Carrot

The carrot is a popular variety of root vegetable. They are usually orange in colour, but can be found in purple, red, white or yellow varieties.

Location
Choose a site that gets sun for the majority of the day.

Soil
Ensure the soil has not been manured recently and is not too acidic as this will cause the carrots to fork. If necessary add lime. Sift the soil if it is stony as stones will also cause forking. For long-root varieties it is best to dig the soil over to the expected depth of the variety you are growing and sift out any stones.

Sowing
Sow seeds very thinly in shallow drills, if necessary mix seeds with sand to make sowing thinly easier. Leave at least 15cm (6in) between rows. If sowing in March or April you may need to cover the drills with glass, fleece or a cloche to protect against frost and maintain enough heat for germination. Once they have germinated and are large enough to handle; thin seedlings to 5cm (2in) between plants.

Aftercare
Carrots do not require much attention once they have been thinned, but they should be kept moist to avoid the roots turning woody. If they are not watered regularly and become dry, a heavy rain may cause splitting.

Harvesting
You can lift small carrots when they are ready from June. Make sure you do not disturb neighbouring carrots. Any carrots that are damaged during harvesting should be used in the kitchen as soon as possible.

Storing
Carrots lifted before November can be stored in a clamp. Selecting only healthy carrots; cut the stalks down to 1cm (0.5in) and place in a wooden box filled with sand or dry peat. Ensure the carrots do not touch. Store the clamp in a dry location and check on them periodically so that any rotten roots can be removed. Correctly stored carrots can survive until the following March.

Varieties

 * Purple Haze F1 - A modern variety with a striking dark purple outside and typical orange core.