Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and rutabaga are all screaming UNCLE in this very warm winter heat. Regular tomatoes and sweet peppers are still hanging in very well. The carrots are starting to bolt (send out a flower head). So now every meal has carrots in it. Most of my carrots are in 7-gallon pots but these are HALF of a 15-gallon pot that was harvested this morning. Two gallons plus of carrots. These were so packed into the pot I had a hard time getting the first ones out.
How to grow carrots successfully in South Florida.
- Sow seeds from early fall to late winter
- Stagger seed start times to eat carrots over a long time
- Grow in a pot to avoid root knot nematodes in the soil
- Use a pot deep enough for the length of your carrot variety
- Use virgin potting soil to avoid root knot nematodes
OR use recycled potting soil that a cole/cabbage family crop was grown in last (root knot nematodes don't like cole/cabbage family crops) - Sow seeds on top of the soil and cover with an 1/8" layer of vermiculite (which holds moisture)
- Do not cover seeds with anything else
- Keep seeds moist until they germinate (water OFTEN)
- Give them full sun in the winter
- Water thoroughly regularly
- Fertilize monthly with 10-10-10
- Don't sow seeds in spring or summer unless you are willing to accept disappointment (rotting, insects, disease...)
