I did find the carrot and other seed at Urban Harvest; still quite an inventory left. The beets planted were Chiogga, a beet most would not recognize as a beet. It is yellow with concentric red bands when sliced. It is supersweet compared to the traditional red beets like Detroit Dark Red. Beets are interesting in that each seed is really a number of seed. Thus you might get 5 or 6 plants from seed. Young beet plants are rather spindly and do not transplant very well. As a result I usually just thin them.
Carrots are planted by broadcasting and then covering lightly with sifted compost or potting soil. I also planted some kohlrabi the same way. I do not normally raise it, but each year I plant something different. This year it was kohlrabi. We usually eat it raw or put it in salads something like jicama. If you stopped 10 people on the streets of Houston I doubt that more than one would have ever heard of kohlrabi. The one that would know likely would be of local Czech ancestry. It was a favorite vegetable of the Czechs I grew up with in central Texas. I planted Kinbi and Touchon carrorts. Kinbi are a pale yellow and quite sweet. Touchon are more traditional looking carrots and a type of the well known Nantes carrot.
When I returned in early October I planted Derby green beans and turnips. Both came up well and are growing. Early October is really too late for beans, but I got a mess or two last year with the late planting. This year I planted them in a location that will get more sun in November. We will see.
I also planted seed of mustard greens, broccoli, bok choi, fennel and lettuce in a planter box under a grow light. (See Main Menu for information on this very good method) Those seed came up well also, but I had to delay transplanting them until the temperature got below 90, a longer wait each year it seems. The cold front this week gave me the opportunity to set them outside. The bright sunlight has been a bit hard on them, but I have watered them each day and I think they will catch on ok.
Next up will be carrots and beets. The weather should be fine for planting them now. I just need to get some carrot seed. I will plant Kinbi and Touchon if I can find the seed. Urban Harvest is stopping their seed selling program because of the time intensity of the effort; however, they probably still have some left. Also will plant some mache’ and some lettuce by direct sowing.
Time also to order my Contessa onions from Dixondale. The last time I checked they showed out of stock, but probably the plants just are not ready yet.