Growing Carrots

After two attempts at growing carrots, I wish I had more concrete advice to share with you.  Though, I’m nowhere near expert in theories on carrots, I do have more of a clue.

-    I had thought carrots would expose a ½ inch when they are ready, poking through the soil the way beets and radishes do. They never did.  Perhaps it was the variety I was growing? Perhaps they didn’t get big enough?
-    Carrots prefer loose, sandy soil so they can grow deep and straight. 
-    I did not do a great job of thinning the seeds, but over-crowding the plants did not seem to hinder their growth either.  I noticed when I harvested all the carrots this afternoon that the spacing of the plants did not correlate with the size of the carrot.
-    I planted the carrots in a plot that has less sun then the rest of the garden.  The kale does excellent in that location.  And the carrots did better in that spot than where I had planted them last year near the tomatoes. 
-    No matter the size of the carrots, the skin is still bitter to my taste, and I prefer them peeled.  A sharp peeler is critical, especially with baby carrots.

Even if I didn’t get enough for an appreciable harvest, my $2 investment in seeds was not wasted. I did get enough for a small side dish of carrots roasted with butter and garlic.

Baby Carrots Roasted with Garlic and Butter
Baby carrots, peeled
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

1.    In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium flame.
2.    Add the garlic.  When the garlic becomes aromatic and lightly brown, add the carrots.
3.    Season with salt, pepper and toss the carrots to coat.  Add about ½ cup of water and cover.
4.    Let the carrots steam for about 10 minutes, or until tender.