Better Carrots From No-Dig

[@flatsville9343]

I had the good fortune to have a magic carrot bed. I later learned from a neighbor, who had lived on the street for years, that somewhere in that section of the yard was a deep sand play pit the former owners converted back to dirt when the kids got older to extend the garden...so, I was not a carrot growing genius.

[@REDGardens]

Nice!

[@dogrudiyosun]

Lmao

[@nobodykayaks1041]

I think sandy soil is really the best, got all your minerals and you just add organic matter best to make hugel mounds

[@44birdie44]

Year 4 of no dig beds on sandy soil that was in grass for 25 years. The carrots go straight down. Always amazes me and my farmer FIL who told me it wouldn’t work! Based in Louth

[@REDGardens]

That is cool.

[@sc0tt500]

I wonder if the depth of the municipal compost could be a variable to the results. From my understanding carrots send a tap root down early in development looking for nutrients and if the soil is overly fertile (or rocky) the tap root stops growing down and splits to take advantage of the nitrogen at that level. If the municipal compost is low in nitrogen (that we know is true from the potato grow bag trials) then the tap root will go straight through it looking for nutrients deeper down before filling the tap root out. Same for no dig soil that would have a low nitrogen level in the top "zone" of the soil. Wonder if you could do some trials in grow bags with good quality compost in the very bottom of the grow bag and fill the rest with the poor compost. Love your work!!!

[@REDGardens]

Interesting thought. I suspect any change in the nature of the material the roots are going through 'could' cause a splitting/forking, but haven't noticed that this is consistently the case. Levels of nutrients could be a factor.

[@juliaturney7017]

The Univ of California IPM website states “Root dieback of carrots produces excessively branched or stubbed roots. The fungus (Pythium) kills young taproots less than 2 weeks after seed germination, reducing root length and/or stimulating multiple root formation (forking). Pythium spp. can also cause damping-off of carrots. Forking and stubbing can also be caused by hardpans, nematodes, and excessive water, among other factors.... The pathogens are spread in water and soil. Very wet soil conditions favor the disease.”

[@REDGardens]

I think something like that is what is going on, or at least that there are many different things that can cause forking.

[@davidmartin5358]

The conventional wisdom was to have a deep fine tilth with no lumps or no stones for carrots to grow straight and strong. I suspect that the reason this works is that the root, like all roots will take the path of least resistence. If the soil provides no obstacles then it will grow straight, with no forking. Simarly with no dig, the soil is consistently firm (generally speaking). Here the root will also grow straight as there is no variance in resistence for the root to split to provide a forking. Dug soil will provide the most diverse medium, with a combination of lumps and loose soil. This in my opinion is what is most likely to cause forking as when a root grows down to a lump of soil there are options for it either side.

[@BlackJesus8463]

That's probably it.

[@stefanklein7500]

If I remember correctly Charles Dowding gave the same explanation on why carrots work in no-dig/firmer soil.

[@REDGardens]

That is a possibility with some forking. But I have had really good straight roots in freshly dug soil, and have also had forked roots in freshly dug soil. I have not noticed any consistency with it. I think carrot roots can fork for a lot of different reasons, and if everything is just right, either dig or not, then the roots will go straight down.

[@navarre7991]

I thought timing on fertiliser application and watering had a play on wether carrots forked.

[@alanbennett2672]

i was having alot of forking problems with my carrots, till i dug down 2 shovel depths and sieved the soil getting rid of alot of stone, my soil is now like sand in texture, i had about 10 carrots that forked last year out of a batch of about 400.

[@REDGardens]

That is interesting. I wonder if it was the stones, or that the sifting produced a very uniform soil structure that the roots went straight through. The soil of the No-Dig garden has a lot of stones in it still, and the carrot roots didn't seem to notice.

