I know you may not see this, but I wanted to post it anyway.....Thank you. You have truly changed my life for the better. I live in the state of VA in the US, which is zone 7b. The ground though, is red clay, like the kind you can literally go make pottery from. I got my love of gardening, and most of my knowledge about it, from my grandmother, but she was a tiller. That's just "what you do here," because the clay is so hard to work in. I tilled for years, and every year the production got worse. I haven't been able to grow a single tomato in my garden for over 4 years now. This past fall, I discovered your channel and started some no dig beds, and this is the first year I've had success in almost half a decade. And in relation to this video....you just don't grow carrots here except in a raised bed, but I just thinned some of the ones I planted in my no dig bed and they are doing beautiful so far! I am thankful in a way for the failure I had for so many years, if it hadn't been so harsh, I may have never looked for a different way and found your channel. And when I say it's changed my life, it's not an exaggeration, I have chronic illnesses and having healthy food, as well as the exercise and inspiration from my garden, has improved my health as well. So thank you, I hope you know how many lives you touch by sharing your knowledge. You are truly a treasure to this world
I certainly have seen this Amanda! I am absolutely delighted for you and feel blessed that the Internet allows me to share these methods. That is great feedback for no dig, from your 'difficult' soil! I hope that your health continues to improve, and do spread the word in VA.
So I’ve been watching all weekend🤣 But I gotta say, As a little girl I was raised on our neighbor’s farmland and the owner, he like was a grandfather to me. I took my first baby steps to him and after that I was with him every day when he was in his gardens. Unfortunately he passed away when I was 7 and so finding you Charles is like finding him and my childhood again. This channel is very therapeutic. It’ll definitely kick me into gear to start gardening (or being in the garden lol) which was my first love as a kiddo. Thank you!
I've made my first few no dig beds the past week and was also fortunate enough to get a small plot in the local allotment. This channel has been my gardening bible and was the one that initially got me interested in gardening in the first place. Thank you Charles for sharing this incredible amount of knowledge, it's invaluable to so many people 👍
This is all I need to unwind after long work week. Your voice is so calming. Until weather warms up and my garden starts growing theese videos are the next best thing
For those of us growing on a smaller scale, carrots grown in tubs are a good way to avoid carrot fly as they fly very close to the ground. I have also read that the smell of marigolds also deters them.
I once bought a bunch of carrots which still had all their leaves on. They went soft very quickly, whereas the ones which don't have leaves on last far longer. Now I understand why. I'm going to give it another go growing my own - I've never been successful in the past.
I love being able to go out to the garden and pull some carrots & bunching onions for dinner. No digging, just pull them out, brush the off, snap the tops off the carrots, and take them to the house for dinner.
Hi Charles. I'll start by saying what a gazillion people have already said. You're an inspiration :) So glad I found your channel. Your clear explanations, well-shot video, the little exited jiggle you do with your arms sometimes :), I thought to myself "He has the look and mannerisms of a really good teacher/lecturer". I have an L-shaped concrete backyard with a raised-brick corner with soil in 3 sections. Areas of sunlight changing during the day. My plan is to use the soil beds in the corner, buckets, raised planters and pots on shelves to get max use and grow some nice veg and herbs. Can't wait til next year when things start getting established (hopefully). Your vids on seeding, potting, soil...everthing has been a god-send. My perfect life would be you as neighbour on one side and Jim from 'Home Grown Veg' on the other ^^ Thank You and keep the vids coming. All the best :D
Hi my dear teacher from Croatia! You gave me the wind in my back even though I don’t have a piece of land. My balconies are full for the second season. I have to add compost and water more often, but I enjoy it! When the covid came, I had my own garden. Last summer, my granddaughter took out young carrots on the balcony herself and ate. We both enjoyed it. Fall and winter, balconies full and this Easter I didn’t have to buy anything. I am currently waiting for the low temperatures to pass so I could very well plant some more seedlings. The seedlings are all mine, nothing bought. I only bought strawberry seedlings for my granddaughter. Here, in the center of the city, I enjoy the garden on the balconies (until I buy a piece of land). I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart🙏, Nada 😊🌱🍀
Charles here goes an easy tip, to pick the carrots. Press & Pull! Press them in(to the soil) and pulls them straight up. It's quick and easy. No tools needed. I never lost a single carrot picking them this way! Thank you so much, for all I learned with you! Cheers
Thanks and I appreciate this tip. I do know it actually and have tried it and it works on softer soil then here. My soil is firm, still plenty loose enough to grow fantastic carrots but they don't always ease out even after pushing down on them.
For years I struggled to plant carrots, parsnip and parsley. Such uneven germination. Then I turned my garden into no dig (moving from mostly deep straw mulching), and most of the problems went away. Well, most of the problems. Two issues remained: 1) I need to remember to keep the seeds moist no matter what method is used. 2) And to learn how to stop putting down too many seeds in a no dig bed. Because I still am used to the old method where most seeds would not germinate, But every seed seems to germinate in my no dig beds..... So now have to thin an abundance of root vegetables sprouts, where before I was wondering what to do with all the space between the few that did sprout --- which is a much happier place to be actually. Hope this helps.
