Carrots

Family Name

Carrots belong to the family Umbelliferae and are related to Parsley and Celery.

Seasonality

Carrots can be produced all year round, giving better quality roots in the dry season with the use of irrigation.

Duration of Crop

Carrots take 12-16 weeks from seeding to maturity depending on the variety.

Varieties

The two (2) recommended varieties are Danvers Long Yardley 2. Both varieties are long, slender golden in appearance and tender in quality.

Soil Type

Carrots give highest production on well drained, light sandy soils as well as deep, loose, loamy soils. Avoid heavy clamp because this causes the roots to become distorted.

Carrots produce poor yields on Acid soils. The best Ph is between 6-6 ½.

Land Preparation

1.       Stale bed preparation could be carried out 2-3 weeks before planting using Round UP or 2-4D.

2.       The land should be thoroughly prepared before seeding.

3.       Plough to the depth of 12” and work to a fine tilt on flat or gently sloping lands.

4.       Prepare flat-topped beds 4ft wide as long as practicable along the contours.

5.       On heavier soils use effective drains.

Spacing and Planting

Carrot Juice

Carrots are direct seeded. Seeds should be planted ¼” deep and thinned to 3” apart within rows and 9” apart between rows. About 3lbs of seeds will be required to plant 1 acre. When planting, avoid times of heavy rainfall. Such rains can result in heavy loss of seeds seedlings.

Fertilizing Application

Incorporate NPK (16-8-24) or (13-7-23) at final land preparation at a rate of two (2) sack/acre. If TSP is available also incorporate one (1) sack/acre.

Follow-up this for heavier soils fertilizer at four (4) weeks and seven (7) weeks after germination at a rate of 1 ½ sacks to acre. For lighter soils fertilizer at two (2), five (5) and seven (7) weeks after germination at a rate of one (1) or two (2) weeks after germination.

TSP should be placed in the root area. If soil acidity is a problem use Limestone as necessary.

Weed Control

1.       Pre-emergence Herbicide

Apply Pendimethalin (Prowl 42.3 EC) at 3 1/3 pints (1575 ml)/acre

2.       Post-emergence Herbicide

To control annual and perennial grass weed, apply Fusillade at 1 ½ to 3 pints per acre. Where hand weeding is done be careful not to disturb carrot roots.

Harvesting

Harvesting of carrots generally entails pulling and topping the field leaving approximately half inch of leaf base attached to the tuber. Carrots must be topped soon after pulling, and protected from direct sunlight.

Yields

In-season approximately 15 000lbs per acre can be obtained. Yields may be adversely affected during the rainy season.

Pruning

In order to maintain a successful garden, pruning is required.  Knowing what you are doing is the key to success. One doesn't have to be an expert to prune but learning and practice is vital. When pruning, its key to remember that it is being done for the removal or reduction of certain plant parts that are not required, no longer effective, or that are of no use to the plant. Often it is done to supply additional energy for the development of flowers, fruits, and limbs that remain on the plant.

Pruning, which has several definitions, essentially involves removing plant parts to improve the health, landscape effect, or value of the plant.

Tools:

Reasons for Pruning

• to train the plant
• to maintain plant health
• to improve the quality of flowers, fruit, foliage or stems
• to restrict growth

When to Prune

• Can done at any time of the year; however, recommended times vary with different plants. 
• Do not prune at the convenience of the pruner, but rather when it results in the least damage to the plant. 
• the best time to prune most plants is before new growth begins. 
• The least desirable time is immediately after new growth develops. A great amount of food stored in roots and stems is used in developing new growth. This food should be replaced by new foliage before it is removed. 
• Prune plants damaged by storms or vandalism or ones with dead limbs as soon as possible to avoid additional insect and disease problems that may develop.

During Pruning

• Removes all dead, broken, diseased or problem limbs by cutting them at the point of origin or back to a strong lateral branch or shoot. 
• Make any training cuts needed - By cutting back lateral branches, the tree or shrub is trained to develop a desired shape, to fill in an open area caused by storm or wind damage or to keep it in bounds to fit a given area. 
• Always avoid destroying the natural shape or growth habit when pruning unless maintaining a close watch over the plant, for after a period of time it attempts to assume the more natural growth habit.
• Make additional corrective prunings to eliminate weak or narrow crotches and remove the less desirable central leader where double leaders occur. 
• After these cuts have been made, stand back and take a look at your work. Are there any other corrective pruning cuts necessary? If the amount of wood removed is considerable, further pruning may need to be delayed a year or so. 
• Remove water sprouts unless needed to fill a hole or to shade a large limb until other branches develop.

Pruning is an art thus the beauty of its natural shape should be still in tact at the end.

Tables are turned

Broccoli - How To

Broccoli is fastly becoming a stable in the West Indies dining experience. A bit of green goes a long way in developing a healthy lifestyle. Lets take a more detail look at Broccoli.

Broccoli is a member of the mustard family and its cultivation is similar to that of cabbage. This crop would grow in most locations where other vegetables are grown, however it prefers or likes rich deep well manured soils.

Recommended Varieties

Green Comet                       Hy Crown

Nursery Management

1.       Prepare seed boxes with soil mixed with well rotted pen manure.

2.       Treat with sevin to protect from ants and other soil insects.

3.       Place seeds ½ inch deep in soil.

4.       Wet as often as necessary.

Your seedlings should be ready for transplanting in approximately 3-4 weeks.

Land Preparation

1.       Clear land from weeds and shrubs. Leave to rot or burn.

2.       Make beds 3ft wide; raised 6 inches high. Place beds 8-10 inches apart.

3.       Incorporate (mix) pen manure into soil.

Planting

1.       Moisten soil in seedlings boxes 1 hour before transplanting.

2.       Plant your seedlings 1 ft apart; two rows per bed.

NB: Remember to transplant early in the morning or late in the evening to prevent shock.

Time not ENough

On the job, with deal lines looming...there just seem no time. But I highly doubt that any working man or woman would love to extend their hours at the office.. Putting in 8-10 hrs per day is sufficient, especially if one hates the job.

Skipping through breaks and lunch, spending unadulterated time bent at the computer, researching, pinning away at the loads piled so high.. It needs to be done, it has to be done...

Perhaps change will come.... new hired hands..........sharing of the load...Who Knows. Yet with all the complains, I won't give it up to hit the unemployed line.