You are ready to create magic under the soil! Quick Reference Growing Guide Plant Type:Ĭaraway, calendula, chamomile, chives, flax, leeks, lettuce, love-in-a-mist, marigold, onions, peas, peppers, radishes, rosemary, sage, wormwoodĪster leafhoppers, carrot rust flies, carrot weevils, flea beetles, grasshoppers, root knot nematodes, wirewormsĪlternaria leaf blight, aster yellows disease, bacterial soft rot, cercospora leaf blight, carrot cotton root rot, downy mildew, powdery mildew, southern blight Store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to use them. To dehydrate, cut them into small chunks or slices, blanch briefly (one minute, depending on the size) then put them in a dehydrator or oven at 125☏ until dry and crispy. It’s possible to freeze carrots without blanching them first, but be sure to clean them thoroughly beforehand to remove any bacteria, and use within three months. When you want to use them, there’s no need to defrost, just cook straight from the freezer. Briefly blanch in boiling water before plunging into ice water.ĭry thoroughly on a paper towel then pop them in the freezer. Just cut off the green tops, then cut them into the size you require. ![]() Now that you are a carrot gardening master, it won’t be long until you’re ready to turn your homegrown carrots into culinary delicacies.Ĭarrots can be canned, pickled, or preserved by fermentation, frozen, dried, or even cooked down into jam.įreezing is easy. Some varieties are bred for long storage, so if you are planning for a bumper crop that you won’t use all at once, make sure you choose one of these.įind out more about harvesting carrots here. If you are growing heirloom varieties, you might want to consider leaving a few in the ground and allowing seed development for a seed harvest. For fall gardens, harvest after a few light frosts, which will sweeten the roots. If they need more time, cover them back up and check again in a couple of weeks.įor spring plantings, harvest your crop before the summer heat sets in to avoid bolting – bolting greens produce fibrous, inedible roots. If the roots aren’t bulging from the ground, brush back some of the dirt around the crowns to see how big they are. Most cultivars are mature and ready to harvest when the crowns grow to be at least half an inch in diameter. Rather than relying solely on this average timeframe, also inspect your plants. To get a general idea of when your carrots will be ready for harvest, refer to the days to maturity info on your seed packet. Just as they protect your crops from insects, floating row covers will also offer protection from the diseases that certain insects commonly spread. Keeping the crops moist but not waterlogged, with good airflow between them, and weeding regularly should keep your vegetables healthy and disease free. Prevention is definitely better than cure for all these diseases. Crater rot presents as brown lesions on the root, though the first you’ll probably notice is decay on the crown. Both of these are seed borne diseases which spread in water.Ĭarrot black rot can look similar to Alternaria leaf blight, but it can kill seedlings and decay the root. ![]() Bacterial leaf blight presents small yellow spots that rapidly get bigger, distorting the leaves. If you see dark gray spots with yellow halos appearing on older leaves, this can be due to Alternaria leaf blight. If you follow good practices, such as interplanting, planting resistant cultivars, and rotating your crops, you may never have to worry about these.ĭiseases can be caused by bacteria or fungi. ![]() ![]() For example, planting nitrogen fixers such as legumes replenishes levels of this nutrient and improves soil quality for future plantings.Ĭarrots can also be affected by many different diseases, but don’t let this dissuade you. It also prevents pests that feed on a particular crop from taking hold. Rotating crops – or not planting the same crop in the same location year after year – keeps the soil healthy, by not constantly depleting the same nutrients. And always, always, rotate your crops.Learn more about controlling carrot rust flies here. Beneficial nematodes are the main recourse for dealing with this type of pest. If carrot rust flies are a problem for you, avoid leaving your carrots in the ground over winter.
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