I adore growing my own produce, but when it comes time to harvest my root vegetables, I always worry I'll snap them by accident. I usually hand the job over to my partner, but after trying gardening influencer Nicole Burke's post about the viral "push-pull" carrot harvesting method, I now have much more confidence when harvesting my crop.
In a simple video posted to Instagram, Nicole showed viewers a close-up of her carrot bed where she tested out the technique. It appeared to work wonders, and she continued to gush about the technique's success in her post's caption.
"Tried the push-pull method on my carrots and… it actually worked.
"No broken tops, no digging around. Just a clean pull and a handful of perfect little roots."
If you're growing carrots and hope to try the method out for yourself, you've come to the right place. I asked a master gardener to break down the push-pull method and explain exactly why it works. But be warned, there's one soil type that this method isn't suitable for!
How the Push-Pull Technique Works
The push-pull technique of carrot harvesting is simple: instead of immediately trying to pull a carrot from the ground, you first gently push it down further into the soil.
Cassie Johnston, master gardener and owner of Growfully, explains what pushing down the carrot does and how it makes harvesting easier.
"The back-and-forth action of first pushing the carrot down, then pulling it up out of the soil, separates all the hundreds of mini side roots around the carrot while creating space in the soil around the carrot. This allows it to be easily pulled out of the ground with far less chance of snapping."
Where the Push-Pull Method Works (and Where It Fails)
Cassie found that the push-pull method isn't compatible with all soil types, and attempting to push your carrots into denser soils can actually encourage snapping even more than pulling already does.
"In practice, I've found this to be a great method in loamy, soft, or sandy soil; but in compacted or clay soil, I've found that the push-pull method can sometimes not work since there is no give in the soil, which can result in broken carrots," says Cassie. "This is especially true when harvesting baby carrots or thinner varieties.
"With those kinds of tough soils, I prefer to loosen the soil around the carrot with a hand cultivator and then gently wiggle the carrot back and forth to release it.
"It takes a little bit of extra time, but I figure I've already waited months for my carrots to ripen, what's a few extra minutes of work!" This Tempered Steel Hand Cultivator from Amazon is super affordable.
Carrot Harvesting Essentials
These stylish gloves are made from microfiber leather which is durable as well as breathable.
A basket like this is perfect for harvesting carrots as it's long and spacious, and has gaps for excess soil to fall through.
Harvesting produce takes time, so it's best to protect your knees. This kneeling pad is thick, waterproof, and rip-resistant.