[@MistressOP]

I've been using these tree start air blocks to start carrots. It's been VERY good. The extremely deep well that they use for trees with large tap roots meant I always got the carrots I wanted. It took a little extra soil mix but took so much less time. We normally start the carrts in blocks then drop the carrots in when they are in a deeper stage and plant them out. Then sow radish seeds with them. Sometimes beets as well it depends. We harvest the radish first since we jump the date for carrots by a good 20-30 days in soil by blocking them. Then the carrots fill out and we just wait for them to harvest up. Normally 0 problems as a long as you remember after you transplant the carrots to put a layer of sawdust mix with rough unfinished compost and sand on top of your carrots. Depending on the year sometimes it's only unfinished compost. it's highly important that you remember to plant your transfered carrots with some type of marigolds *that flower at different stages and times in your planting cycle* Because they are transplanted carrots they can be weaker at first but they are in less effort in there own way.

[@REDGardens]

Hadn't tried transplanting carrot before. That would be cool thing to explore.

[@do4699]

Wow first comment 😁. Love your videos. The trials are very informative and interesting.

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@ImGlyn]

Thank you for this. So far for me, my most reliable carrot crop comes from an old washing machine drum lined with a horse feed bag & filled with commercial potting mix & compost. Maybe that's cheating, but it works 🤣

[@REDGardens]

Cool. Whatever works!

[@joshmann7587]

Isnt that quite expensive to fill up every year?

[@ImGlyn]

@@joshmann7587 Not really. I get at least 2, maybe 3 crops every year & I don't replace all the compost every time, just amend & top it up 👍

[@scoobydoo5447]

My backyard had a turf grass lawn that was extremely compacted. Literally bought a pickaxe to dig some some holes. When I built my garden beds I simply layered cardboard over lawn and dumped fresh arborist wood chips 1 foot thick (.3 meters I believe). I had time so I could leave it sit for a year. They broke down to a layer about 4 inches thick. I then planted carrots the second year and they did ok but not really great. 2023 was the 3rd year and the carrots I pulled out of the ground were nice, fat, and long. I was happy with how they produced. Tilling can get you instantly workable ground if needed, but I think the trick with no till is giving the worms and microbes the time needed to breakdown and mix the mulches into the soil. Based on the short time I’ve used No Till and what I see from other gardens, I think it might be the better path forward long term.

[@REDGardens]

The short term vs long term benefit is an interesting way to look at it. One of the issues of the long term approach, is I need to trust that the advice/approach I am following will actually work in my context, climate and soil. Short term approaches can be corrected sooner if they fail or are inappropriate.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

An intelligent analysis. Thanks

[@DDGLJ]

I enjoy seeing the results of your trials, and the empirical approach in real time. I garden in the unforgiving climate of Montana, USA, but I’m not sure I’d trade my climate for yours with its associated insect problems.

[@REDGardens]

Glad you like my approach! Yeah, very different climates, each with their issues!

[@dhaniaboodoo7042]

Thank you for keeping your video real, I don’t feel so disappointed with the results of my first attempt at growing carrots.🙏👍

[@REDGardens]

it is tough when a crop like carrots doesn't turn out well, you never know until you start harvesting!

[@alisonburgess345]

I grow mine no-dig. Beautiful!

[@angelad.8944]

There's a lot to unpack here. Could you be bringing in the issues from the municipal compost? Maybe the no dig beds just have better balance to deal with and eradicate any serious infestations? Very interesting all around. I have figured out a few things that work for me but I just have my many personal garden beds around the property. I mix my carrot seed with sand and diatomaceous earth powder so that when they germinate and grow it is there to kill off the root fly in the soil. I also cover my seeds with "boards" painted a dark color so they retain heat, right after I sow them. Traps moisture in while germination is happening. I do have to keep an eye on it to see when they germinate and start growing. I think the sand mix also keeps any slugs at bay. I haven't had root fly issues in 2 decades. Not sure how economical it is but a test patch would be worth trying out. 🤔 Another thing I do is, in the fall, I cut back the marigolds and grind them up and add them to the soil that will grow carrots the next season. It helps with the nematodes. If your seasons accommodate it, you could just plant them after each carrot crop instead. The forking issues may be due to too much nitrogen actually. The more fresh the compost, the more nitrogen and of course if you are amending, it is controllable there too. I don't feed my carrots much nitrogen and they are nice and straight. All this being said, your area isn't the exact same climate as here, so there are other potential reasons. I do hope you find the magical combination for success. ☺ I just think of all the people you are helping with these great videos and how, no matter one's experience level, there is always something to learn.

