Rainbow Mix is an interesting and delicious variety of carrot to grow. An array of vivid colours, each with a subtle difference in flavour, make a great temptation for the kids and cook alike. Guaranteed to wow and brighten any dish, carrot rainbow mix will mature uniformly and is a great choice. Carrots germinate slowly and need a consistent moist soil to sprout. The top of the soil should not be allowed to get dry, it is true with most veg not just carrots, until the carrot seeds have germinated. Carrots can be slow to come up, but don't be afraid it should be about 3 weeks the most until you see the seedlings. The rule of thumb with watering carrots when they are young is to use less water yet water frequently. Ideally, the soil around them should be watered lightly twice a day, morning and evening. Make drills in the soil with a trowel or by laying an old broom handle or bamboo cane across the soil and gently pushing down, aiming for a depth of about 1cm, or half an inch and leaving about 30cm, or 12inches between each drill.

Otherwise, I love roasting rainbow carrots. Roasting carrots bring out the sweetness, and the slightly charred bits on the ends add to the delicious caramelisation flavours. A delicious glaze to add roasted rainbow carrots is maple syrup or balsamic vinegar. Recipe Overview The plant produces a large, single (ideally), fleshy taproot. Carrot roots can be short and wide or long and tapered. This depends greatly on the variety and various soil characteristics. Propagation Seeding carrots directly into the garden is the best way to propagate this root vegetable. Carrots are relatively pest and disease-free most of the time, but there are a few pests and diseases you may want to look out for. Root Maggots These little buggers can really damage your carrot crop. When you dig up the carrots, if they are not going to eaten soon, cut the leafy tops off to prevent them from wilting during storage. Pearl couscous is larger with a more chewy texture and nutty taste than regular couscous. If you are looking for another pearl couscous recipe, you can try our deliciously easy Blistered Tomato and Basil Salad.The best way to propagate carrots is by direct seedingthem into the garden or a raised bed. Starting seeds in trays or pots and then transplanting them is not recommended, because carrots have a long taproot. Plants that have this long taproot characteristic (compared to a fine, branching fibrous root system) typically do not handle transplanting very well.

If you wish to store your carrots for a longer-term, then a root cellar can be a great way to accomplish this! Root cellars are typically dark, dry, and cool. Many root crops (like potatoes) store exceptionally well for long periods in a root cellar.Carrots can be canned in a pressure canner or they can be frozen as well. Plant Uses There are countless ways carrots are used in the kitchen. A basal rosette of leaves forms during the first year, and the plant will remain like this until bolting in the second year when it sends up a flower stalk that can reach up to 3 feet tall. Temperatures must be under 50⁰F to induce flowering, and if harvesting the roots to eat then bolting is undesirable. During the Arab expansion into Europe, cultivated carrots were brought to the area of Andalusia (Spain). From Spain, carrot cultivation spread into the rest of northern Europe. The first carrots that were brought over to Europe were either purple or a mutant of the purple carrot that appeared yellow. The carrots were purple because they contained high amounts of anthocyanins, a pigment compound touted today for its antioxidant properties. Purple Haze (73 days)– Purple Haze is an All-America Selections winning carrot popular for its very sweet roots. The roots are long and slender, reaching lengths up to 10” and the skin is vibrant purple with hints of the orange interior. When sliced into carrot ‘coins’, the eye-catching dual color of Purple Haze is revealed.Suttons strives to ensure that all its plants are delivered to you in the perfect condition for planting. While the majority of our nursery plants cope well with slight delays in intransit, sadly, the time it takes to deliver to certain locations in the UK means that we can't guarantee this for some of our smaller plug products and tender bedding and vegetable lines, which do not respond well to the extra journey time. So regretfully while we offer the majority of our live plant offering nationwide, we are unable to ship plugs, begging plants and tender vegetable plants to the following areas: HS, IV41-IV49, IV51, IV55-56, KW15-KW17, PA34, PA41-48, PA60-PA78, PA80, PH40-PH44, TR21-TR24, ZE1-ZE3. Because of the relatively vertical nature of the plant’s form, carrots can be grown fairly densely, and are therefore useful within the economy of space in a smaller growing area. That is, even a little garden can produce a lot more in carrots than by, say, lettuce or cucumbers. The seeds can be sown from early spring right through late summer for a harvest that will last nearly year round, so they form an essential part of nearly every vegetable garden.

Root maggotsare ¼ inch long legless maggots that are yellowish-white in appearance. Their bodies are shaped like cylinders that taper towards the head. Adult versions of these larvae resemble small house flies. They feed on and destroy many root crops, especially during cold, wet Springs. When plants first germinate, the two cotyledons (baby leaves) will be grass-like in appearance. The new leaves that emerge after the cotyledons will be more fern-like in appearance. These are considered “true” leaves. Carrots are best grown in the open ground, but can be grown in containers, or even grow-bags. Cut a grow-bag in half to make two square bags out of one oblong bag, then stand each half up on its closed end. Loosen the compost until the bag forms a free-standing round pot shape, otherwise choose deep pots or short rooted carrots.Meanwhile in East Asia, the carrot was being cultivated and crossed there as well. The cultivation of these two types of the same species has led to two categories of carrots: Step 3 – Cover the seeds with a scant quarter inch of soil or vermiculite and water the bed well. Use a gentle spray of water from a hose nozzle to prevent the newly planted seeds from washing away. Water often to maintain a consistently moist soil until the seeds germinate and the seedlings are growing well. In a large mixing bowl, place pearl couscous, roasted red onions, mint leaves and ½ almonds together. Add ¾ honey Dijon dressing into the bowl and toss well.

Atomic Red: ideal for cooking, this root emerges a dull shade of pink from the earth. But with cooking it turns brilliant scarlet, and its flavor sharpens as well. If growing to full size, expect it to reach 8 to 11 inches long in 75 days.Gold Nugget (68 days)– Gold Nugget yields a uniform crop of medium-long carrots that are 5 to 6” in length. This is a Nantes-type carrot with cylindrical shaped roots that have rounded blunt ends and a good choice for shallow or clay soils. It’s relatively early to mature and has crunchy, lightly sweet roots. Around 1530 was the first mention of the word “carrot” in English. This was borrowed from the French word “carrotte” and from the Latin “carota.” Carrots and parsnips were not clearly distinguished in English due to their similar appearances (because carrots were more yellow or white then). Both carrots and parsnips were simply called “more” or “moru” (from the word “mork,” meaning edible root). To help carrot seeds germinate faster, plant them in the cooler weather of spring or fall, and always keep the soil evenly moist. You could also try soaking the seeds before planting to help speed things up. Do carrot seeds need light to germinate? Keep reading to learn more about the many purple, yellow, red, and white carrot varieties available from seed companies. Yellow carrot varieties have a mildly sweet flavor that is enhanced when the roots are cooked. Yellow carrots Because they are a cold weather, hardy crop, carrots are often the first thing to be planted. They can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last frost. Seeds should be planted shallowly, with just 1/2” of soil covering them. Plant them 1-2 inches apart, with 10 -12 inches between each row.