full grown) - but always remember to cover it up again straight away or the top of the carrot will turn green.
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I struggle to keep track of watering evenly, sometimes a few of mine will run to seed like yours have - even if the carrot develops before this happens it will be mostly inedible. What bothers me is that with all the rain I've had this summer some of my spinach has bolted too - I guess there must have been more dry days than I thought (stupid office without windows).
Verdun , quick question are our Big carrots ok to eat ?
Pulled some carrots tonight, 2 had obviously run to seed - they develop a kind of round thick stem instead of the usual squarish thin stems so I pulled them straight to the compost heap, the others made lovely sweet baby carrots for my tea. Was going to water them but the rain came on first... heavily!
Am I to understand that I should cut of the stem that has the flower on it . I thought I should let it flower then I know it is ready .
No, you don't want your carrots to flower!
Carrots usually take two years to complete their lifecycle. In the first year they build up a store of energy in the root - this forms the carrot that we want to eat.
In the second year the energy from the carrot is used up to produce the flower and seeds. The 'carrot' becomes old, withered and tough.
A shock to the system (e.g. drought or root disturbance) can cause the carrot to flower early (in the first year) as a sort of self-preservation strategy as it 'thinks' it's going to die.
Hope that explains it
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No, even before the flowers form if a flower stem appears the carrot will be like wood and tasteless...... It is a sign that you (and I) haven't been watering enough.
To tell when carrots are 'ready' scrape a little soil at the base of the stem and judge if the top of the carrot is as big as you are looking for (after all, some of us like them as babies, others full grown) - but always remember to cover it up again straight away or the top of the carrot will turn green.