When to harvest carrots???

dataking

Hi all, I am a newbie hear and am hoping for some of your wonderful advice. I planted some carrot seeds in a raised bed in late July and was wondering when I need to pull them up by? I have pulled a few in the last week but they are still quite small.

Many thanks, Claire

Jack's_mummy

To be honest I doubt if they will grow much more. So I'd pull them and just eat what there is. If they are small the flavour should be intense

irishwexford

I have the same problem. Had a good harvest of earlies then planted two rows about July. I am digging them as I doubt they will grow any bigger. Some are a good size but am using the small ones for stews etc. They taste good but a bit time consuming to peel. Im not complaining though as I have not bought carrots for months and do not intend to until these are used up. My parsnips are so big I can hardly believe I planted them myself. Living on carrots, parsnips, leeks and have good stock of runner beans in freezer. Harvested the last two butternut squash this week and today we will have leek and squash bake with cheese sauce. My winter cabbages and savoys are growing well, planted these from seed earlier. As this is my first year with allotment I feel chuffed.;)

Jack's_mummy

I never peel my home grown carrots. just a good scrub and into the pot

dataking

Thanks for your replies Jack's mummy & irish wexford. Do you know if they will rot if I leave them, or do I need to pull them all up now and store them?

Irishwexford - when did your plant your early carrots? and your parsnips? & well done sounds like you hve done really well for you first year, I only have a few raised beds and pots all the allotments round here hve massive waiting lists!

Jack's_mummy

I don't think they will rot as such but will probably go "woody" and not be so nice. They don't store too well in my experience so just pull them as you need them but sooner rather than later

irishwexford

I cannot remember when I planted them. The carrots were earlies and the parsnips I planted at the same time. About May I think. Next year I will plant all the carrots earlier. Will cover with fleece.

Jack's mummy, I will stop peeling small carrots from now. Don't know why I was doing it in the first place. Force of habit I think.

Biggles

dataking wrote: »

Thanks for your replies Jack's mummy & irish wexford. Do you know if they will rot if I leave them, or do I need to pull them all up now and store them?

I always leave mine in the ground and that seems to be the best way to keep them, plus the fact that you get the last amount of growth out of them. They certainly won't rot.

You may get the odd slug nibble, but generally the ground seems by far the best place to keep them, they're just as tasty pulled in the depths of winter and I haven't noticed woodiness being a problem.

If you pull them and try and keep them, they seem to dry out and go a bit rubbery, though I'm sure there are ways the big producers keep them in bulk.