I'm a carrot newb but planting some next week in 7 gallon grow bags, Agtile Extension says these are best in Texas.

"Carrot varieties that do best in Texas include Danvers 126, Danvers Half Long, Imperator 58, Nantes, Nantes Half Long, Red Core Chantenay, Royal Chantenay, Scarlet Nantes, and Sugar Snax."

Any experience, flavor?

Gracias

Yes. Plant them all. Carrots in my opinion is the hardest thing i plant. I have about 1000 in a 75 foot row but I have planted three other rows and nothing. Last year planted carrots 5 times and only one row came up.

Ao try this. Plant and then cover with very little dirt and then wait for 21 days and see if they come up. Remember water everyday keep it wet The carrots that I am still pulling was planted november 1. I just had another row come up or so it looks like

Yeah, carrots suck. Only thing I've never been successful with (well, that and eggplants). They grow like 2 inches long and then nothing.

We've always planted the Nantes and done fairly well-both here at the house in Katy and at the farm near LaGrange.
We stay away from any sort of nitrogen fertilizer on root veggies. We always get a nice big plant on top and not much root with too much nitrogen. Typically don't add anything-most of our souls have more than enough phosphorus for root development. Have no idea if that's what you're battling-but it's our experience.

two1993ags said:

---

We've always planted the Nantes and done fairly well-both here at the house in Katy and at the farm near LaGrange.
We stay away from any sort of nitrogen fertilizer on root veggies. We always get a nice big plant on top and not much root with too much nitrogen. Typically don't add anything-most of our souls have more than enough phosphorus for root development. Have no idea if that's what you're battling-but it's our experience.

---

I just watched gardening with Leon YouTube video on his fertilizing method. I think I've been guilty of too much nitrogen on my tomato. I top dress with cow manure compost when I plant, then start fertilizing when first bloom. I think I'm going to change fertilizer type this year with much less nitrogen.

Thanks fo the tip on the the root veggies I've never grown them. I' m mixing my own potting mix for grow bags. I may reduce the manure compost in the mix.

Live in The Woodlands. Plant Ya Ya, Bolero and Mokum varieties in grow bags and aluminum stock tanks and have had GREAT success. Soil is pretty loose(mix of peat moss, leaf mold compost and cow manure with some perlite mixed in for drainage improvement).

Be patient when putting out seed. Carrots must have soil temps in the 70's to germinate. Any warmer and they will be toast. For example, it's October 2nd but highs here are in the low 90's and the lows are in the 60's. That's too warm. I'll likely have to wait until mid October. We generally over-winter them but will harvest baby carrots between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Hope this helps even if 4 years late. Best of luck.

Edit: And yes, too much nitrogen produces beautiful greens but smaller roots. I use an organic slow release 6-2-4 pre-plant fertilizer (yes, that has more nitrogen but you have to have some greens to produce the energy to make large roots) and then Agro-Thrive 3-3-5 liquid fertilizer once every two weeks as time moves forward.

My two favorites are YaYa and Mokum. Both have excellent flavor.

Johnnys Seed and Hoss Seed sold the seed.

I water carrots twice a day when germinating. Plant the seed on top and press it in.

I've grown all of the above, and in my opinion, the single most important thing is fresh seed. I've planted a million seeds and had 20 come up. I've planted 100 seeds and had them all come up. I don't know the trick. I planted some this year from Twilley and I planted them several weeks ago and it was way too hot….and the damn things came up 7 days later. I don't get it but don't give up if they dont Work the first time.

Animal Eight 84 said:

---

My two favorites are YaYa and Mokum. Both have excellent flavor.

Johnnys Seed and Hoss Seed sold the seed.

I water carrots twice a day when germinating. Plant the seed on top and press it in.

---

Yep - great point about the watering during germinating phase. I do the exact same thing.