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Carrots in tubs

I'm not normally a veg grower but am planning to grow carrots in tubs with my little grandaughter this year.  I know that in the ground carrots don't like newly manured soil, but what would be the best growing medium to put them in?  I produce my own compost and leaf mould and use peat free composts, but do I need something a bit more hefty? I'm planning to use a variety of shorter carrot but wonder what is the minimum pot size I need.  I've read up about carrot root fly and think I can protect thenm ok but just need this bit of extra advice.  Thanks

Posts

  • LeggiLeggi Posts: 489
    I normally sieve in about a quarter sand and make sure there are no lumpy bits in the compost (home or bought). You could add a bit of something like pelleted chicken manure for extra nutrients, I add a couple of trowel fulls to a pot about 3 foot by 3 foot. A pot that size should keep away carrot fly as I've been told they don't fly much above ground level. Hope you and the little one enjoy your growing image
  • I'd use a 50/50 mix of grow bag (cheapest compost) and sharp sand for drainage.  Can grow them successfully in a bucket or deep trough, remember to put some holes in the bottom for drainage.

  • Had you thought of using patio carrot seed. They produce small globular carrots, just the right size to pot in the mouth to eat raw. Failing that, you need to look for "stump" rooted carrots. They are shorter and fatter than standard carrot shape.

  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    I would actually say 75% sand with compost and pots at least 30cm deep.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    I grew Chantenay carrots very successfully in old recycling boxes - lots of holes drilled in the bottom, some chunks of polystyrene in the bottom to use up a bit of the space and provide drainage, and then the boxes filled with good quality general purpose compost.  image


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





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    I agree with MMP - 50/50 sharp sand and sieved cheap multi-purpose compost, gro-bag stuff usually being the cheapest.  Carrots do not like rich soil, but you can water them with a general liquid feed once they have grown a bit.  I remember a lighthouseman on a TV programme who grew his carrots in a patch consisting of almost entirely sand on his tiny island, and they were HUGE, so I'm sure blairs suggestion is equally good.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    If you plan to just grow a few carrots in tubs with your gran-daughter they do well just in multi purpose compost. If all the seeds are sown at once, thin out the emerging seedlings because the carrots won't have room to grow under ground and will compete against each other. 

    Wait till it's a little warmer and sow an early cropping variety, these will germinate outside and produce mini carrots which can be picked and scrubbed before cooking. Not huge but they'll be several inches long.

    Carrot root fly isn't a problem if sown in pots and picked small.      

  • rutlandbelle wrote (see)

    I'm not normally a veg grower but am planning to grow carrots in tubs with my little grandaughter this year. 


    Depending on the height of your grand-daughter you will probably need quite a deep tub!!!image

    Manure is probably not a good idea - she'll probably prefer something like Smarties or a bar of chocolate......

    (Sorry, I'll get my coat.....image)

  • Thanks everyone, though Jeannie has now given me the perfect idea of what to do with my grandaughter when she's being cheeky!

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