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Hello Mid-Ohio Valley Farmers and Gardeners. Happy Easter to everyone! I know that we have received a lot of rain over the last couple weeks and the temperatures have been a bit chilly, but warmer weather is on the way.

There is still time to start seeds at home for our favorite warm season annual vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers and even cucumbers and squash if you want to get a head start.

April is the time to plant trees and shrubs and to make a new seeding for the lawn before the weather heats up. We have plenty of moisture; just make sure if you’re going to plant a tree or shrub to dig that hole at least two to three times the diameter of the root ball of the plant.

This week I am discussing carrots, a versatile vegetable. Many of us associate carrots with carrot juice and good health, but at the same time we use this nutrient powerhouse as a main ingredient in carrot cake. Nothing wrong with carrot cake, especially with some good buttercream frosting. The carrots make it healthy, of course.

Carrots were grown in abundance in Great Britain during the second World War by backyard gardeners due to food rationing, but the backstory of why they became so popular is very interesting.

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During the war, the British developed a new technology called Airborne Interception Radar, which gave British fighter pilots a distinct advantage over their German counterparts. They wanted to keep this technology a secret for as long as possible. When stories were told about the pilots and their success of shooting down German planes, they needed a reason for their victories. Instead of telling the public about this new technology, they attributed the pilots’ success to the health benefits of carrots.

The British media published stories about ace pilot Lt. John “Cat’s Eyes” Cunningham. Cunningham was responsible for shooting down 20 German aircraft, and it was attributed to his love of carrots. They said if you eat carrots, they’ll help you see in the dark, just like they did for Cunningham.

Carrots do contain beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is good for healthy eyesight. Medically, it is true a vitamin A deficiency may lead to nyctanopia, or night blindness.

However, it would be extremely difficult to eat enough carrots to significantly improve your night vision. While there is no official evidence the British convinced the Germans that eating carrots were the reason for their pilots’ success in shooting down planes at night, there are rumors Germany did start feeding carrots to its own pilots.

Carrots are a cool season vegetable which can be planted in early spring in gardens, raised beds and containers. Beta-carotene gives carrots their orange color, but the first cultivated carrots were grown in what is now Afghanistan and were yellow and purple.

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Carrots grow best in deep, rich, well-drained soils. Hard clay soils may cause carrots to fork and become crooked. A soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is optimal. Fill raised beds and containers 12 inches deep to provide optimum drainage and allow for maximum root length.

Sprinkle seed thinly in furrows half an inch deep, with rows 12 inches apart. Cover lightly with soil. Keep moist until germination. Carrot seed is slow to germinate, often taking 12 to 14 days to sprout. Thin carrot seedlings to 2 inches apart after the tops are 3 inches tall.

Varieties of carrots available for home gardeners can be much more flavorful and colorful. Varieties found in grocery stores are bred to machine harvest, ship and store well. Paris market types such as “Thumbelina,” “Planet” and “Parmex” are round to top-shaped roots, 2-3 inches in diameter and work good in shallow soils.

Nantes types such as “Nantes Scarlet” are medium size, with cylindrical roots, a blunt tip and smooth, thin skins. Roots are sweet and tender. Chantenay are medium size with stocky, tapered roots. They work good for heavier soils. Varieties include “Royal Chantenay,” “Red Core Chantenay” and the 55-day “Kinko.”

You can begin to harvest carrots when their roots are at least half an inch in diameter, or about 65 to 75 days after planting. Immediately after harvesting, cut off and compost the green tops. This will decrease moisture loss from the roots and help them stay crisp.

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Many times carrot tops will break when being pulled while trying to harvest, so it may be beneficial to loosen the soil around carrots prior to pulling, or dig them instead.

Carrots planted in the late summer and fall can be covered with mulch and harvested until the ground freezes solid. For fresh use, harvest carrots before they exceed 1 inch in diameter,

Carrots are relatively pest free. Weeds should be controlled, especially when the plants are young. In addition to misshapen roots, one common issue people have when growing carrots is the tops of their carrots (the root) turning green. These green areas of the carrot are distasteful.

This is caused when the top of the root is exposed to sunlight. The tops can be exposed after heavy rain, or when the roots begin to grow and swell. To avoid this, soil can be pulled up over the tops of the roots if they are exposed.

Once they are scrubbed with a vegetable brush or peeled and cut into pieces, carrots can be boiled, steamed, baked, sauteed, roasted or eaten raw.

Contact me with questions at the WVU Extension Office at 304-424-1960 or at jj.barrett@mail.wvu.edu. Good Luck and Happy Gardening!