Growing carrots - successes and Failures

Growing Carrots – the failures and more importantly, the successes

Well, I’ve been trying to grow carrots for many years, always on totally unsuitable soil and it really isn’t my favourite vegetable! However, I do love a challenge and I can learn to love the vegetable which is a rarity – yes I know I can buy them in the supermarket for a couple of pounds a kilo but, that is not the same as growing them successfully and enjoying the produce from my allotment.

My ground is heavy clay though, the advantage is that there are few stones in this clay. One year, when we had appropriate weather in every month throughout the growing season [yes! it really did happen one year!], I spent hours digging a suitable trench using a small Chillington hoe [like a mattock !] breaking up the ground across my plot and wide enough to sow two rows of carrots – if I remember rightly it was a fairly reliable variety – Autumn King.

My crop was a brilliant success and I enjoyed this flavoursome variety for several weeks with no carrot root fly attacks until I had finished the crop – I was impressed with my success.

The following year – the weather was okay, allowing me to till the ground thoroughly at the right time and I tried again with the same variety as well as a couple of varieties suggested by my daughter who likes to explore new and different varieties [I tried white carrots – Blanc a Colet Vert and purple carrots – Purple Haze]. The maincrop variety – Autumn King was ripped apart by carrot root fly and the crop was totally useless although I had prepared the ground thoroughly to encourage good germination, establishment and growth. The purple carrots had not been attacked so badly and the white carrots – not at all.

The white carrots were able to stay in the ground over several months, into winter and grew to about 25 – 30 cm [10 -12 inches] in length with little carrot fly damage. I found that as the winter progressed the roots became tougher and woodier and in frosty weather were difficult to dig up with some slug damage in the early spring.

The story goes that carrot root fly don’t fly above 30cm [12 inches]. Well, I’m here to tell you that carrot root fly have not read the manual!

A friend – who did love his carrots – built me a ‘carrot box’ on legs, which sits a metre [39 inches] above ground [of course, if we believe what the experts tell us, this will really beat them. The box is 1 metre wide and 1½ metres long. I filled it with new, good quality compost and sowed a couple of varieties of carrots – 5 rows in total. The germination was excellent, I thinned carefully and harvested when the carrots were at their best – but! they were full of carrot root fly larvae! Since then [I use the ‘carrot box’ as a seedbed for brassicas or lettuces].

Over successive years, I have prepared my seedbeds carefully, covered with environmesh, covered with netting [last year the pigeons ate the tops off my emerging crops!], sown fly resistant varieties, protected from slugs but, all

with variable success.

I continue, undaunted! And of course, the carrots become more useful and more delicious as a consequence.

My friend and colleague, Pete, told me he grows his carrots successfully in his poly tunnel [although his poly-tunnel is very much larger than mine – therein lies a problem – crops in greenhouses and poly-tunnels must be watered and on most allotments, that means carrying the water – the larger the greenhouse/poly-tunnel the more watering must be done on a very regular basis].

This year, I have grown a couple of rows of carrots in my poly tunnel – Early Nantes. They have been brilliant, providing me with a crop as I was planting my tomato crops into the same ground as the carrots were harvested and the tomatoes were planted. This worked well [well, this year anyway!] and I was able to harvest thinnings; early carrots; and really chunky but, tender roots while the tomato plants were developing. This was a good system except for the fact that I leave the door of my poly-tunnel open as soon as the risk of frost has passed and carrot root fly has attacked the roots closest to the doorway.

I assume they will now be aware of my poly-tunnel and will attack all crops there.

I have sown white carrots on my plot – Crème de Lite – which have been attacked aggesssively by pests leaving 2mm holes in the roots – is this really a super carrot root fly or something else?

This year, I sowed a couple of large tubs of mixed carrots – Purple Haze and Ideal Red [which is amazingly orange coloured] in my back garden. They have been brilliant – tender, delicious and flavoursome. I could almost be persuaded to think of carrots as my new best vegetable! Perhaps carrot root fly have not yet discovered this part of Bristol!

However, while the ground conditions might not defeat me, it is possible that carrot root fly will succeed. Any and all advice would be really appreciated.

