Carrots

Description:

Edible, tubular orange root crop with green tops. I planted three varieties of carrots, 2 Nantes and 1 Danver variety.

Habitat:

This year, as an experiment, I tried to grow the carrots from seed, (and tomatoes too), in a series of raised beds. I used some 5 gallon paint buckets that never had paint in them. I drilled holes in the bottom, put landscape fabric over the holes, and filled the pots with 3 varieties of potting soil, all mixed up. It can be done - and after the first 2 weeks, I let nature take over the watering. I got a very high yield rate for both the carrots and the tomatoes planted in this manner. The carrots I pulled are cleaned, and simmering in my crock pot chili dinner. They were also great raw. Why did I do this? There are a lot of condos and very small yards in this city, and wanted to show that it is possible to get great returns in a small space, with minimal effort.

Notes:

Strange factoid - "The carrot gets its characteristic and bright orange colour from β-carotene, which is metabolised into vitamin A in humans when bile salts are present in the intestines.[3] Massive overconsumption of carrots can cause carotenosis, a benign condition in which the skin turns orange. Carrots are also rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants, and minerals. Lack of vitamin A can cause poor vision, including night vision, and vision can be restored by adding it back into the diet. An urban legend says eating large amounts of carrots will allow one to see in the dark. The legend developed from stories of British gunners in World War II, who were able to shoot down German planes in the darkness of night. The legend arose during the Battle of Britain when the RAF circulated a story about their pilots' carrot consumption as an attempt to cover up the discovery and effective use of radar technologies in engaging enemy planes, as well as the use of red light (which does not destroy night vision) in aircraft instruments.[4][5] It reinforced existing German folklore and helped to encourage Britons—looking to improve their night vision during the blackouts—to grow and eat the vegetable." Wikipedia