Carrots

Scarlet Nantes, daucus carota var sativa

Carrots like well-worked, fine, crumbly, well-drained soil that has been composted six months or so earlier. Rocky soil is a no-no, as is heavy clay, as the roots will get distorted. Direct sow, germination takes around 12 to 14 days, thin initially to 5 to 7 cm apart then later to 10 to 15 cm apart (the tops can go into salad). Generally the younger and smaller the carrot the sweeter. A good companion crop is onions (prevents carrot fly). This particular variety apparently likes warmer temperatures, grows to 25 cm long, and takes around 70 days.

My first sowing was before Christmas so in theory they should be ready by the beginning of March - and that's next week! Second sowing should come through mid-March, I also did a sowing in a container around the same time (perhaps a little later, I really should have written it down), so seeing the results from my slightly-clay soil vs the container mix will be interesting. There was also a sowing last week that should be ready by the beginning of May.