Carrot Atomic Red has a rather clever trick up its sleeve. Pull up the long, tapered roots and they're a striking pinky-red, but cook them and the colour deepens to a much richer red. The flavour is good too, but let's be fair, it's that colour you're growing this one for!
Sow: From March to July. For an earlier start, warm the soil with cloches before sowing. Early sowings before mid-March or later sowings from July can help avoid the worst of carrot fly. Dig the soil thoroughly first and sow sparingly to avoid the need for too much thinning.
Grow: keep moist and weed free as carrots don't like competition. Atomic Red is quick to mature, with roots ready to harvest around 10–12 weeks from sowing.
Enjoy: this is where the fun starts because cooking brings out that deeper red colour. Steam, bake or roast the roots, add them to a stew or make a wonderfully colourful soup. And if you're planning soup, don't forget to grow some coriander to go with them.
💡 Did you know?
Atomic Red contains lycopene, the pigment associated with its red colouring. Cooking makes the lycopene more available for your body to absorb.
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