Carrot - Black Nebula (F1 Hybrid)
There’s a dark side to everything – including the humble carrot! The darkest carrot to be found, ‘Black Nebula’ produces long, tapering roots about 15-25cm, that come in a striking black-purple shade, the colour penetrating the core and retained on cooking. The crunchy flesh has a good earthy flavour and its extraordinary colour demonstrates that this variety has a high concentration of health-promoting anthocyanins. They make a colourful addition to the plate, whether steamed or raw in salads. Alternatively, why not juice them to make a highly nutritious, dark purple smoothie?
Height: 30cm (12in). Spread: 15cm (6in).
There’s a dark side to everything – including the humble carrot! The darkest carrot to be found, ‘Black Nebula’ produces long, tapering roots about 15-25cm, that come in a striking black-purple shade, the colour penetrating the core and retained on cooking. The crunchy flesh has a good earthy flavour and its extraordinary colour demonstrates that this variety has a high concentration of health-promoting anthocyanins. They make a colourful addition to the plate, whether steamed or raw in salads. Alternatively, why not juice them to make a highly nutritious, dark purple smoothie?
Height: 30cm (12in). Spread: 15cm (6in).
There’s a dark side to everything – including the humble carrot! The darkest carrot to be found, ‘Black Nebula’ produces long, tapering roots about 15-25cm, that come in a striking black-purple shade, the colour penetrating the core and retained on cooking. The crunchy flesh has a good earthy flavour and its extraordinary colour demonstrates that this variety has a high concentration of health-promoting anthocyanins. They make a colourful addition to the plate, whether steamed or raw in salads. Alternatively, why not juice them to make a highly nutritious, dark purple smoothie?
Height: 30cm (12in). Spread: 15cm (6in).
Sow carrot seeds thinly at a depth of 1cm (½in) in drills 30cm (12") apart. Germination will take 10 to 20 days. When large enough to handle, thin out the seedlings within each row to 5cm (2") apart. Where space is limited, growing carrots in containers will also produce a worthwhile crop. Carrots dislike freshly manured soils so seed beds are best prepared in autumn, well in advance of spring sowings.
Water well to encourage germination. Once germinated, carrots should be watered only when necessary to keep the soil moist as excessive water may encourage leaf growth instead of roots. During growth, the carrot roots may be earthed up to prevent green crowns developing.
Cover later carrot sowings with fleece or fine netting, and remove all thinnings from the site to minimise carrot fly infestation. Early varieties may be lifted when required from 9 weeks onwards, while maincrops can be harvested from 12 weeks after their sowing date. Pull a single carrot first to assess the size of the roots. If the soil is dry, lifting carrots can be made easier by watering beforehand. Roots can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 4 months.
