Carrots Plump and oozing with vitamin A, a cup of sliced carrots contains only 52 calories. The tops are edible, too. Ask any rabbit. W 12 • Foodie 2012


hat is more fun or easier to grow than carrots? This root vegetable, Daucus carota, has been


in vogue in Western culture since Roman times, when it was white rather than orange. But Western cultures have no lock on car- rots, which are one of the most important food crops grown in the many countries of southeast Asia, including the Philippines and China which is the world’s top producer of carrots. In fact, they originated in central Asia, probably Afghanistan, where they are also an important crop. Carrots are undemanding, asking only for


some well-drained, sandy soil with no ob- stacle in the way of their taproots. They can easily be grown in containers deep enough


for their roots and they like the cool temper- atures of late spring and early fall. And best of all, they don’t have to be planted in regi- mented rows; they will grow perfectly well among the flowers in your cultivated garden and lend it interest with their ferny leaves. If your garden has light, peaty soil, all the


better for carrots. They like a pH level of about 6.5 to 7.5, which is fairly neutral, and will thrive if they get the odd dose of potas- sium.


Plant carrot seeds about two cm deep and


cover with a half cm of soil. Soil tempera- tures of 18 to 24 C (65 to 75 F) are best for germination. They take 14 to 21 days to germinate so don’t despair if you don’t see immediate results. Some people advise plant- ing fast germinating radish between carrots to help you remember where they are.


Harvest as you go along, using the small


immature carrots as a treat and thinning out the seedlings to allow room to let the remainder of the carrots get larger. By the way, the greens are also edible, although somewhat bitter. They are filled with vita- min K, potassium and chlorophyll. Indeed, certain members of the carrot family, such as parsley, cilantro, fennel, dill and cumin are grown for either their leaves or their seeds. Celery is also a member of the fam- ily.


Carrots have been used medicinally to


treat digestive problems, constipation, ton- sillitis and intestinal parasites. Nutritional values


One cup of raw carrots contains about 52 calories. They are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and contain calcium and iron. `


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