Adding sand to a raised bed?

We garden using raised beds. The soil is pretty rich and I've added a good amount of compost over the years to the established beds, with good results in tomatoes, squash, pole beans, annual flowers, etc.

Thus far in my gardening life I have never really grown carrots or onions. Tried carrots before, never had much luck. I've been told they prefer a sandier soil than we've got.

So after that long intro, here's my question: we've just added a couple of new raised beds. In thinking about next season, if I want to raise carrots and onions in them should I consider adding some sand to one of these beds? If so, how much? (Beds are 4' by 8'). And, further, if adding sand is a good idea is there any problem to devoting these beds to carrots and onions exclusively for the foreseeable future (i.e. not rotating, since I'll have a "sandy bed" all ready for them) or am I inviting carrot chomping pests and other diseases to make a permanent home?

I'd appreciate advice on this. You won't hurt my feelings by telling me it is a terrible idea. I'd prefer to know before I dump sand into rich soil. Thanks!

Carrots and onions like loose soil, But never known to prefer sand. If your goal is carrots and onions, then organic material like compost would be your best bet for a soil amendment. If your soil is already rich, then just make sure it is loosened to 10-12 inches deep before planting.

Thanks Farmerdill. I think the "sand advice" I got was from somebody trying to emphasize the loose soil as you did in your post, but it seemed a bit goofy to me. Several years of composting the original beds (after double digging them in the first place) has my soil very loose at least a foot or more down.

So what else should I keep in mind for carrots? I'm not sure why they didn't work out for me the first time I tried them (and then kind of got lost in the shuffle of limited space and many other "proven" vegetables in our garden like the tomatoes, squash, beans, and peppers). I'm ready to try them again. Is it a long germination time (and thus a need for patience in the initial stages)? This is what cilantro is like: plant it, put a stake marking the spot, water regularly, and eventually the green sprouts arrive but one must be patient. Same for carrots?
Thanks!

Carrots do take a few more days to come up usually than you would expect. This may be partly because if you plant them early in spring, it is cool at times. They need to be kept moist until germination.

As far as sand goes, I doubt that it would be so bad for carrots, but I would not use it for onions as they need a soil that doesn't dry out all season....they like it somewhat moist.

As far as diseases go, I would use the specially prepared soil as long as it does well. Carrot wevil is my main problem with carrots. Beneficial nematodes are supposed to help, but I still have some wevil chewing.

Don't have weevils, but do have voles which love carrots. Carrots are relatively slow growers at least at the beginning. Easy for them to be crowded out by more aggressive plants,

What interesting looking carrots!

Purple Haze

A name that has connotations (for me, at least) totally unrelated to gardening. ;-)

I hear ya, kurtwall! But ya gotta love the name, eh!? :>)

I agree, you don't need so much "sandy" soil as you do loose soil. And Bdale, a good supply of phosphorous and potassium should give you great results with both carrots and onions. (Easy on the nitrogen.) If you're using good compost you should have a decent supply of both.

For your beds you might wanna try seed tapes for your carrots, or perhaps sowing the seed and protecting them from drying out by covering with boards or the like untill you see germination.

Beautiful carrots, F-dill. Lookin' good!

Shoe.