Baby Carrot

If you’ve been reading along, you’ll know of my recent garden misstep: failing to thin carrots.  I’ve always thinned the plants I grow from seed, but incorrectly assumed that the starter plants were pre-thinned. (They weren’t).

I’ve been getting wonderful advice (from The Contented Crafter)…

Oh dear Alys! Carrots need thinning, Boomdee was right. If you are concerned about the size of them [and you can always check with another dead of night forage] I wonder if you might suggest to the tiny gardeners that the garden fairy has whispered in your ear that the carrots need a little longer to grow a bit bigger …. … Whatever the outcome I’m confident that provided the tiny gardeners get to eat a carrot, no matter what size, it will have been a successful introduction. Can’t wait to hear how it goes 🙂

moral support (from LB)…

I look forward to hearing about the tiny gardeners and their excitement over the harvest! (good thing it was Boomdee there and not me; I had no idea that carrots needed to be thinned)

and a fit of giggles from Boomdeeadda:

As for the carrots…..I only know that ONE thing about vegetable gardens because I grew a whole row of mutants and misfits myself, LOL.

Attention Gardening Nirvana readers: Boomdee knows basically nada about vegetable gardens!!! LOL.

I planted abundantly to ensure wee gardener success, so it was safe to unearth one of the plants when the coast was clear. Sure enough I uncovered half a dozen tiny carrots, clustered snugly together. They looked cozy, like a litter of tiny kittens intertwined.  Carrots and kittens eventually grow up, though, and need their own space.

I quickly divided the plants, replanting within minutes hoping they wouldn’t mind the brief interruption. I patted the earth and walked away.  Nothing to see folks, nothing to see.

By day two, carrot greens rested on the soil.  I refused to give up hope.  Day three, still on the droopy side.  It’s now been a week and no real sign of recovery.  So…

Today I decided to leave the rest of the carrots undisturbed.  I’ll let them grow for one more week (it’s a 50 – 70 day crop).  Then the wee gardeners can harvest and take home tiny carrots to share with their family.

One of the best parts of documenting your garden in a blog: lessons learned for next year.  Thanks for supporting me on the journey.

Halloween Countdown:

Purple monkey on a pumpkin (This sweet little monkey was a birthday gift from my talented friend, Laura.  She dyed him this color, then added all the beautiful details.  Isn’t he cute). Dharma Trading Co.