[@BlackJesus8463]

Do you eat the tops?

[@angelad.8944]

I do dehydrate some, to sprinkle in things but only a couple cups dried. @@BlackJesus8463

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, it is all interesting stuff. I don’t think anything would have come in with the municipal compost. The stuff I get is pretty sterile. The excess nitrogen is an interesting one, and I think that might be causing the numerous other root hairs on a few other matches. If there is a clump of high nitrogen material further down in the soil, I think this could defiantly cause forking. Not sure if that is an issue in these gardens as I tend not to add amendments to the carrot beds. Something to keep an eye on though.

[@virginiaslim6188]

when I first started growing carrots, i heard someone say that white flies stay within a foot or so of the ground. so i use containers, and have never had a problem with them. also, chunks of any size will create forks, so i sift the compost and soil thoroughly before filling the containers. taking time to create a template for seeding eliminates the need for most thinning, too

[@tcotroneo]

I use a pegboard with nails to direct seed carrots.. I got this trick from Jim kovaleski..

[@REDGardens]

I also think that chunks for lack of uniformity could be a major factor.

[@wmpx34]

Good one Bruce thank you

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@ahabthecrab]

I don’t grow carrots but I do have a heavy nematode burden and need to rotate crops that do not promote or inhibit nematode activity. This helps tremendously. Nematodes do not like brassicas. I planted a type of spicy mustard green this year that is used as a biofumigant hoping to reduce soil pests.

[@REDGardens]

I do wonder if there is something in the soil of a few of my gardens, even though I use a crop rotation, perhaps there isn't enough distance between the batches of carrots each year, and whatever it is migrates over.

[@ahabthecrab]

@@REDGardens I recently heard of something called “Hairy Vetch” that is used as a cover crop and biofumigant that is possibly more effective that Zodiac Brown mustard. Hopefully you can figure out what is causing your carrot troubles.

[@BalticHomesteaders]

FWIW, purely because of climate I only sow carrots outdoors in June, I've never had to deal with carrot root fly thankfully. I have sown earlier inside the greenhouse, like you, for an early crop with smaller roots. I have experimented with spacing this year and moved to a 5 row intensive setup from 6 row (75cm bed) the harvest was better on the whole but like you results varied over 2 beds and I couldn't fathom out why. My guess is weather might have something to do with it and that's something we don't have much control over for empirical testing.

[@REDGardens]

I want to do an experiment next year to really try to understand the different seasons of the carrot fly, when they are likely to be around laying eggs. But, as you say, so much depends on the weather.

[@KPKENNEDY]

I get very little forking from my no dig beds. I am more likely to get forking at the end of the row, I do not know why. Also if I sow the carrots too thickly then I get more forking. I do not thin my carrots to avoid attracting the carrot root fly. I try to sow thinly and accept a few gaps in the row. You grow a good sized carrot.

[@REDGardens]

Interesting that there was more forking at the end of the row. I have noticed that too in some cases.

[@flatsville9343]

If you have ever watched British carrot gardeners who compete for prizes, you'd be astounded the lengths they go to. To obtain long straight carrots, some grow in sand beds in tubes where the sand has been removed & filled with screened soil.

[@REDGardens]

Those people are crazy!!

[@patmog]

Another great videos! Thanks

[@justynwolf6402]

another good video. we so enjoy the way you consider different variables to the process. BTW, we have heard from a couple other garden sites that we follow that very much nitrogen in the soil will cause forking. Had you heard of that? or considered it as one of the variables? Keep up the good work with all your experimentation and trials.

