Produce your own carrot seed

Carrots

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Winter Crops from the Greenhouse

I am always surprised that many gardeners who grow excellent summer crops in glasshouses fail to use them for vegetable production in winter and early spring.

more on Winter Crops from the Greenhouse ...

Produce your own carrot seed

While most growers are happy to purchase commercially available carrot seed many exhibitors, or others with a particular interest in carrots, might want to produce their own selected stock.

Carrots for seed production are grown in a greenhouse and need to be set down in early November.

The selected roots are trimmed to half their original length using a sharp knife and the cut end is dipped into a fungicidal paste. The roots should then be laid flat in boxes, three or five to a box placed head to tail, in sterilised John Innes No2 compost. The crowns should be elevated and kept clear of the soil to prevent condensation sitting in the crown. Keep the compost moist.

Once the flower spike appears remove side buds with secateurs or a sharp knife allowing a maximum of four heads to develop. If more than one spike appears leave only the main spike to develop. As the flower heads grow they will need tieing in to supports.

Insects can be relied upon to carry out pollination. Remember not to use insecticides or the sticky yellow insect traps - the fewer the insects the fewer the seeds!

A good flower head will be some 6-8 inches (15-20cm) in diameter and the best seed is always produced on the crown (central) head. From the time the flowers open to the time the seed should be harvested is about sixty days. When gathering the seed it is a good thing to number the carrot and paper bag so that records can be kept to assist with future selection.

To test for germination rate sow a pinch of seed from each head in heat before the main sowing season. The maximum useful life of carrot seed is about five years by which time the germination rate will have fallen from 70% to 30%

Selecting your stock

For exhibition seed you should select your stock in threes -

One for shape, a nice tapered one or a well shaped stump.
One for colour.
One for vigour, usually a big rough, ugly one.

Did you know......

That: Commercial seed growers often purchase maggots from angling supply shops to provide flies for pollination of carrots and parsnips? If you do this always use the natural coloured maggots - those dyed to make them more attractive to fish seldom pupate as well so there are far fewer flies.

This article originally appeared in the Members Bulletin now called Simply Vegetables, the journal of the National Vegetable Society, which is sent quarterly to members. You can Join the National Vegetable Society here

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