I’ve just been on the comments section of the digital section of The Times and am pleased to see how people are reporting their success with No Dig. It’s spreading, along with the compost !
Wow! I was reading about soil fertility and fungi today, and the sceptic in me began to wonder if Charles actually had any proof that mycorrizal fungi were associating with his plants. Those carrots are all the proof I need! Very impressed. 🍄🌾👍🏽
I moved into a place that had a sectioned off plywood compost heap (4foot × 4foot × 3foot) that was neglected for 3 years. It was very uneven, but I found nice soil beneath some easily removed surface weeds and a couple of gnarly deep rooted weeds I had to dig out. Also found a very active mouse nest, and a lot of worms and bioactivity. I'm in in Richmond, Virginia - right on the zone 7a/7b line. We're in mid 60-70 degrees F about now, and I just layers about a foot of grass clippings and a little leaf/wood mulch mixed in (after doing some initial surface leveling). Firstly, thank you for inspiring me to rejuvenate this pre-existing compost heap, and for showing me compost doesn't have to be that complicated. My question is: I left some vigorous weeds, and then covered that with grass and weed seed heads from my mower. Am I going to start sprouting a lot of unwanted vegetation since it's not that hot yet? Should I cover right away as a weed suppressant? I can add a lot of lawn waste, but I will have to add to this pile for a few months to fill this space out. Thoughts on covering right away, or leaving as is while filling? Love your videos! Found you throug epic gardening 🌿
Nice to hear this Sarah. I would simply keep adding material on top of the vigourous weeds, which will soon die because they don't have any light. You will know that because there would be new leaves if they are still alive, simply put more material on top.
Lovely! Expecting snow tonight, still a bit early for carrots but I will plant 5 varieties. Touchon, Nantes, Yellow, Atomic Red and Black Nebula. My garlic is just starting to peek through the straw!
Dear wonderful Charles, your video showed me how tall carrots foliage should look before pulling out carrots. My 1st time growing them and I haven't been sure when to pull. Thank you for being such a blessing just being you, and sharing your amazing wealth of information!
Its interesting that carrot root fly I've never had a problem with... YET! Lol. I don't grow near as many carrots as you but, I'm experimenting with pre-germinating carrot seed & container growing this year as well. I end up with empty buckets after my 1st early harvest & great for growing carrots in. I have done no dig carrots too and works great but, some years I get a big disappointment re slugs demolishing seedlings.
Planting carrots in between 10 blackcurrant bushes this year in two rows. “Hard” clay about 15 cm down but hoping it will coax the carrots to stretch/reach to it as water collects on the clay surface. We love heirlooms but gonna go for something more “industrial” (rote riesen 2)
Hi Charles, Lovely tour of your Carrot patch. 🥕 I planted in December and I have been harvesting 1-2 for dinner since February. Windermere, Florida zone 9b 🌞 The longer I garden the easier I find it to grow veggies year-round. Your simple approach and advice is a great source of wealth. Thanks 💚
The root fly is a dreadful pest. I have tried every method possible over the years to keep them away. The only thing that works is the physical barrier like your mesh or a fleece. I have surrounded the carrot beds with pungent garlic chives, grown fly resistant varieties, strewn crushed wormwood leaves around them, grown a lavender hedge around the beds, grown them raised up three feet above the ground, you name it, I've tried it. This season I have a new piece of mesh to deploy on hoops as soon as the fleece comes off in a few weeks. That tail about them only being able to travel at a certain height is pure hog wash! They are so tiny that the wind will just take them anywhere. Thank you for another excellent video Charles, I'm glad to see you get the odd forked carrot too! Good luck to you and the team.
Love your sewing method! I’ll definitely try this next week. Top tip, carrot tops make AMAZING pesto! Substitute the tops for basil (but add basil for additional flavor).
I have learned so much from you in the past 3 wks.I heard of you from Jess,at Roots and Refuge Farm.Did my first 2 no dig beds.And will be sowing in some veggies and fruit.next wk.Your videos are such a gardeners dream.And simplistic teaching.Thank you !
Great info Charles. While many are just now planting these seeds. I've been eating & canning my cold weather crops. They over wintered in low tunnels in No Dig garden. I've got carrots Beets, kale, cabbages & Brocolli. I'm going to let a few go to seed this spring to save. 👍
I am trying out my first No Dig carrots this year, I absolutely love the no dig method and I use it on all of my beds now. Yea with Charles, best way to start my Saturday morning here in California 🫖👩🏼🌾🥕
Beautiful harvest! I just finished 'fixing up' my three rows of no-dig garden, pulled up a few weeds, through on composted cow manure and will add a light mulch once I get it planted. EASIEST gardening every. I'm totally sold on no-dig and my produce.
Well, I’ve decided I’m not bothering early planting indoors anymore, I’m genuinely bad at it. It’ll just keep buying plants. But my direct showings of carrots and parsnips and sweet corn worked very well. I may have to buy a greenhouse if I want to advance sow.