[@REDGardens]

I have heard that excess nitrogen can cause problems, but I don't have experience with that, and tend not to add too much nitrogen to the carrot beds.

[@happyhillsfarm9598]

Thanks for another great video! I'd love to hear your take on work wear; type of boots, clothing layers, hat vs no hat, gloves vs no gloves, etc. Thanks again!

[@REDGardens]

I might do a video about that, but I am not sure it would be very interesting.

[@pilsplease7561]

My favorite carrot variety is Danvers its really reliable and higher in sugar so its sweeter than all the other carrots.

[@Paila026]

So interesting!

[@grahamburchell1]

I find amending bed to keep loose no dig soil works best. Add sharp sand. Also try early carrots under a low poly tunnel outside as can stay in longer than poly tunnel so just another way to do.

[@ptngarden]

Thank you for sharing. have a nice day

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@paulm2380]

Thanks

[@AnenLaylle7023]

Fellow market farmer here. Have you ever tried covering the furrow you planted the carrots in with seed starting potting mix or just plain cocoa coir? I do this with all my carrot beds and I get 100 percent germination. As for the forking, you really should grow carrots in mounds raised about 8 inches from the ground and tilled at least 6 inches underneath. This is how I do it and I get grocery store sized carrots.

[@REDGardens]

I have tried that, but with a standard seed compost that seemed to dry out even faster than the soil. But it would be interesting to try something else. I soul try the tilling/mound thing. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@AnenLaylle7023]

@@REDGardens Hi again. You are correct and I forgot the last step that I do. Once I water the mound in I soak a floating row cover (Agribon) and drape it over the top of the row. Otherwise you are correct, it does dry out too quickly.

[@Qopzeep]

These are the kind of well-thought out, nuanced conclusions I appreciate about your videos. Thanks for brightening up my shitty week!

[@REDGardens]

Glad to help out. Hope next week is better for you!

[@Qopzeep]

@@REDGardens Thanks :)!

[@glassbackdiy3949]

I think it's a combination of the correct mineral/nutrient profile, and greater diversity of soil biology. Looking at the Johnson-Su research, the difference in microbial diversity is orders of magnitude greater in no turn aerobic compost after 12 months compared to 9 months, this must be similar in no-dig beds compared to more disturbed soil, there's little research regarding microclimates within soil layers, but it's logical to assume microclimates at the microscopic level are a thing given the specialization of microbilogy and sesitivity to O2 levels, moisture, and temperature, guilds of microbes is probably an additional factor. Minimal dusturbance surely preserves the diversity. Although Elaine Ingham is adament all soils contain enough micronutrients if the biology is diverse enough to mine the minerals to provide them in a form available to the plant, anecdotal evidence from the field of RegenAg suggests adding nutrients shown to be deficient in soil tests, along with adding diverse microbiology, can be hugely beneficial compared to microbiology alone, especially in the short term.

[@REDGardens]

All interesting stuff. I think we need to take microbes and nutrients, as well as the nature of carbon and soil structure into consideration. I think it is great that people are really exploring one factor or aspect, because that is how knowledge is built overall. And I can appreciate how those people get really passionate and will often campaign that their approach is the best or more important one to focus on. But I try to take a more wholistic view, or that there are many ways to improve growing conditions. Especially in the short term, as you mention, which I think is really important.

[@Kolar522]

I sow intensively in january on onion beds that are covered with straw. I get good results everytime.

[@halevpeng5125]

I don´t thinning on Carrots. And they grow very well.

[@lksf9820]

It would be interesting to check soil acidity in the best and worst beds, at different levels too. Are you sure its all CRFL? Possibly something else got there like cavity spot etc, it's difficult to tell as you often film the carrots covered in soil. What about how wet the soils were? The ones in the PT did well in the drier warm soil, maybe other factors which contribute to wet soils were in play in the other beds perhaps.

