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Found carrots growing

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  • 08-07-2020 8:48am
    #1
    DrSerious3
    Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭


    We bought a house in 2017 in the country which had not been occupied for several years. In a corner of a rush-covered field yesterday I found several dozen carrots. I rarely go in there so hadnt seen them before. They look very fresh (although I am not planning on eating them) i am wondering if it is possible that these were sown many years ago and keep growing without human assistance?


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    #2
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,490 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    DrSerious3 wrote: »
    We bought a house in 2017 in the country which had not been occupied for several years. In a corner of a rush-covered field yesterday I found several dozen carrots. I rarely go in there so hadnt seen them before. They look very fresh (although I am not planning on eating them) i am wondering if it is possible that these were sown many years ago and keep growing without human assistance?

    They self seed, so yes. It's possible


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    #3
    Jjameson
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭Jjameson


    Aldi carrots are from Israel at the minute! You could be on to something, wouldn’t it be great for the environment now if they’d grow here!!


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    #4
    Lime Tree Farm
    Registered Users Posts: 2,638 ✭✭✭Lime Tree Farm


    DrSerious3 wrote: »
    We bought a house in 2017 in the country which had not been occupied for several years. In a corner of a rush-covered field yesterday I found several dozen carrots. I rarely go in there so hadnt seen them before. They look very fresh (although I am not planning on eating them) i am wondering if it is possible that these were sown many years ago and keep growing without human assistance?

    You could be producing a disease resistant, carrot fly resistant, organic variety right there.


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    #5
    Tonynewholland
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭Tonynewholland


    DrSerious3 wrote: »
    We bought a house in 2017 in the country which had not been occupied for several years. In a corner of a rush-covered field yesterday I found several dozen carrots. I rarely go in there so hadnt seen them before. They look very fresh (although I am not planning on eating them) i am wondering if it is possible that these were sown many years ago and keep growing without human assistance?

    Why wouldn’t you eat them if they look fresh


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    #6
    krissovo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,645 ✭✭✭krissovo


    DrSerious3 wrote: »
    We bought a house in 2017 in the country which had not been occupied for several years. In a corner of a rush-covered field yesterday I found several dozen carrots. I rarely go in there so hadnt seen them before. They look very fresh (although I am not planning on eating them) i am wondering if it is possible that these were sown many years ago and keep growing without human assistance?

    We get a crop every year since we built in 2009, they grow in a secluded area similar to yours. They are delicious and we look forward to them every year. They did start degrading a couple of years ago so we compost the area now and they are back to their best.


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    #7
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,194 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    Your rush covered corner could be quite moory/peaty, and as such would possibly have been considered a good spot for carrots etc.
    No stones to cause them to fork or grow crooked.


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    #8
    invicta
    Registered Users Posts: 281 ✭✭invicta


    Nekarsulm wrote: »
    No stones to cause them to fork or grow crooked.

    Stones do not cause forking in carrots.

    Carrots like poor sandy soil, it’s well manured rich soil causes forking!


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    #9
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,194 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    invicta wrote: »
    Stones do not cause forking in carrots.

    Carrots like poor sandy soil, it’s well manured rich soil causes forking!

    It's a bad day when you don't learn something new!


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    #10
    DrSerious3
    Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭DrSerious3


    Nekarsulm wrote: »
    It's a bad day when you don't learn something new!

    We are right beside the sea but that field is very boggy so ye are both right!


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    #11
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,880 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    So... I can just stick a few carrot seeds down in a random clear patch and have a no maintenance crop every year? Any particular varieties I should try for this experiment?


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    #12
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,194 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    Thargor wrote: »
    So... I can just stick a few carrot seeds down in a random clear patch and have a no maintenance crop every year? Any particular varieties I should try for this experiment?

    Nothing with F1 in its description, as they are varieties which are sterile and cannot develop viable seed.


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    #13
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,880 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    I'm going to do it I think.


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    #14
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,484 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Obviously they would need to be allowed go to seed to keep the cycle going. If you plant them and harvest everything before they flower and set seed then where would the next crop come from.


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    #15
    tedpan
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭tedpan


    Thargor wrote: »
    I'm going to do it I think.

    I find this guy very informative..
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IF-jqHYvUs


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    #16
    Dakota Dan
    Registered Users Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭Dakota Dan


    Thargor wrote: »
    So... I can just stick a few carrot seeds down in a random clear patch and have a no maintenance crop every year? Any particular varieties I should try for this experiment?

    But if you do that the only problem is that you can’t eat them, unless of course you grow twice as many as you eat.


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    #17
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,880 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Dakota Dan wrote: »
    But if you do that the only problem is that you can’t eat them, unless of course you grow twice as many as you eat.
    _Brian wrote: »
    Obviously they would need to be allowed go to seed to keep the cycle going. If you plant them and harvest everything before they flower and set seed then where would the next crop come from.
    Well obviously I'll have to let some go to seed, they seem to produce a lot when you let them seed though, I won't be relying on them for my carrot needs :pac:

    I just want to see if I can get a zero maintenance patch like the OPs going.


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    #18
    lab man
    Registered Users Posts: 1,830 ✭✭✭lab man


    Who is the guy in the vid


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    #19
    tedpan
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭tedpan


    lab man wrote:
    Who is the guy in the vid

    He has a YouTube channel with growing tips. Seems to get good results each year..


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