Daucus carota 'Purple Dragon'

The 'Purple Dragon' Carrot, developed by Dr. John Navazio, is an heirloom variety that has a lycopene (antioxidant) content similar to that of a tomato. Its deep red skin and yellow-orange flesh add colour to dishes and plates. When cooked, its sweet and spicy flavours enhance creamy purees or delicious stews. Its root is conical and stout, with a medium length of 18 to 22cm (7 to 9in), tapering at the tip. Productive, it thrives in heavy and clayey soil. Sow it in place from late February, in a protected location, until July depending on the region. Harvest from mid-May to November, depending on the sowing period.

The Carrot is a biennial herbaceous plant cultivated as an annual. It belongs to the Apiaceae family (formerly Umbelliferae). This vegetable with highly divided aromatic leaves is grown for its fleshy roots. Depending on the variety, they can be long, medium-long, or sometimes round. Carrots are usually orange in colour, but can also be yellow, white, or purple. They are rich in carotene and can be consumed both raw and cooked. Their tops are also delicious in soups.

In the vegetable garden, sow it in a sunny or semi-shaded spot. Carrots are not very demanding when it comes to soil type. However, the best roots will be harvested from a rich, light, sandy soil. It is important to prepare the soil by deep digging (30cm (12in)) in autumn, incorporating 2 to 3kg of well-decomposed manure or compost. Remove all stones during this process.

Harvest: During the season, harvest carrots as needed. To extract the roots from the soil, use a garden fork, being careful not to damage the root. Injuries to the roots can lead to rot during storage.
Yields can vary depending on the type of cultivation and carrot variety. As an indication, plan for between 1 and 1.5kg/m² for an early crop, around 3kg/m² for a mid-season crop of half-long carrots, and up to 5kg for a late crop of long carrots.

Storage: Carrots can be stored in the ground at the cultivation site, but this ties up space in the vegetable garden. In winter, the roots should be protected from frost with a thick layer of dead leaves. Storage in a root cellar is an excellent long-term solution. In a frost-free and well-ventilated location, cut the foliage at the collar and place the roots next to each other on a bed of moist sand. Cover them with a 2cm (1in) layer of sand and add the next row.

Gardener's tip: Carrot germination is often slow, and weeds grow faster... Here are two tips to limit weed growth:

- Practice a false sowing: about 2 to 3 weeks before sowing, prepare the soil finely. Wait for the weed seeds in the soil to start germinating. As soon as they appear, rake the surface crosswise to eliminate these seedlings. You can then begin sowing.

- Sow radishes and carrots on the same row and at the same time. Radishes germinate quickly and will mark the row without delay. Once harvested, the radishes will make way for the carrots to grow.