A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Carrot's

This is my first year of growing vegs, so just wanted to check something with my carrot plants. One of them looks as though it's about to flower? It has sent a long stem up from the base, and it appears to have what looks like a flower developing. It could just be leaves, but I'm not seeing the same on any of the other plants nearby.

So, do they flower, and if it is, what can be done? Is it bad?

It's not bad but if it's flowering, (yes they will flower) then it probably isn't going to be much of a root. So not much carrot to eat from that one. Let it go to seed and keep some seeds or pull it out. Up to you.

I've just ran a Google for "Carrot flowers" and see that the flower isn't ugly. Might keep it for it's ornamental. It might be due to being in the shallowest part of the vegetable 'plot' (on a slope in my border), so might just be too bad conditions for it to consider growing?

Hey dan,
I've found that adding a bunch of sand (1/4 sand to 3/4 soil) helps the carrots to push down better. It worked well in my heavy clay soil. Good luck dude!