How to Grow Carrots From Seed

 

According to most garden lovers, Carrots are one of the easiest and most rewarding vegetables to grow at home. Carrots are actually sweet, crunchy, nutritious, and they can easily grow successfully in the gardens, raised beds, or even deep containers. Patience is the key if you want to grow carrots from seed because carrot seeds germinate slowly, however with the right preparation and care, you can harvest healthy roots full of flavor.

Choosing the Right Carrot Variety To Grow

Before you start planting you need to choose a carrot variety that suits your climate and soil type. There are some carrots that grow short and thick, while others also grow long and slender.

The popular types are:

·  The Nantes carrots: The Nantes carrots are sweet, tender, and great for beginners

·  The Danvers carrots:  The Danvers carrots are good for heavier soils

·  The Imperator carrots: The Imperator carrots are long carrots commonly sold in supermarkets

·  The Chantenay  carrots: The Chantenay  carrots are short and thick, ideal for rocky or shallow soil

·  The Baby carrots: The Baby carrots are small and quick to mature

If your soil is not very deep or it contains a lot of stones you can grow shorter carrot varieties, they usually perform better.

The Best Time to Plant Carrots

Carrots actually grow best in cool weather condition. Carrots also prefer temperatures that are between 15°C and 24°C.

In lots of regions carrots are actually planted:

·  In early spring to be harvested in summer

·  In late summer or early autumn for a cooler-season harvest

Make sure you avoid planting the carrots during extremely hot weather because high temperatures can easily reduce germination and can also cause poor root development.

Also read: How to Grow Pumpkins From Seeds

Choosing the Carrots Planting Location

Carrots require:

·  A full sunlight (at least six hours daily)

·  A loose, well-drained soil

·  A soil that is actually free from stones and hard clumps

Avoid hard or rocky soil, this can really cause the carrots to become twisted, forked, or stunted.

Raised beds are the best for planting carrots because they provide deep, loose soil that allows the plant roots to grow straight.

Preparing the Soil For Planting

The truth is that proper soil preparation is the secret to growing beautiful and healthy carrots.

Steps to prepare the soil for planting:

1.    You need to loosen the soil deeply to about thirty centimeter.

2.    Then remove rocks, sticks, and debris.

3.    Then mix in compost or good well-rotted organic matter.

4.    Try and avoid fresh manure because it can easily cause forked roots.

5.    Make sure the soil drains well.

Carrot plants actually prefer slightly sandy soil with a pH that is between 6.0 and 7.0.

You need to rake the soil surface until it becomes fine and smooth before sowing the carrot seeds.

Planting The Carrot Seeds

The carrot seeds are tiny, so you need to sow them carefully.

How to plant the seeds:

1.    Just make shallow rows of about one centimeter deep.

2.    Space the rows twenty to thirty centimeter apart.

3.    Then sprinkle the carrot seeds thinly along the row.

4.    Then cover lightly with fine soil.

5.    Make sure you water gently.

Don’t bury the carrot seeds too deeply because the carrot seeds really need light soil to germinate properly.

Watering the Seeds After Planting

Consistent moisture is very vital during the seeds germination.

The carrot seeds may take about:

·  One to three weeks to sprout

During this period:

·  Make sure you keep the soil slightly moist

·  Make sure you don’t allow the soil to dry out

·  Also try and avoid overwatering

Using a good watering can with a fine spray will really helps prevent washing away the tiny carrot seeds.

There are some gardeners that place burlap or light cardboard over the soil until the carrot seed germination begins to help conserve moisture.

Thinning The Carrot Seedlings

Once the carrot seedlings reach a few centimeters tall, thinning is needed.

If the carrots grow too close together the roots will become small and crowded.

How to start thinning:

·  Just remove the weaker carrot seedlings

·  Then leave about five to eight centimeter between plants

Make sure you thin carefully to avoid disturbing the nearby roots.

Although thinning the carrot plants may feel wasteful, but it actually helps the remaining carrots grow larger and healthier.

Mulching Carrots

Mulch actually helps:

·  To retain soil moisture

·  To reduce weeds around the plant

·  To Keep the soil cool

You can also apply a thin layer of straw, grass clippings, or dry leaves around the carrot plants after the seedlings become established.

Make sure you avoid piling mulch directly against the carrot tops.

Watering Growing Carrot Plants

The carrot plants really need regular watering to develop smooth roots.

The watering tips:

·  You need to water deeply once or twice weekly

·  You need to keep the soil evenly moist

·  Avoid letting the soil become extremely dry

Irregular watering can easily cause:

·  Cracked carrots

·  A tough texture

·  A bitter flavor

Deep watering encourages the carrot plant roots to grow downward.

Fertilizing the Carrots

Carrots don’t actually require heavy feeding.

Too much nitrogen fertilizer on the carrot plant can produce:

·  Excess leafy growth

·  Small roots

You can use a balanced compost or low-nitrogen fertilizer if needed.

Make sure you avoid overfeeding the plant because carrot plants grow best in moderately fertile soil.

Weed Control in Carrot

The young carrot plant seedlings actually grow slowly and they can struggle against weeds.

You need to remove the weeds carefully by hand to avoid disturbing the carrot roots.

Weeding regularly actually helps to prevents competition for:

·  Water

·  Sunlight

·  Nutrients

Mulching the carrot plants also helps reduce weed growth.

Also read: How to Grow Cabbage From Seed

The Common Problems When Growing Carrots

1. Poor Germination

The causes:

·  When the soil is dry

·  Planting the carrot seeds too deeply

·  Old carrot seeds

Solution:

·  You need to keep the soil moist

·  Sow the carrot seeds shallowly

·  Make sure you use fresh seeds

2. Forked or Twisted Carrots

The causes:

·  When the soil is rocky

·  Using fresh manure

·  When the soil is compacted

The Solution:

·  You need to loosen the soil deeply

·  You need to remove stones

·  You can use compost instead of fresh manure

3. Small Carrots

The Causes:

·  When the plant is overcrowding

·  When the soil is poor

·  When the carrot plants lack water

The solution:

·  You need to thin the seedlings properly

·  You need to improve the soil quality

·  Water the plant consistently

4. Cracked Plant Roots

The causes:

·  Irregular watering of the plant

·  Sudden heavy rain on the plants after dry periods

The solution:

·  You need to maintain steady soil moisture

Pests and Diseases on Carrots

Carrot plants can also suffer from pests and diseases.

The common pests on carrot:

·  Carrot rust flies

·  Nematodes

·  Aphids

The prevention methods to apply:

·  You need to rotate crops yearly

·  You can use garden netting

·  Make sure you keep the garden clean

·  Make sure you avoid overcrowding

The common diseases on carrot:

·  Root rot

·  Leaf blight

Actually a good airflow and proper watering of the carrot plants can help to prevent this disease problem.