Carrots

Semsem · 02-23-2012, 10:35 AM

I have read conflicting statements online. Some people saying carrots have perfect flowers and will self-pollinate, others saying that carrots are self-sterile. Which is true?

josephsgarden · 08-12-2012, 06:35 PM

Hybrid carrots are male sterile. So unless there is a nearby pollen donor of a different variety, they will not get pollinated.

Open pollinated carrots will pollinate themselves.

smwlindy · 08-14-2012, 07:18 AM

I've read that non-hybrid carrots readily pollinate themselves. I have also read that if there is wild carrot (Queen Ann's Lace) growing anywhere nearby that our lovely cultivars will readily cross with them. Perhaps someone can either verify or dispute this...but IF that occurs the resulting carrot seeds would not be what we were hoping for.

josephsgarden · 08-20-2012, 08:55 AM

Mathematically pollination is quadratic in nature. What this means in the real world, is that a plant is much much more likely to be pollinated by it's closest neighbor than it is by plants that are further away. To put rough estimates on it. If there is a 1:1 chance of being pollinated by a plant growing 1 foot away, then there is only a 1:100 chance of being pollinated by a plant growing 10 feet away, and a 1:10,000 chance of being pollinated by a plant growing 100 feet away.

In practical terms: As long as you do perfect weeding for QAL within your carrot patch and the immediately surrounding area you will grow perfectly acceptable carrot seed for home use and to share with friends and family. [As long as you don't try to grow seed from (pollenless) hybrid carrots.]

Also, if you plant your carrots for seed in a block rather than in a row, you will tend to concentrate the carrot pollen within the patch and minimize the effects of outside pollen.

I sort my carrots every year as I'm deciding which ones to use for seed production. If a root doesn't conform to my specifications for what is a good carrot, then it doesn't get planted for seed. So even if some QAL pollen did get into my patch, it would be continually eliminated.

billsgarden · 09-18-2012, 08:38 PM

I often get carrots that go to seed the first year, never making a good root. If I used this seed, would I likely just get more inedible carrots from it, or would most be true to the original type?

josephsgarden · 09-23-2012, 11:26 PM

If you select for carrots that bolt the first year, your population will tend to shift towards carrots that bolt the first year.

02-23-2012, 10:35 AM	#1
Semsem Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Thumb, Michigan Posts: 2	Carrots I have read conflicting statements online. Some people saying carrots have perfect flowers and will self-pollinate, others saying that carrots are self-sterile. Which is true?

08-20-2012, 08:55 AM	#4
josephsgarden Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Cache Valley, Utah Posts: 20	Mathematically pollination is quadratic in nature. What this means in the real world, is that a plant is much much more likely to be pollinated by it's closest neighbor than it is by plants that are further away. To put rough estimates on it. If there is a 1:1 chance of being pollinated by a plant growing 1 foot away, then there is only a 1:100 chance of being pollinated by a plant growing 10 feet away, and a 1:10,000 chance of being pollinated by a plant growing 100 feet away. In practical terms: As long as you do perfect weeding for QAL within your carrot patch and the immediately surrounding area you will grow perfectly acceptable carrot seed for home use and to share with friends and family. [As long as you don't try to grow seed from (pollenless) hybrid carrots.] Also, if you plant your carrots for seed in a block rather than in a row, you will tend to concentrate the carrot pollen within the patch and minimize the effects of outside pollen. I sort my carrots every year as I'm deciding which ones to use for seed production. If a root doesn't conform to my specifications for what is a good carrot, then it doesn't get planted for seed. So even if some QAL pollen did get into my patch, it would be continually eliminated. __________________ Silt/clay, high-altitude, super-arid, sun-drenched, irrigated desert garden. 4 acres. ~100 frost free days. Breeding locally adapted landraces.

09-23-2012, 11:26 PM	#6
josephsgarden Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Cache Valley, Utah Posts: 20	If you select for carrots that bolt the first year, your population will tend to shift towards carrots that bolt the first year. __________________ Silt/clay, high-altitude, super-arid, sun-drenched, irrigated desert garden. 4 acres. ~100 frost free days. Breeding locally adapted landraces.

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08-12-2012, 06:35 PM	#2
josephsgarden Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Cache Valley, Utah Posts: 20	Hybrid carrots are male sterile. So unless there is a nearby pollen donor of a different variety, they will not get pollinated. Open pollinated carrots will pollinate themselves.

08-14-2012, 07:18 AM	#3
smwlindy Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: St. Paul MN Posts: 395	I've read that non-hybrid carrots readily pollinate themselves. I have also read that if there is wild carrot (Queen Ann's Lace) growing anywhere nearby that our lovely cultivars will readily cross with them. Perhaps someone can either verify or dispute this...but IF that occurs the resulting carrot seeds would not be what we were hoping for.

09-18-2012, 08:38 PM	#5
billsgarden Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Billings, MT Posts: 1	I often get carrots that go to seed the first year, never making a good root. If I used this seed, would I likely just get more inedible carrots from it, or would most be true to the original type?