Carrots
Sweet, crunchy and far better fresh than shop-bought. Loves light, stone-free soil.
Carrots seeds
£1.99 in the shop
Calendar
Sow
March – July, direct where they are to grow
Plant out
Do not transplant — carrots resent root disturbance
Harvest
June – November
Conditions
Sun
Full sun to light shade
Water
Even moisture; sudden watering after drought causes splitting
Soil
Light, sandy, stone-free, not freshly manured
Spacing
Thin to 5–7cm apart, rows 25cm
Containers
Deep pots work well for short-rooted varieties
Indoors
Outdoor crop; cloches extend the season
Care and harvest
Feeding
Rarely needed — rich soil causes forking
Pruning
Thin seedlings in the evening to reduce carrot fly
Harvesting
Lift gently with a fork when shoulders are showing
Storage
In boxes of damp sand in a cool shed for months
Good companions: Spring onions, Leeks, Rosemary