Carrot Week 2012!

+1 on Quiltbea's comment! That's one very lovely garden you built up!

Note the green stuff .. called quality lawn grass .. sown just a few weeks ago ..it's only taken 7 yrs to get to this stage.

It's done! Carrot box is planted! I did one of my 3x4's, all carrots. One strip (1x4) of Scarlet Nantes, another strip of Danvers 1/2 Long, and the last strip Chantenay Red Cored. I know we are supposed to mix up the squares with other crops (takes care of the crop rotation) but this box had so many different things in it last year that it will be fine. And, they won't be alone when all the volunteer Cilantro sprouts! This is my all-orange box. I will plant the colored carrots in a few weeks.

Pisachi wrote:Has anyone here experimented with the purple carrots, or some of the other different colors? I picked up some seed for them a few months back, and am thinking of growing a few squares worth...

Two years ago I planted Cosmic Purple. LOVED THEM!!! Planting more of them this year.

GG

Well I got mine planted on April 15th, the day I thought I was supposed to
I planted 4 squares of YA YA nantes and another 4 squares of cordless nantes.....
So we will see if they grow. My SFG beds ARE on top of last years beds and there is a layer of cardboard in between, and so I figure if a carrot wanted to push its way further than 6 inches, it has lots of room to.

Goosegirl wrote:It's done! Carrot box is planted! I did one of my 3x4's, all carrots. One strip (1x4) of Scarlet Nantes, another strip of Danvers 1/2 Long, and the last strip Chantenay Red Cored. I know we are supposed to mix up the squares with other crops (takes care of the crop rotation) but this box had so many different things in it last year that it will be fine. And, they won't be alone when all the volunteer Cilantro sprouts! This is my all-orange box. I will plant the colored carrots in a few weeks.

Pisachi wrote:Has anyone here experimented with the purple carrots, or some of the other different colors? I picked up some seed for them a few months back, and am thinking of growing a few squares worth...

Two years ago I planted Cosmic Purple. LOVED THEM!!! Planting more of them this year.

GG

I planted the kaleidoscope carrots. I like them.

Okay, so maybe this will add to the interest. My carrot seeds are in today; planted up to a full week after others on here. I didn't see the announcement 'til after the Week began, and then I had to buy some Nantes and figure out how to do a high top/ hat box to extend the height.
Of course, after I bought new seed, I found plenty in a leftover pack from 2010. Even putting 3 or 4 seeds per hole, I still have some left. But I opened the new package anyway, and about a quarter of the square is planted with the new seed. I wonder if there will be any difference in germination or growth? They are both Burpee, certified organic, Scarlet Nantes (the 2010 pack also says Danvers on the front,in the top left corner).
I found a bottomless 5-gallon bucket (I think the bottom became one of the chickens' water bowls) to sub for a high square. Since my grid's broken there anyway, it fits. [Did someone say Square peg, round bucket? ] I guess that was why I was saving some MM in a different bucket, for Carrot Week.

Planted 3 squares of Scarlet Nantes and 3 Squares of Cosmic Purple on the 18th.

Got my square planted! BTW my napkin seed experiment failed, oh well live and learn. So I went ahead and planted two squares of Kaleidescope.

I know what you mean about the carrot seed not germinating on the moist towel.

Everything else got it's little root and got put in the garden quickly, so I put the carrot seed in too. Although the seeds were not already rooted, they still emerged faster than planting directly in MM. I think the softening of the seed shell helped, just not to the degree that it worked on the other early plants (lettuce, onion, broccoli, spinach).

I planted my carrots covered in my makeshift greenhouse on 3-24-12(direct sow) and 4-10-12 (towel seed sprout) My hope was to stagger the harvest, but they are progressing at about the same rate. There are tiny 1+inch seedling beginning to come up.

