Since some carrots will grow faster than others, you will naturally be harvesting them gradually. You will benefit from a more even and relatively fast germination.įor a continuous supply of fresh carrots you can sow new carrot seeds each 2-3 weeks. In early spring, it is better to wait until the soil temperature has reached at least 50☏ (10☌). Under the right conditions the seeds should germinate within 7-10 days. The ideal soil temperature for germination is between 70-80☏ (21-26.6☌). You can start planting your carrot seeds as soon as the soil is workable, preferably around 3-5 weeks before the last frost date in spring.Īlthough carrot seeds need an average of around 14-21 days to germinate under normal conditions, they can take as long as 20-35 days if the soil is not warm enough.Ĭarrot seeds will start germinating in a soil as cold as 40☏ (4.4☌), but they will do so very slowly. Use a hand trowel to cover the top part of the root (shoulders) with soil so they don’t turn green and become bitter. At latest, you should transplant when the first true leaf appears.īe sure to handle them gently and carefully plug them out of the tray, keeping the soil packed together as you transplant so you don’t damage the root.Īfter transplanting your seedlings into the garden bed, apply a 2” (5cm) thick layer of mulch next to them to keep the soil temperature cooler and stable, and conserve moisture. This is a good moment to transplant your carrot seedlings. Once the cotyledons (the seed leaves) appear, the taproot will already be 1-2” (2.5-5cm) long. The containers should be at least 2” (5cm) deep or more with a substrate free from pebbles or any dense particles. Just be sure to avoid damaging the delicate taproot when transplanting your seedlings, as you might otherwise end up with odd shaped roots. If you prefer to start your carrot seeds indoors, you can successfully do so using seed trays or starter pots. Covering them with compost will avoid the soil from forming a hard crust and will enhance germination. It’s important to cover carrot seeds after planting them, either by adding a thin layer of soil or fine compost on top of the seeds, or lightly raking them into the soil. Seeds will rapidly lose their germination power after the second year, so it is better to sow a little bit more of them if you are not sure about how old they are and how well they will germinate. We recommend sowing 2-3 carrot seeds per hole, however, if the seeds are 1-2 years old, you might want to sprinkle 30-40 seeds per foot (30 cm) and thin them out later. Make a shallow trench or holes of about ¼-½” (0.6-1.2cm) depth to sow the seeds into, then cover them with fine soil or compost and keep the top layer of the soil moist during the first 2-3 weeks for better results. Round and cone shaped roots will grow normally in almost any soil and in containers, while long tapered root varieties will need a soil with a “softer” and well drained structure.Ĭarrot seeds are really small, so it is important not to plant them too deep. In heavy soils it is recommended to mix aged compost into the soil to improve drainage and help it stay loose. Break up any hard lumps of soil, and remove any stones or sticks so the carrots can grow straight. Most varieties are ready to be harvested after 70-90 days, but you can also harvest smaller sized roots for baby carrots after 30-40 days once they have reached a diameter of about ½” (2.5 cm).īefore placing the seeds in the soil, loosen it with a hand trowel to a depth of 8-12” (20-30 cm) or deeper for longer varieties. Growing a carrot into a mature size can take 2-4 months from seed to harvest. To avoid your carrots’ growth from being stunted or crooked, make sure that you remove any large rocks from your soil first. Simply sow 2-3 carrot seeds straight into a well prepared soil that has previously been enriched with compost and start growing your own carrot plants. If you follow a few guidelines, carrots are an easy crop to grow. The good news is that you can also eat the green leaves, using them as you would normally use parsley. In other words, you will need 1 plant for each carrot you want to harvest. If it’s your first time growing carrots it might sound surprising that a carrot seed will produce only a single root.
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