Topic: When to harvest the rest of my Carrots?

[mamalovesmambo]

I'm just wondering when I should dig up the rest of my carrots?
I've been digging up and eating them on the same day for awhile now,
but I'd like to know if I should dig the rest of them up for storage now, before the frost comes?
Or can they still be left in the ground until they're needed?

I'd prefer to leave them in the ground if I can,
as when I've dug up more than I needed they don't taste nearly as good even a day after having been dug.

If I do have to harvest them before the frost, what's the best way to store them?
I've tried putting them in the fridge, but that makes them loose flavour.
Storing them in a dark kitchen cupboard is better.

Many Thanks

[Roy Bham UK]

I'm still harvesting mine as and when I need them, I think harmful frost is still a long way off and I'm not sure that frost will harm them anyway, ??? as parsnips  supposedly taste better after frost has hit them and carrots are from the same family? or are they not? :-\

[Mrs Ava]

I think there is more of a risk from the sluggies than anything else.  If you are worried, you could always put some straw or fleece over them to keep them cosy.  I am leaving mine in to take as I need.

[Chantenay]

Slugs are the biggest issue. I also left mine un-rabbit protected once. Turned up on Xmas Eve to get some fresh veg and found they had eaten them all down below the surface. Had to take some quick action to freeze the remaining stumps!

[mamalovesmambo]

Mine are rabbit protected, as they've got netting over them.
What's a good slug defence for them?
Do the slugs eat them from under the soil, or just the tops?

If I cover them with straw, should I make sure I don't cover the leaves?

I've also read that I should dig them all up now,
then store them in a box of sand.
Has anyone done this?
How does the taste compare?

Many thanks

[powerspade]

I`vs been harvesting my carrots since June and will continue throughout the winter the main crop i`ll cover with straw and use as required

[Sprout]

I stored my carrots in damp sand last year. Worked quite well and managed to keep them edible for quite a few months.

[saddad]

We have used the sand method but haven't got enough to amke it worthwhile. I have a late crop under fleece still growing strongly...
 8)

[glow777]

you can use earth instead of sand and just put them in a bucket in a frost free place. Same with most root crops

[mamalovesmambo]

Do I cover the leaves of the carrots if I leave them outside?
How do they keep growing if the leaves are covered?
Don't they start getting woody and losing their flavour?

Does storing them in earth/sand keep the flavour?

[glow777]

Does storing them in earth/sand keep the flavour?

A little but not a lot. If you try it with some this year you will be able to plan for next year

[Chantenay]

The slug issue:
I quote from Hugh Jones' experiments on coffee and slugs:
"....use 50gms per 2 galls of water....cheapest I could find...excellent deterrent...thoroughly drenched the soil remained cleared of slugs for up to 2 months unless there was excessive rain.....coffee applied to MATURE carrots in September did not adversely affect the plants. I always overwinter my maincrop carrots in the ground, so once they had matured in September they were drenched {with coffee solution} and this was repeated in November to keep the crop clean - there were no ill effects on the carrots".
And also: "The most beneficial way to use coffee is to drench the bed some 2/3 weeks before sowing to clear slugs out, and then to re-apply around the edges of the bed only, at intervals throughout the season to maintain a barrier"
BUT NB: "Coffee applied to GROWING plants, especially young carrots {and I would add lettuce} could cause chlorosis and retard growth in some cases".
Thanks to this advice from Hugh, I having been offering my slugs regular coffee mornings, and had very little trouble from them for the past two seasons on all beds where they are likely to fancy my crops.

[mamalovesmambo]

Thanks for the tip on using coffee to deter slugs.
I don't seem to have had any slugs attacking my carrots so far,
but I guess that'll change when there's less other stuff to munch.

So the slugs eat the carrots under the soil?
Or do they munch the leaves, and the carrots from the top down?

[cranbornekat]

Thanks for the coffee tip Chantenay. I never realised slugs could  be so BIG - will definitely give this method a go!