All gardeners probably remember their first failed attempt at growing vegetables. Whether it was twisted carrots, minuscule tomatoes, or berries that get eaten by the birds, some skills take time to master.
One budding gardener shared the picture of their first attempt at growing carrots, but each stalk was spiralled and twisted, making them almost impossible to peel or grate. They asked for help from experienced gardeners, who agreed on one trick that helps them grow straight every time, and even look “pretty”.
They revealed that carrots don’t grow well if there is any type of obstacle in the soil. Once they hit rubble or encounter something that’s blocking their path, it can cause them to twist and go crooked.
To prevent this from happening, one gardener recommended loosening at least 12 inches of the soil, which can be done with a garden fork.
While you are lifting and turning over the soil, you should remove small rocks and sticks so that the carrots don’t hit anything as they are growing.
Responding to the twisted picture, one gardener wrote on Reddit: “Looks like they hit hard soil or rocks. Make sure to break up the ground at least 12 inches deep. The soil needs to be really loose. Remove all of the larger rocks you can.”
Another added: “Carrots don’t like any obstacles. We ran our soil through a sifter. Made loose light soil without rocks which makes really pretty carrots.”
The Royal Horticultural Society backed this up too, writing on its website that stoney, shallow or heavy clay soil can cause long-rooted carrots to become misshapen, although it said short-rooted types should fare better in these conditions.
It added: “Although just as delicious, wonky or forked carrots can be harder to clean or slice evenly. Long-rooted varieties are suitable for deep, sandy soil.”
