Perfect Carrot Thinning Weather

We have just returned home from our honeymoon in India!  while we were away it was stonkingly hot, and dry and there were all sorts of water related issues at this house.

But, we must have brought cooler India Winter with us, because it has been mild and not at all stifling.  Then, yesterday, RAIN.  Buckets, bathtubs and oceans of rain poured out of the sky and all over our grass, lawn, vege garden and animals.  In fact, there was no dearth of water, it was swimmingly soggy everywhere.  Perfect for carrot thinning...I thought today when the sun came out.  The soil was warm, damp and the seedlings came out easily.

Carrots don't like being moved.  As you eat the root, it has to be sown into rows where it will mature.  So the usual method is to sprinkle the seed in straight drills.  When the  carrots have reached a decent height you thin them out.  I usually try to aim for about 1 carrot per inch or so.  Then later in the year I will thin again if necessary, though in the meantime I do start thinning carrots for putting in the pot.

Thinning is a painstakingly slow task, but very necessary.  If you don't thin, the carrots won't have enough room in the soil each to make a good sized root.

Here's what I thinned out today, and we will eat them quickly heated in butter for tea.  My sister calls these "micro vegetables", but I just think they are baby carrots!