Vivian Gallagher
1. Water plants often. Carrots need to stay well watered, especially when they’re newly planted seeds. In fact, the first few weeks before the seeds have sprouted is a critical time when they need to be kept moist. After they’ve sprouted, they’ll need about one inch of water a week. If you’re not getting enough rainfall, make sure to go out and water them yourself to ensure that you’ll grow healthy carrots.
2. Loosen the soil. Carrots are root vegetables. How they grow depends a lot on what’s in the soil below the green part of the plant. If their soil is compacted or rocky, they may grow short or split in two. To prevent this, make sure the soil you plant your carrots in is loose and drains well.
3. Sow lightly and provide space. With many plants, you plant a seed exactly where you want a plant to grow. Because of carrots’ speck-sized seeds and the possibility of some seeds not germinating, that’s not really the best idea. Instead, you’ll have to sprinkle the seeds in the rows that you want them in and plant to thin some away later. Don’t pour a whole bunch of seeds in one spot. Doing so will just make your thinning take longer. Sow the seeds about 1/2 inch deep with at least 1 foot between rows.
4. Thin your carrots. It may feel wrong getting rid of something you worked hard to grow, but if you hope to grow great carrots you’ll have to thin them. Otherwise, the carrots will become crowded and likely won’t grow as large as they could have. Some may even grow together! While these may create funny shapes, it’s ideal for each carrot to develop on its own. This helps them grow large and delicious! Thinning carrots is easy. All you have to do is go through your carrots when they’re about 4 inches tall and get rid of any that are too close to the others, or that appear scrawny. In the end, your carrots should be about 1 inch apart. In another month, thin them again, this time so that they wind up with 1 1/2 to 2 inches between each other. If you want, you can transplant thinned carrots to a different part of your garden.
5. Keep your carrots covered. If you happen to dislodge dirt from the carrot’s roots during watering or weeding, make sure to put it back. If the root of a carrot is exposed to the sun for too long, the carrot will become discolored. Always be careful to keep your carrot roots covered.
6. Fertilize your plants. About a month and a half to two months after you planted your carrot seeds you should fertilize. Carrots like phosphate based fertilizers like 4-5- 4 or 6-6- 6. You may also want to try using a fish or seaweed emulsion liquid fertilizer. You can apply liquid fertilizers a few times during your carrots’ growing season to help you grow great carrots with wonderful flavor!
2. Loosen the soil. Carrots are root vegetables. How they grow depends a lot on what’s in the soil below the green part of the plant. If their soil is compacted or rocky, they may grow short or split in two. To prevent this, make sure the soil you plant your carrots in is loose and drains well.
3. Sow lightly and provide space. With many plants, you plant a seed exactly where you want a plant to grow. Because of carrots’ speck-sized seeds and the possibility of some seeds not germinating, that’s not really the best idea. Instead, you’ll have to sprinkle the seeds in the rows that you want them in and plant to thin some away later. Don’t pour a whole bunch of seeds in one spot. Doing so will just make your thinning take longer. Sow the seeds about 1/2 inch deep with at least 1 foot between rows.
4. Thin your carrots. It may feel wrong getting rid of something you worked hard to grow, but if you hope to grow great carrots you’ll have to thin them. Otherwise, the carrots will become crowded and likely won’t grow as large as they could have. Some may even grow together! While these may create funny shapes, it’s ideal for each carrot to develop on its own. This helps them grow large and delicious! Thinning carrots is easy. All you have to do is go through your carrots when they’re about 4 inches tall and get rid of any that are too close to the others, or that appear scrawny. In the end, your carrots should be about 1 inch apart. In another month, thin them again, this time so that they wind up with 1 1/2 to 2 inches between each other. If you want, you can transplant thinned carrots to a different part of your garden.
5. Keep your carrots covered. If you happen to dislodge dirt from the carrot’s roots during watering or weeding, make sure to put it back. If the root of a carrot is exposed to the sun for too long, the carrot will become discolored. Always be careful to keep your carrot roots covered.
6. Fertilize your plants. About a month and a half to two months after you planted your carrot seeds you should fertilize. Carrots like phosphate based fertilizers like 4-5- 4 or 6-6- 6. You may also want to try using a fish or seaweed emulsion liquid fertilizer. You can apply liquid fertilizers a few times during your carrots’ growing season to help you grow great carrots with wonderful flavor!
