In a previous article, I talked about growing carrots for the kitchen, in this article I look at growing carrots for the vegetable shows. A bit more effort and planning are required. The technique described below also works for parsnips and long pointed beetroots (which look like a purple parsnip).
This article concentrates on the long pointed and stump-rooted varieties of carrot, the most common vegetable show categories.
To stand a chance of winning at a national show, your carrots will need to be perfect. If the category requires five carrots, they must be all the same size and shape, with no pests or blemishes, to stand a chance. And even then….
Picture – To win a National show carrots will need to be perfect (not my entry!)
The method to grow show carrots involves creating a raised bed and filling it with sand - normal builders’ sand is fine. Cores are removed from the sand; the core are then filled with finely sieved compost/sand mix.
I used a 240cm long by 80cm tall and 80 cm wide raised bed. Below the raised bed I dug out another 40cm until I hit the stony clay layer. I then filled all this with sand, I think it took about 3 bulk bags! I then removed cores with a length of gutter pipe. I then used a 2m long metal bar to further extend the hole and make is carrot shaped. There is a variety of conflicting information on the web about soils mixes, but essentially you need a mix of very well sieved compost with some added sand. Some growers add some fertiliser which I did last year. However, I suspect this was the cause of some of the carrots forking and not growing perfectly.
Picture – My carrot palace during construction, also used for parsnips
I used seed from Medwyn’s from Anglesey. For the stump rooted category, I use sweet candle, and for the long carrots, I used long red pointed. For parsnips, I have previously used Gladiator F1, as I have found them to be the most reliable and best flavour. However, I will be experimenting with Victor F1 and Pegasus F1, again available from Medwyn’s.
Sew seeds in April at 3 seeds per compost filled core, and make sure the seeds do not dry out. Be prepared to resew. Once seeds germinate, thin to one per core. After that, water during dry periods, being careful not to overwater, as carrots in particular can be prone to splitting if overwatered. It is a fine balance.
When you come to harvest, they come out of the ground easier than you would think. For long rooted varieties, soak the area ahead of attempting to remove, and then grip by the top of the root and pull. They should come out whole. Be careful of gripping the green tops – they will snap off and the carrot will be ruined for showing. Also try not to damage the top of the roots with fingernails – soft gloves are recommended. For stump varieties of carrot, these can be pulled out dry.
Picture – long beetroots, or parsnips dyed purple?
To prepare for the show, pull on the day or day before the show. I use a hosepipe to get rid of the worst of the compost and then soak in a large tub or tray before gently washing with a sponge, trying not to damage the skin. I then wrap in a damp towel to keep fresh until the show.
Picture – Some successes and some failures from last year’s harvest
If you’re really keen, you could try growing an entry for the longest carrot category. The world record, grown in the UK, is over 6 metres! These are grown in long sections of gutter tethered to the side of a tall building. I’m not really sure how you reach to water, perhaps from an upstairs window?
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