Starting carrots in the root trainer

Way back in March when I was getting the spring planting underway, I spoke to you about the problems I can have getting carrots and beetroot to take. Mostly due to the length of time it takes for the ground to heat up here in Scotland and the fact that we can have gorgeous, warm spring weather one week and back to snow the next.

Well this year I took you guys on a bit of a different journey with me, I tried something which was a bit of a mad experiment. One random moment in the greenhouse I just thought, “what the heck”. I saw the root trainers sitting on the bench empty and decided to have a go at planting the carrots in them, that way I could keep them in the greenhouse, away from the pearls of the Scottish spring and hopefully, hopefully, give them a chance to establish before I put them out into the raised beds.

Well I am very happy to say that this worked an absolute treat and will now be my new go to way of getting carrots and beetroot going in spring.

The carrots not only ALL made it this year, but they came on so quickly and were ready to each much faster than normal. unfortunately the experiment of using the seed tape for beetroot wasn’t as successful, but next year the beetroot will be joining the carrots in their new adventure.

So one very happy houseful, eating lots of purple carrots as normal. Hooray!!

We put out a video on Friday so come have a wander around the garden with me, but watch out for those courgette plants. They sting like mad!