Carrots were first grown in the foothills of Afghanistan. When carrots appeared in Europe around the 12th century, they tended to grow in bright colors like red, yellow, orange, purple, and white. Carrots come from the Umbelliferae (flowering plant) family, they have similarities with parsley, celery, radishes, and fennel. Carrot seeds are very easy to grow in the garden, planter box, or even in a large pot. If you prepare the soil properly before planting, your carrots will thrive in almost any climate. Follow the steps below to make carrots grow properly.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Choosing a Variety
Step 1. Choose a variety that has the right size and root shape for your soil
There are five main categories for carrots containing several subtypes.
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Chantenay.
Chantenay carrots grow 12-15 cm in the soil and can grow in almost any type of soil, but they do better in dense soil conditions.
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Ball type.
Also known as "Thumbelina," ball-type carrots are very similar to Chantenay, although they won't grow for very long.
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Danvers.
Danvers carrots are large and require compacted soil to thrive. However, there is no need to plant the seeds too deep.
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Nantes.
Native to France, Nantes carrots are cylindrical in shape with rounded ends and grow between 15 to 22 cm. Like Danvers, they thrive in fertile, shallow soil.
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Imperators.
This type is commonly found in grocery stores and markets. Carrot imperator has a characteristic that is long and there are small roots that hang to the end of the carrot. They pay close attention to the condition of their soil, so make sure the soil is deep, fertile, cool, and has good drainage before trying to grow this type.
Step 2. Choose your seed type
Good carrot seeds come from raw seeds that are coated with a layer of bentonite clay, or require a fungicide. Seeds that are covered with clay will be better at retaining moisture during germination than seeds that have no coating. If you want to make the germination process easier, choose seeds that have been coated with clay. Also, clay-coated seeds are easier to thrive on and so you can control their spacing better than non-clay-coated seeds. Proper spacing will prevent the plant from becoming weedy in the process of growing.
Method 2 of 4: Checking the Garden Area
Step 1. Choose an area with good sun coverage
Although carrots will grow well in a lot of sun, they also thrive in the shade because they are cool weather plants.
Step 2. Loosen the soil
The most important factor when carrots are starting to develop is ensuring that the soil can be loosened. Use a shovel to loosen the soil in your planting area thoroughly.
- Remove any rock or hard soil from the ground. Use a rake to remove any small stones. Then the soil will become smooth and look like clay.
- You may need to build a mound of earth to grow carrots. Because carrots need such dense soil conditions and it can help to increase the planting area rather than trying to adjust the existing soil conditions. Use cedar wood to build a mound of earth, because using cedar the soil will not crumble when wet.
Step 3. Check the pH of your soil
Carrots like slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.8 and 6.8. Your local agricultural extension office should have a soil test form, and instructions available.
Step 4. Fertilize the soil with manure, compost, or other organic fertilizer
Mix everything about four inches of organic fertilizer into your soil. This will help the seedlings germinate in the soil and support the production process.
Method 3 of 4: Growing Carrots
Step 1. Start sowing carrot seedlings three weeks before last spring
Then gradually sow another seed once every week for the next two to three weeks after initial planting.
- Carrots like a cool climate.
- Again, make sure your soil is very well plowed and loose before deciding to plant.
- Alternatively, learn to grow carrots in a pot. The process of growing carrots in pots is almost the same as growing carrots in the ground or in a plot of land. You just need to make sure that the pot is deep enough to hold the carrots and allow the roots to develop.
Step 2. Spread the seeds randomly or in a row
If planting in a row, allow the seedlings about ten centimeters apart in holes one to five centimeters deep. You can use your finger to drill a hole into the loose soil. Place about six seedlings in each hole.
Step 3. Bury the seedlings about 1.3 cm deep in fertile soil
You can use compost, planting soil mix, and even a small amount of sand, especially in warmer areas. The sand will help and support seedling growth.
Step 4. Check your seedlings
The seedlings will take about 1-3 weeks to grow depending on the soil temperature. The cooler the soil, the longer it will take the seedlings to germinate.
Step 5. Check the drains after planting carrots
Seedlings are light, brittle and easily wash off if you water too much or too hard.
Step 6. Clear the planting area with a rake
A week after the carrots are planted, you can gently clear the field to prevent weed growth. This step will be useful to prevent weeds from taking root. However, be careful when clearing the land and move the harrow perpendicular to the path of the plant. That way, the carrot seeds will not be damaged.
Method 4 of 4: Caring for Carrot Plants
Step 1. Keep the soil moist at all times
If you are in a hot climate, then you will have to water your carrot plants throughout the day. And be sure not to water fragile seedlings that can interfere with seedling growth if the water pressure is too strong. Use a watering can with a smooth spout, do not use a hard hose.
Step 2. Use mulch to grow seedlings
Add a few inches of mulch made from leaves, bark, or straw to the soil around the seedlings to retain moisture.
- Remove any weeds that develop on the mulch by hand. Do it slowly so as not to disturb the roots of the carrots.
- Be sure to cover any parts of the carrots that are starting to grow out of the soil with mulch. If the carrot crown is exposed to air, then if it is consumed it will taste bitter.
Step 3. Prune the carrots
When the carrot shoots reach five centimeters in height, prune the carrot plant to a length of 2 centimeters by pulling the small carrot plant from the soil.
- This will reduce congestion and allow the carrots to have enough room to grow and expand their roots.
- After two weeks and the carrot tops have grown a few centimeters in height, prune the plants back 7-10 cm apart. Be sure not to skip this step, the dense carrot spacing will not grow upright and not fully developed.
Step 4. Harvest your carrots
The bigger and longer they grow, the sweeter and fresher they will be. However, you can pick them and it is recommended to eat them as soon as they grow large enough to be consumed, which usually takes two to three months after harvest. You can tell if a carrot is ready to harvest when the crown is slightly off the ground and the carrot is about 1.9 cm in diameter.
- Pull the carrots from the base of the leaves to avoid damaging the roots. Take the base of the leaf and shake the carrot before pulling it out.
- Run water over the planting area before you pull the carrots to loosen the soil and make it easier to pull out the carrots without damaging the roots.
Suggestion
- Add some worms to the soil to keep it fertile.
- Always keep the carrot seeds wet.
- Monitor your carrots daily to make sure nothing is harming them.
Warning
- Don't let the carrot seeds dry out.
- Leaf rot is the most common disease in carrots. You can tell if a plant has leaf rot by white or yellow liquid spots that eventually turn brown.
- Watch out for birds that can eat your carrot seeds.
- Deer and rabbits are also worth your attention.