Thanks, Yet again. Im in the same sort of climactic zone (coastal BC, Canada) but my soil is forest soil...clayish. Carrots are giving mixed results but I'll soldier on and incorporate what I've seen here where I can.
Hi Charles, I have to say you must have a much longer growing season than us here in Newfoundland, Canada in order to get two crops of carrots in one growing season. Our last frost is typically June 21.
That is so late! I hope my own climate does not change like that, because we are at the same latitude, warmed by the north Atlantic drift of water from the gulf of Mexico
Can you please do a class on how you keep produce all winter long without cold storage? This info is so hard for the beginner gardener to figure out. I love you videos!!
Oxhella, noted 🙂🙂 Thank you, Charles 🙂 I hope your plants survived last cold nights?I covered everything what possible but your area was much colder My forecast for next days shows much warmer nights but generally biodynamic calendar for this year says-this year will be cold and dry. Next one-hot and dry. Greetings from Wales 💚💚
That is a fascinating, thank you and yes it was -2 again last night and some plants are looking not good but all are surviving so far, just not growing!
We're lucky in Australia - nothing much goes after our carrots. It's a great crop - they're like bulldozers, boring down making a big carrot. I don't even thin em - I get some biggies and some tinies. There's nothing like fresh carrots - a golden crop! Nice video..
I'm fairly new to growing my own and I am trying to adopt the "no dig" technique in my 5 raised beds. I didn't realise i could get a second crop of carrots so I will definitely try it this season as I have a patch I am just using for radish and lettice. Awsome content as ever!!!
They are in my online course and soon we shall be selling individual lessons, this is a group of 15 lessons just to give you an idea, has a lesson about parsnips charlesdowding.co.uk/product/course-3b-from-seed-to-harvest-the-second-22-vegetables/
G'day Charles. I have been watching you for so long under my personal (private) channel and you truly are an inspiration. So much of my success in the garden can be directly credited to you and what I have taken away from your videos. Thanks so much and I wish you all the very best. Take care, Daz.
Good day. I like carrots very much and is my number one vegetable in the kitchen. Tomorrow I will plant a carrot in my garden. Thank you Charles for these valuable and important tips. Greetings from Poland
I have stored my potatoes and carrots in a insulted cooler with good results here ( Canada ) in my back unheated room. This year I let them dry a little better so I don't have moisture build up over the months.
Im growing carrots in the polly tunnel currently they’re doing well I’ve got some planted in an old keg and i have some in my beds I don’t have alot of space so i use barrels at the end of the day they’re my dads oil barrels he uses in his work i clean them out extremely throughly and use them to grow in i can safely say I’ve done it 4 years and I’ve not got poorly yet
Morgen werde ich den GrünSpargel in einem No Dig Beet (1Jahr alt) anbauen. Werde ihn mit Kompost, nach und nach, zudecken. Bin überzeugt davon das es funktioniert. Die Ordnung in ihrem Garten mag ich sehr. Sobald meine Wildnis einigermaßen gezähmt ist werde ich Ihnen ein Bild senden. Lg aus der Eifel
Sorry for that eaten crop of carrots! Thanks for sharing that though, I've learnt now to take it seriously! amazing you've never seen one..come to think of it neither have I, had to Google it!
I LOVE your videos and have recommended them often to others! Would it be possible for you to do a video on your record keeping system for the garden? I am in awe of how you keep track of all the different varieties/beds/experiments that you have...I can't even keep track of a few different tomato varieties!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Brief is okay! :) Just an idea of your routine to keep track of everything would be helpful for us who are challenged in this regard!
Thank you Charles, just shared.Packed with so much information as always. I still have not successfully grown carrots( a bucket list one 🤣) trying again this year.
I personally dont mid the shape of the carrots I love the rough looking and imperfectly perfect , I’ll be planting some carrots in fall in my no dig garden , thanks sir for all your knowledge ❤️
Got my new polly tunnel built. Had to get help putting cover over, but read to fit door and rather than both ends, I have a 700mm by 2800mm window for the back. Hope to have done by tomorrow. Retired joiner, so had fun building a base rail and ends in solid timber for only £300. Just my time needed
Starting my no dig this Spring! W o my tiller! Have 6 raised beds now BC our soil has a lot of clay in it and now that I know I can do no dig on any soil really I will be implementing your practices now instead of more raised beds. Side note: I honestly expected that one carrot to start screaming when you pulled it! (Mandrake Harry Potter reference 😉) North Carolina zone 7b
After having carrot rust fly the first year with our CSA I have greatly feared those things. I have seen them and they aren't very tiny. Our carrots turned to liquid! It was awful. Left me with trauma!!!! So last year we covered as usual from the day they were planted. Tucked in the edges and everything. Went out a few weeks before they were ready and saw thousands of armyworms in there!!!! How that could happen, I don't know. But you know what? We cleared out as many as we could and the birds finished the job for us. Should have taken the covers off when they weren't needed.