The varieties are Chantenacy and Sweet Treat. (Sorry, before I knew carrot week existed)

Nicola wrote: 'snip'... and figure out how to do a high top/ hat box to extend the height.
'snip'...I found a bottomless 5-gallon bucket (I think the bottom became one of the chickens' water bowls) to sub for a high square. Since my grid's broken there anyway, it fits. [Did someone say Square peg, round bucket? ] I guess that was why I was saving some MM in a different bucket, for Carrot Week.

Way to improvise!!!

GG

I can't wait to see everyone's carrots
I'm thinking about planting some purple carrots too

The varieties are Chantenacy and Sweet Treat. (Sorry, before I knew carrot week existed)

Thanks for participating!

ARGH!!! The neighbor's puppy has already been in my carrot box! Only dug one hole, but it was in the Nantes! Thankfully I planted a strip 1'x3'. I threw the MM back into the box and put up some deterrent around the box. We will see.....

GG

Sowed my Nantes Coreless (Page's Seeds) yesterday! I'm using a "Carrot Box" (c. 12"W x 48"L x 12"D) filled with MM.

Goosegirl wrote:ARGH!!! The neighbor's puppy has already been in my carrot box! Only dug one hole, but it was in the Nantes! Thankfully I planted a strip 1'x3'. I threw the MM back into the box and put up some deterrent around the box. We will see.....

GG

Darn dogs! I made a simple cover for one of my boxes, somewhat like the one in the book. I just used 1x's cut to 4' each and chicken wire cut 2' high-ish ( ) and just stapled it on the 1x's. Basically the same as Mel's, without the top. So far it's been very effective, and easy to lean over and do things in the box and without a cover, it will be able to stay on even when the plants are tall. It's very simple to place over, and take off when need be. Just a thought...

And sorry about your carrots GG

First post! This year is my first attempt at square foot gardening. Well gardening of any type really! I just found this thread on Carrot Week and I'm so excited, as is my 5 year old son. We will be planting today, so a little late. I hope you'll forgive us and allow us to participate!

Welcome! And thanks for participating. Keep us posted on your progress.

Welcome aerinh123! The more the merrier! My boys will love to see how other kids are doing each month. Their carrots just got in on Monday, so you'll have a good comparison for your son to look at.

Thanks guys! My son was so excited he told his teacher about the carrots. So she sent a little book home about planting carrot seeds. The boy in the book harvested a very big carrot, my son is hoping for the same outcome. I don't know about that but it will be fun to try!

aerinh123 wrote:First post! This year is my first attempt at square foot gardening. Well gardening of any type really! I just found this thread on Carrot Week and I'm so excited, as is my 5 year old son. We will be planting today, so a little late. I hope you'll forgive us and allow us to participate!

Carrot Welcome!

We are a very forgiving and nutty bunch around here! Post pics when you can - of the carrot sprouts and all other things garden!

GG

aerinh123 wrote:Thanks guys! My son was so excited he told his teacher about the carrots. So she sent a little book home about planting carrot seeds. The boy in the book harvested a very big carrot, my son is hoping for the same outcome. I don't know about that but it will be fun to try!

I just pulled my carrots - different planting times for different planting places.

First carrot!

Whoo hoo. I peeked in, still no sprouts. A few days ago I stuck in some radish seeds hoping to see some action in that box soon. Why do carrots to so darn long? My Broccoli Raab has been popping through, though!

TechnoHippie4351 wrote:First carrot!

you got sprouts in 8 days? wow
I am impressed

I actually planted my carrot seeds on March 20th. I chose a Burpee small and sweet variety. They were doing great until a few days ago. We have had a lot of rain this past week. I noticed that some birds were walking in my large raised garden bed. Then I saw that my carrots green tops were gone, like they had been pinched off about half an inch above the plant. Would the birds be the culprit to the disappearing green tops? I've also noticed some stray cats that the next door neighbor feeds, and have chased them out of my backyard. Would they be eating the carrot green tops? I've replanted and am now waiting for them to sprout up. The rest of my garden is doing good.