I AM often asked by the visiting public what vegetables they should grow in their gardens. My response is always the same: grow what you like but also think about a crop which tastes far superior when it’s home grown than shop bought. One such crop is carrots.

The modern carrot, Daucus carota subsp. sativus, is a sub-species of the wild multi-branched carrot, Daucus carota. The domesticated conical carrot we know today was thought to have originated in Asia Minor around 1000AD. However, various records indicate wild carrots were first cultivated for their aromatic leaves and seeds, similar to their close relatives parsley, coriander and dill, thousands of years beforehand throughout Europe and Asia. In the fifteenth century carrots arrived in England and were a highly-prized vegetable. Selective breeding of wild carrots occurred over the centuries to produce sweeter, less bitter carrots with a less woody taproot core.

Carrots are biennial, although they are grown as an annual for their edible roots, and belong in the Apiaceae family. If left, carrots will flower in their second season but their edible root will turn woody and bitter. Carrots are extremely high in vitamin A which is required for a whole host of processes in our bodies. One such process is to synthesise rhodopsin, a pigment in our eyes operating in low light conditions, hence the old adage that carrots can help us to see in the dark.

There are a number of carrot groups available with different shapes and maturity times:

• Nantes: This group offers the earliest of carrot crop and provides broad, long carrots. Examples include ‘Nantes Express’ and ‘Newmarket’.

• Chantenay: Chantenay carrots are stump-rooted, being slightly tapered. Carrots in this group are considered main crop; ready in summer. RedCored-2 is highly flavoured with a rich orange colour.

• Berlicum: Berlicum types are a later crop suitable for storing. Their roots are stump-rooted and cylindrical. ‘Camberly’ produces high quality roots with a smooth skin.

• Autumn: These types are late maturing and suitable for winter storing.

Prior to sowing carrots, prepare the bed in autumn by digging in plenty of organic matter. Carrots perform well in an open sheltered position in light and deep free-draining soil. Horticultural sharp sand can be used to improve drainage of a bed. Carrot seeds are very small so they need to be sown shallowly at about 1cm deep in well-prepared fine soil. Create a fine tilth by lightly forking over the soil and removing or breaking up large clumps followed by levelling off with a rake. When you have a fine level surface, lightly firm down the soil with the back of the rake.

Sow carrots thinly in drills 1-2cm deep in rows 15cm apart. Dependant on carrot type, final thinning can vary. Thin your carrots anywhere between 5-10cm, depending on carrot type.

People often approach me in the garden, disgruntled as to why their carrot seed germination was poor. Carrot seeds can take up to three weeks to germinate and a lot can go wrong in that time. Firstly, early sowings can suffer if temperatures are below 7.5°C. If sowing early, the soil can be warmed up prior to sowing by placing fleece over the bed. The surface of the seed bed needs to be kept consistently moist until germination takes place. Young seedlings can quickly be eaten up by slugs so be watchful.

Cover seedlings with a fine mesh to protect them from carrot root fly. Carrot root fly lay their eggs in the soil in close proximity to the carrots. Larvae emerge which then tunnel through the roots making them inedible. The flies are attracted by the carrot scent. When thinning your carrots use scissors to cut the tops off the carrots. This will limit the scent and hopefully reduce the risk of attracting carrot root fly.