lifting carrots for selection

[ilex]

This is my 2 year playing with carrot diversity, as always, once I thin and want to select, it's already spring. Is there any problem in lifting them late? Any limits? I guess they will slow down a bit and maybe make a shorter seed stalk.

I'm selecting for half long, vigorous, that grow well in my heavy clay with 8.5 PH and conditions. As with many crops, I don't like making multiple sowings. QAL grows around, so all whites must go out. For some reason, all carrots, taste good, but are on the pale side, so "jeune de dubois" has many which I clasify as white.

As a side note, will trade seed for interesting carrots, either with interesting genetics, or short/ half long. Last year planted about 15 var, mostly nantes related and orange. Only selected the most vigorous and later bolters. This year added some yellows, plus interesting Spanish deep purple and pale purple. Can get some seed of 3 more very old Spanish purples.

Next year, my plan is to start selecting more strongly for shape and taste being careful as our purples are quite long (but go up, which I like) and grow very well for me.

[12540dumont]

Ilex, I haven't found much difference really between lifting early and lifting late. They're just harder to move when you have heavy clay and the carrots get big. I selected for taste the first year. I also selecting for BIG carrots. I'm tired of those skinny things. I want sweet big carrots with big sturdy tops that do not break off when you give them the "yankee".

In my carrot trials of the last couple of years, I really liked "marketgartner" and "berlicum". I don't have QAL, but I did have to keep a close eye out for carrots that were cms. When I get the seeds out for carrots, I'll bundle you up some.

[richardw]

Ive just processed this summers Benhorn seed crop,so ilex if you would like some seed to add your other varieties let me know alanbishop.proboards.com/thread/7311/benhorn-seed

[ilex]

Richard, you already sent me some

[richardw]

Mar 11, 2014 3:08:54 GMT -5 ilex said:

Richard, you already sent me some

oopps

[ilex]

And what about pruning? Do I really need to cut all the leaves?

[richardw]

Mar 12, 2014 2:18:59 GMT -5 ilex said:

And what about pruning? Do I really need to cut all the leaves?

i do,i cut off most of them leaving about 10cm of the stems,the very youngest leaves are left on.

[steev]

Why would you want to prune the leaves? If you're storing them, maybe so the leaves don't rot. It might make sense if you think they'll dry out upon transplanting. It sounds like you're lifting to re-locate, in early Spring, so perhaps during cool, damp weather; I don't see why you'd want to prune much; the plant will drop insupportable leaves, if it needs to. You, however, might cut more leaf than needed, so that the plant has to draw on reserves to replace lost production facilities, when you want it to put maximum strength into seed production.

[ilex]

Everything I've read says to cut everything, and I ask myself, why?

Yes, my plan is to lift and replant almost at the same time. They are growing very fast now (highs of 20 C or so). The really difficult part is to try to do it in moist weather, it has rained a little twice this month, but it has not done so in the past 6 months, and that's our humid fall and winter.

[richardw]

I dont store them,i up lift and relocating on the same day,yes,you make a good point steev,do i need to remove the leaves?, probably not.
Right then,when i lift my carrot crop in a few months i wont remove the leaves as see what happens

[steev]

Maybe do some each way.

[richardw]

Yep,do half and half,know for such then.