Autumn and Winter Vegetables 3 - Root Vegetables

Winter vegetables – 3 – Root Vegetables

Most of the recipes in this blog are not my own but, are ones I have used successfully – do try them

Root vegetables  - the mainstay of winter vegetables which, of course, can span several and all seasons if one thinks of carrots and I’m not thinking of shop bought carrots.

Having said that, I have failed, totally, to provide all year round carrots for my household and in some years have failed to provide them for any season.

My ground, being heavy clay, is not the best type for carrots. It isn’t stony, which is a bonus but, nonetheless, I really need to till the ground to a fairly fine tilth to a good depth (10 -12 inches or 25-30cms) to give a suitable ground for carrots to grow in. I have had some success with certain varieties but, carrot root fly is a serious problem.

Carrot resistant varieties like Resistafly and Flyaway have been quite successful, as have some of the less fragrant types like the white or cream varieties – Créme de Lite and Blanc á colet vert. These grow satisfyingly large carrots which are tender, delicious and reasonably unattractive to carrot root fly, possibly because they don’t have a dramatic carroty aroma or flavour. They will sit quite well in the ground, even into late autumn though, I have found that the longer I leave them in the ground the worse the carrotfly damage has become. Not really surprising. I don’t have facilities for storing carrots successfully so, at the moment I have no option. As I have said in previous blogs, it doesn’t seem to matter that I sow them into raised beds or even in metre high ‘carrot boxes’, the carrot fly have still invaded my crops. Inter-planting with marigolds has made little or no difference to the carrot fly although, I find, that the aroma from those plants makes me nauseous! In 2012 I intend to use environmesh to keep the flies out. I will report back on that in the new season – onwards and upwards!
To add extra vegetables to yours and your children's menu so that they won't notice( well, not really) - add sliced carrot, parsnip, turnip to potatoes when you are cooking for mash - then mash up together with freshly crushed pepper and seasalt - a knob of butter is good! Try also adding broccoli or sliced cabbage to boiling potatoes 3 - 4 minutes from the end. Add pepper and sea salt and chop up well before serving - delicious!

Parsnips are, of course, a must and have a long harvesting season, once you can get them established. I have found that sowing them too early (in February as suggested on some seed packets) can lead to a very low or zero germination rate. They can be harvested from July – wonderful young tender roots until late spring, when you might find that the centres of the roots become a bit ‘woody’ and need to be cut out. But, aren’t they a wonderful, flavoursome and useful vegetable.

 Parsnips Recipes

Roasted parsnips – from ‘British and Irish Recipes’

The much maligned parsnip comes into its own when roasted in the oven. In this roast parsnip recipe the oven roasting brings out the sweetness of the parsnip and creates a slightly caramelized outside. Delicious.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb/500g parsnips, peeled
• 2 tbsp goose fat, lard, dripping or vegetable oil
• Salt

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 425F/220C/Gas 7
• Cut the parsnips into even bite-sized chunks. Place them in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce the heat an simmer for 5 mins.
• Heat the fat in a roasting tin until very hot but not burning. Carefully tip the parsnips into the hot fat. Using a tablespoon coat each piece with hot fat, this will prevent the parsnips from sticking.
• Return the roasting tin to the oven and roast for 20 mins. Turn all the parsnips over and roast for a further 20 mins or until the parsnips are golden brown.
• Serve immediately.

Parsnip Croquettes ( recipe from ‘Gourmet Britain’)  this is a wonderful for all roasted meat dishes. While this is not my recipe it is exactly as I would have made these croquettes when I was at college. Totally delicious!

·         900g/2 lbs Parsnips, peeled and with any hard core removed - cut into pieces

·         225g/8 oz Potato (floury-type), peeled and cut into pieces the same side as the parsnips

·         1 teaspoon (5ml) Salt

• 60g/2 oz Butter
• plenty of freshly-ground Black Pepper
• 1 scant teaspoon (3ml) freshly-grated Nutmeg
• Dried Breadcrumbs
• 2 Eggs, beaten with a little salt
• Oil for deep frying or oil and butter

Method:

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the parsnip and potato pieces.
2. Simmer them for about 20 minutes or until they're tender.
3. Drain the vegetables and pass through a mouli-légume - or mash carefully to remove all lumps.
4. Mix in the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Allow to cool until they"re cool enough to handle then shape them into croquettes a little bigger than a cork.
6. Dip each in the egg wash, then roll them in the breadcrumbs until they are fully covered.
7. Deep-fry at 200°C/400°F until they're golden brown or shallow fry in a mixture of oil and butter.