[@REDGardens]

The pH of all the gardens is fairly constant, as we have an alkaline calcareous soil, which really resists changes in the pH.

[@cofoothills]

I only saw a couple of the varieties on the labels - would you mind listing all the ones you grew in these trials? Thank you.

[@REDGardens]

The main varieties I grew were Autumn King as a late crop, and Fine as an earlier crop. There were others in the variety trials including Amsterdam Forcing 2, Bolero F1, Nantes 2, Oxhella, Resistafly F1, Robila, Rodelika, Sugarsnax 54 F1, Treenetaler, Mercurio F1. But just because I grew them doesn't not mean I recommend them. Still working that out.

[@firefly5421]

Sounds like a serious forking problem that still needs solutions. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) It's interesting that the firm soil in the no-dig beds might be improving the carrots as I had always heard that carrots like soft, lofty soil to dig in.

[@REDGardens]

Haha, yep, a serious forking problem! I had also heard that the carrots like the soft sandy soil. But now I suspect they like anything that doesn't have abrupt changes to the growing medium, form or soft.

[@deepwaters2334]

No till increases the fertility of the soil by leaving the native fungi and bacteria in the soil to exchange nutrients with the plants. Till is only better if you introduce a significant amount of organic matter to soil that is otherwise poor. I find diatomaceous earth remains in the soil and kills bugs that live in the soil, so it may benefit root crops like carrots significantly.

[@fpsninja1]

Just a theory. Coild the no dig method be reducing the pathogen load in the soil compared to repeated digging? Just adding compost etc means the pathogens would in effect be diluted and much deeper in the soil giving the plants time to develop. So over tkme the carrots dont degrade as they do with digging? Or alternatively maybe digging makes soil conditions favourable for pathogens?

[@REDGardens]

Possibly.

[@bobaloo2012]

Here in Western Oregon I've had most of the same issues with carrots as you and have reached about the same conclusions. These days I put down a thick layer of compost as you did, and found that eliminated 99 percent of seedling predation from slugs and arthropods. "Pill bugs", "wood lice" or what ever you call them are the worst, and the compost is free of them. My favorite carrot crop is planted in polytunnel the end of September when the eggplants are removed. They start cropping in mid December and go all winter until the Spring crop is ready. The cold weather really makes them sweet and they store better in the ground growing slowly all winter than if they were harvested, people really rave about their flavor. Remember "for every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, obvious, and wrong". I think genetics plays a big part in root quality. These days I mainly grow Mokum and Bolero, both hybrids, and have very few forked roots.

[@REDGardens]

Yep, simple, obvious and wrong! I want to grow a late crop like that, always mean to and never get around to it. Hopefully this year!

[@dovinhgardenfarm]

Bạn có vườn rau đẹp quá

[@REDGardens]

Thank you!

[@dutchbeef8920]

I’ve only had good success with carrots in pots, seems to stop the root fly and the screened compost seems to stop forking 👍🏻 on the allotment, not so good

[@peter2327]

My granddad used to have a garden at the outer perimeter of his home city. Later it was a rest piece of ground between blocks of municipal housing. Everything grew good in this garden, only chives grew in circular motion, and the carrots forked like crazy. After my granddad passed, and we had to clear the garden and give it back to the buyer, we learned from a city clerk that it had been a construction waste dump when the municipal housing blocks were built. and I still wonder what was in the soil that caused these symptoms. So: what has been on your ground before the red gardens project? What could be in the soil?

[@REDGardens]

This soil is all former pasture, without any foreign material in it.

[@niamhfox9559]

I wonder if the no dig keeps the carrot flies from getting deep enough, or that burying them in new compost each year slows them down?

[@REDGardens]

I dont think that would slow them down. The eggs are always laid on the surface, and the larvae seem to be great at burrowing.

