All About Growing Carrots
(Page 3 of 3)
August/September 2008
By Barbara Pleasant
Be stingy with nitrogen. Among fertilizers, carrots favor compost or vermicompost worked into the soil prior to planting; they respond to abundant phosphorous and potassium more than to high nitrogen levels. Carrots take up nutrients best in soil with a pH between 5.8 and 7.0. Use lime to raise the pH of acidic soil.
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Harvest carefully. Before pulling carrots, use a digging fork to loosen the soil just outside the row.
Harvest small blossom clusters from overwintered plants to use as cut flowers. Thinning the blossoms helps the plants channel energy to the biggest seed-bearing umbels (flower clusters springing from the same point).
Max out the season. To eat carrots year round, grow fast-maturing vari-eties in spring, and make summer sowings for a season-stretching fall crop.
Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation lines to keep the soil constantly moist.
Cover the shoulders of all maturing carrots with mulch to keep them from turning green.
For more in-depth information about growing carrots, read Crunchy, Colorful Carrots.
In the Kitchen
Carrots will caramelize with their own sugars when braised in a little oil or grilled until tender. Grate raw carrots into muffins, cakes or pancakes to provide moisture and extra vitamin A. Use carrots generously to bring nutritious color to salads, stir-fries and soups. Try steamed carrots with fresh mint and a dab of honey or brown sugar. Orange and yellow carrots are great as nutritious raw snacks, but red carrots taste best cooked.
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