Beetroots are one of my favourites, especially as a pickle or chutney. They are easy to germinate and establish and will sit a long time into the winter as a useable root. This year, I have learned to appreciate them as a vegetable (not pickled). They are best steamed and when cooked thoroughly, the skin just slides off, when the roots can be sliced and served straight or in a variety of ways. Next year, I hope to grow some of the more unusual varieties (as well as Boltardy which is a superb, reliable variety at a low cost)– just for interest!

Beetroot Soup ( or Borsch, Borscht  - even Barscht)

There are many recipes, some more complicated than others – do Google for recipes, but choose one that is simple and quick to make:- try this one:

1 lb/ ½ kiko beetroot ( 500 gms)                                      

1 onion – finely chopped

1 leek – finely chopped                                                        

1 stick celery – finely chopped

1 large carrot – finely chopped                                         

 1 large potato – diced or finely chopped

1 Tblsp olive oil                                                                    Salt and pepper to taste

2/3 cloves garlic – finely chopped                                    1 tsp caraway seeds

1Ltr vegetable stock ( or enough to cover the veg. in the pan)

Method

1.       Instead of chopping the vegetables, you might like to put them through a food processor.

2.       In a large pan, gently fry the onion, garlic, caraway seed and leek without colour in the olive oil.

3.       Add  the vegetables ( potato, beetroot, celery and carrot).

4.       Add the stock , season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.

5.       Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender.

6.       Pass the soup through a sieve or a liquidiser and check the seasoning. Add more if necessary.

7.       Reheat, and serve with dollops of cream or soured cream and chives on top.

Of the more unusual root vegetables, Salsify and Scorzonora are worth trying. They need to be cooked before removing the very tough skin which will then easily slough off. Their flavour is very delicate so don’t drown it with other much stronger flavours – try with a cheese sauce which is then gratinated – excellent!  

Salsify or Scorzonera  with cheese sauce

Scorzonera and salsify are very similar root vegetables. Both are considered a winter vegetable, best from November ‘til February. They are deep rooted 25 to 40 cm( 12 inches or more).The roots are quite delicate, easily broken and will discolour if the root is broken. They are often called the vegetable oyster as the flavour is delicate (though not at all fishy!) and it is important to not ‘drown’ the flavour with stronger ones.

The skin is quite tough and it is helpful t get rid of this beforehand – scald, steam or lightly boil the roots for a few minutes, then peel the tough skin from the roots. This should come off easily but , if not, use a peeler or sharp knife. Apart from cooking, you can stop the roots from discolouring by sprinkling with acid ( lemon juice or a mild vinegar – eg  tarragon, cider)

When the skins have been removed, cut the roots into lengths approx. 8 – 10 cm and place in a shallow oven-proof dish.

Make a cheese sauce:

30gm margarine ( 1oz)                                 ¼ litre milk ( ½ pint ) or veg stock

25 gm ( 1 oz) breadcrumbs- brown or white       Salt and pepper – to taste

30gm plain flour ( 1oz)

60gm ( 30gm ) cheese – cheddar is good though a more flavoursome one, like Stilton or other blue cheese is excellent – but don’t overpower the flavour of the vegetable.

Method 

1.      Melt the margarine in a saucepan and add the seasoning and flour. 

2.      Cook gently until the flour is cooked out – do NOT allow it to ‘catch’ or to brown.

3.      Add the liquid gently – little by little – stirring frequently until all the liquid has been added.

4.      Bring to the boil briefly then turn off the heat and add the cheese, allowing it to melt into the sauce.

5.      Pour the sauce over the salsify ( scorzonera) and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. If you wish, some extra grated cheese can be added to the breadcrumbs.

6.      Bake in a hot oven 180c for 15mins or grill until golden.

7.      Serve as a starter or side dish.   Yummy!