[@MotosAllotmentGarden]

😊🥕👍

[@cameronsmith5048]

Carrots seem to store real well in my root cellar. They last even longer than most potatoes. I do not know if this is something you are doing with the carrots you are growing. Would there be a point to grow carrots around the fly season to prevent insect damage then store them for consumption later? Just an idea. I guess you may need to change planning on how the garden is planted and grows.

[@REDGardens]

I do store carrots in my cellar, but it often isn't cold enough to really keep the carrots for a long time. They are already sprouting in early February! Ii think it is probably possible to grow carrots outside of the carrot fly season, but first I need to find out when that season in around here as I have read conflicting information that indicates that there could be carrot flies around for a few different months of the spring and summer.

[@flamesintheattic]

That seems like a bit of nightmare. It's easy to grow carrots here but there doesn't seem to be any insects that attack them. They do like very loose soil with no debris in it to prevent forking and bending. I dig out the carrot area in my garden beds, fluff it up, and make sure there's no large debris before sowing seeds. That soil looks like it still has a lot of clay in it which is not ideal for carrots. Barely any soil sticks to my carrots when I pull them out.

[@BlackJesus8463]

Nice carrots. No dig is probably softer. 🥕🥕🥕

[@REDGardens]

Definitely the firmest soil in my gardens.

[@BlackJesus8463]

@@REDGardens lol There's nothing softer than compost. Charlie D jumps on six inches of it and it doesn't compact. Maybe the huge crevices left by the broadfork gives a path of least resistance for the carrots to fork.

[@ximono]

@@BlackJesus8463Soil that has never been dug is of course firmer than dug soil. The compost on top is soft, but that's only an inch or two. It's firm where the carrots would fork.

[@REDGardens]

@@BlackJesus8463 Charles recommends using a 4-6 inch layer is at the start of a garden. not every year, and over time that reduces. My No-Dig garden has very firm soil, more compact than any of the other gardens, despite this addition of compost, and surprisingly the carrots do really well.

[@woodchipgardens9084]

Planting timing is very important to take note, I think i escaped catapillar in my cannabis by waiting until july 20 to plant clones and harvested within 60 days due to decending day light.

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, timing is important. Especially for some plants.

[@jamessteffens8337]

Can I transplant the seedlings?Thanks jim80

[@REDGardens]

Carrots don't like being transplanted.

[@catfunksfabulousfinds]

Try growing marigolds with carrots

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

have you given any thought to growing in Grow Bags? Similar to how you do Potato? Probably more anecdotal, rather than a scientific study, once i stopped growing in ground, and started in a much looser soil in the grow bags, I found almost ZERO forking! It's also completely rock/pebble/stone free. That helps w/ no forking. It's easier for me to control pests, in these. I plant mine in the same bags as my onion (I know you said it wasn't helping yours), and I didnt run a control without onion,so no idea if it truly makes a difference. Watching the entire video: Sounds like the infestation you get is much earlier, so, that June planting is a BETTER choice. Maybe ONLY do polytunnel early, then, wait till June? Are there neighbors, who also plant carrot? what's the word on PESTS in your area? Are they experiencing some years w/ and some w/o pest damage?

[@REDGardens]

Yes, I want to try growing carrots int he grow bags. I think that would be interesting. I plan to do an experiment this year to find out when the carrot fly are out laying eggs.

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

I am finding @@REDGardens , that I am getting some nice success w/ Danvers 126. It's an older variety originally from a strain near here, in 1800's. Decent, straight, and little pest damage. Does well in our sometimes wetter seasons in New England

[@KevinShaw-qv4lt]

The most probable cause of forked roots is stoney soil (noticed some of your earth was quit stone laden)

[@REDGardens]

I had though that, but the No-Dig garden still has loads of stones in it, and the carrots for the past two years in that garden dint seem to notice.

