Carrot Tendersnax F1 - Daucus carota

The Tendersnax F1 carrot is a long variety. Its root is tapered with a rounded tip. Its skin is very smooth and dark orange. It is sweet and juicy. Ideal for juicing, it is perfect for cooking or raw in salads. Sow from April to July. Harvest from July to November.

The carrot is a biennial herbaceous plant, cultivated annually, from the Apiaceae family. It is grown as a vegetable for its edible, fleshy, and usually orange-colored taproots. It is a root rich in carotene. It can generally reach a height of 30 cm (12in). The carrot is not demanding on the nature of the soil. However, the best roots will be harvested in a rich, light, and deep soil. It is therefore necessary to prepare the soil well by deep digging in autumn, during which 2 to 3 kg of well-decomposed manure or compost will be buried. All stones will be removed during this operation. Before sowing, the soil will be well crumbled and fertilized with a basal fertilizer, and then left as it is for about fifteen days. Sowing can then take place.

Harvest: during the growing season, harvest the carrots as needed. To extract the roots from the soil, use a garden fork, taking care not to damage the root. Injuries to the roots can trigger rotting of the carrot during storage. Estimated yields can be calculated based on the type of cultivation and carrot. As a guide, plan for between 1 and 1.5 kg/m² for early cultivation; about 3 kg/m² for seasonal cultivation of a half-long variety, and up to 5 kg for late cultivation of long carrots.

Storage: it can be done in the ground, in the cultivation area, but this takes up space in the vegetable garden. In winter, in this case, it will be necessary to protect the roots from frost with a good layer of dead leaves. Indoor storage is an excellent long-term solution. In a frost-free and ventilated place, cut the foliage at the collar and place the roots next to each other on a bed of damp sand. Cover them with a 2 cm (1in) layer of sand and lay the next row.

Gardener's tips:
Sowing radishes and carrots on the same row and at the same time naturally distances the carrot seeds. Once done, harvesting the radishes will leave space for the carrots to grow. It's a winning thinning technique!
Sowing carrots near a row of leeks helps protect them both from carrot fly and leek moth.