Mutant carrots

[springmum]

What causes carrots to split into 2 or 3 sections? Water issue? Soil issue? Seeds?

I'm not terribly worried, since we'll just be freezing/fermenting so they don't have to be pretty - but just curious so I know for next year.

[cschick]

Originally Posted by springmum

What causes carrots to split into 2 or 3 sections? Water issue? Soil issue? Seeds?

I'm not terribly worried, since we'll just be freezing/fermenting so they don't have to be pretty - but just curious so I know for next year.

Heavy soil. Carrots grow best in very sandy soil, if your soil is heavier than that, a lot of your carrots are going to turn into mutants.

Other than looking funny, they're just fine. I grow carrots in clay soil, they are hilarious. But still delicious.

[springmum]

Heavy soil makes sense. Some of them really are hilarious - I could enter them in some weird carrot contest for sure....

[JamieCatheryn]

Yep, clay soil does it. But, Danvers and Chanenay carrots tolerate heavier soil without splitting or getting too stunted.

[mum4vr]

My DC each went thru a stage in which they LOVED to rake pea gravel into our light sandy carrot bed to grow "carrot people" on purpose- heeheehee.

Clay or pebbles will do it every time c;