Carrot Growing Tips – Carrot Fly, Growing & Harvesting

Three tips for carrot growers sent in by readers. We’ve not tried them all – so if you try any of the carrot growing tips, let us know how you got on in the comments box below.

We’re always happy to get comments, tips and even full articles for the site from gardeners: just contact me or pop your tip in on the comments box below.

Harvesting Carrots from Sandy Soil

If you grow carrots on sandy or loose soil, when it is time to pick them, first push the carrot gently but firmly down into the soil. The reason is that this action will break all of the fine hairs that make pulling carrots a little harder then it need be.

By breaking these threads the carrots will simply slide out of the ground and being less tugged and bruised will store even better.

Sorry this will not work for heavy or clay soils.

Thanks to Henry for this tip on harvesting carrots from sandy soil.

Controlling Carrot Fly

This tip about carrot fly sounds so daft I almost did not post it but Henry insists it’s true and it works..

If you suspect that the dreaded carrot fly has got past your defences, your netting and smell diversions and is living within your carrot fortress – then place some bits of mirror along and between your rows of growing plants.

The idea is that the female carrot fly will see her own reflection, think it’s a rival and charge at it knocking herself out! Then you come along and remove her. I know you think I am kidding but I swear it’s true, give it a go.

Thanks to Henry for this tip on controlling carrot fly.

Growing Carrots in Bins Tip

I grow all my carrots in dust bins sown in a spiral. Growing in bins and containers with improved soil is quite common but I’m not not sure how many know this tip.

The sun sorts them out so that they grow first on the outside then as you pick them this allows the inner ones some more sun and they develop to replace the picked ones.

This tip spreads the crop’s maturing in a way similar to successional sowing.

Thanks to Henry for this tip on growing carrots in bins

Further Information on Carrots

• Carrot Growing Tips – Carrot Fly, Growing & Harvesting
• Growing Long Carrots for Show – Long Rooted Carrots
• Growing Stump Rooted Carrots for Show – Preparation
• Growing Stump Rooted Carrots for Show – Cultivation to Showing