A gardening expert shared some helpful advice for any budding gardeners looking to get on top of any green-thumbed jobs this month. As we’re officially over halfway through the year, garden designer Ish said there’s one particular vegetable which needs to be planted now to ensure you can cultivate a crop this autumn.
In a recent TikTok video, Ish explained that July is the last month to sow carrot seeds. He said: “If you want to grow carrots, do it now. It’s the last point you’re going to be able to do it before it’s too late in the year.”
Gardeners World also emphasised the importance of planting carrots in July, as it’s considered the last month to sow the seeds for an autumn harvest.
The experts instructed to sow the seeds directly and thinly into shallow drills of well-prepared soil or in pots of soil-based compost.
It also warned gardeners to avoid thinning seedlings to prevent carrot fly. The best time to harvest carrots is between May and November.
To help make sure your garden is in tip top condition, there are a few steps the Royal Horticultural Society advised doing.
Before sowing carrots, weed the ground thoroughly, then fork it over to break up any hard lumps. Remove any stones and rake to a fine texture.
Alternatively, if you’re practising no-dig, mulch the surface and sow a short-growing variety directly into the mulch.
If you’re sowing the carrot seeds in a container, make sure it contains peat-free multi-purpose compost.
When it comes to protecting your crops, you need to be aware of carrot fly.
Carrot fly can potentially ruin your crop, as the larvae tunnel into the roots, leaving holes that are susceptible to rotting.
Carrots which are sown late – after mid-May – tend to miss the generation of the fly, while carrots harvested before late August avoid the second generation, according to the RHS.
The RHS recommended protecting the crops by installing an insect-proof mesh that completely covers the plant.
It also advised to avoid sowing seeds in areas of the garden which has recently been used for carrots.