[@trashbandies4905]

No dig biodiversity benefits are also supposed to grow with the longevity of the undisturbed microbial ecosystem. If your problem is a nematode or microbial maybe a complex established ecosystem is keeping certain little guys from reproducing a whole lot. And maybe you are right about the new bed not having a big population of the problem! Or maybe not. Thanks for doing these trials!

[@REDGardens]

Interesting way of looking at it.

[@hotmalm]

😊👌

[@acctsys]

Given how much trouble it has given to this project, whenever I hear municipal compost, I tend to think that is the issue. 😅

[@ximono]

In my experience, most issues with municipal compost go away if you let it mature before spreading, ideally a year. You end up with less volume, but better quality compost.

[@acctsys]

@@ximono His municipal compost was two years old but still caused problems. It's like it's only good for mulching at this point.

[@REDGardens]

There are definite issues with this type of compost.

[@ximono]

Interesting results, as always! I think it's plausible that soil organisms (nematodes?) could cause the forking. My hypothesis: No-dig doesn't disturb the balance of (for carrots) beneficial/harmful soil organisms as much, whereas disturbed beds cause a temporary imbalance or increase of some harmful soil organisms. Generally speaking. Other factors at play could be the effect of the previous crop, or even the disturbance from its harvest (eg. potatoes). Undisturbed beds also have intact fungal communities, which might play a role in the development of carrots? In my experience, firm soil is not a problem. My no-dig beds are on silt/clay soil, and I have very little forking. Root fly is still an issue, of course, though not always.

[@REDGardens]

Interesting hypothesis.

[@UltanDorrian]

When planting carrots dig a deep trench first then throw in well rotted manure, carrots will seek the manure, Bette carrots

[@pinballwizard6906]

✌️😎

[@rymlks]

Is the shape of the carrot really that big of a deal? A forked carrot at first glance looks like you get 2 carrots for the price of 1. Is it just a cultural thing that consumers don't want bent or forked carrots?

[@REDGardens]

I agree with you in ways. But trying to process and cut up a lot of carrots, the straight ones are a hell of a lot easier to work with. And they are a lot easier to pack together to store.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

He is selling the crop, so yes, shape and condition count.

[@goredgord]

Every year I've had a different issue, a new issue, another pain in my hole. and at the end of each season I say f*k it, I'm done with carrots. Buuuut I love carrots. So I persist. Fucking carrots.

[@REDGardens]

Fucking carrots, indeed!

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

That’s interesting…. Possibly no dig produces better results long term for carrots in your region because it keeps bad bug populations from developing, as you say, unfavourable conditions for them. That is the only conclusion I can think from your data, or it’s just random😂

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, that could be it. And I suspect there are many causes of the forking, as there always seem to be exceptions to any rule that I explore.

[@f3n1xplat3ad0]

...

[@jakeychops]

Digging ruins carrots. The best carrots I've ever had was fully compacted soil covered in fully compacted rotten manure. Roots in loose soil go everywhere. Roots in no dig soil have only one way to go. DOWN!

[@REDGardens]

Yes, and I have also had great carrots from digging.

[@kannmann97]

Higher organic matter in no till is what is causing your success. The root flies dont need to eat carrots when they have other things to eat

[@REDGardens]

Not sure they eat anything else.

[@One.natation]

So excuse me for saying but gardening is gardening and if we want perfect carrots perfectly ornamental straight carrots we could buy those at the store and if I'm a person gonna buy carrots from you I don't care if they're crooked or not that's organic home grown the best you could get carrots so I'm sorry that you have to sell to people that want perfection I don't think I would take those people on his customers SOS😊😊😊😊

[@REDGardens]

I do agree with you, to a certain point.But given the choice between a badly forked carrot and a straight one that are both 'organic home grown', I'll pick the straight one every time. If I am making food for a lot of people, which I often do, it is a lot easier and faster to process everything if the carrots are straight. And the forked ones also take up a lot more space in the bins of sand/material that I store them in, so I need more space for more bins to store fewer carrots. So, if I can find out how to grow more straight ones, that is better all around.