Carrots – How to Plant, Grow, and When to Harvest
How to Successfully Grow Carrots in The Spring and Fall
“Knowledge is like the carrot, few know by looking at the green top that the best part, the orange part, is there. Like the carrot, if you don’t work for it, it will wither away and rot.”
Nasreddin
Carrots – How to Plant, Grow, and When to Harvest. Carrots are a great source of beta carotene, fiber, Vitamin C and K1, potassium, and antioxidants. Don’t stop there as these tasty and crunchy vegetables also pack a real punch when it comes to your health. They help to maintain healthy cholesterol, boost your immunity, are essential for eye health, are good for your heart, are weight loss friendly, and can help with constipation issues.
All of which are great reasons to grow these little gems in your garden. Plus they’re super easy to grow, even for a beginner gardener. So if you’re wondering how to grow carrots … then keep reading.
CARROTS – HOW TO PLANT, GROW, AND WHEN TO HARVEST
These little gems love the cool weather and grow best in early spring and late fall when the days hit 75 degrees and drop to 55 degrees at night.
They need space to grow, vertically and horizontally, so a good tilled bed is a must. Keep their roots cool with mulch along with a weed-free bed, and they will reward you with a great carrot crop.
WHERE TO PLANT CARROTS AND SOIL PREPARATION
Choose a spot in your garden that receives full sun. Prepare the soil so that it’s free of rocks and stones, making it soft and loose so the carrot roots can easily push down through the soil. They need room to grow vertically so it’s important to till down at least 12″.
Now is the time to enrich the soil by mixing in one cup of 10-20-10 fertilizer for every 10 feet of row. You can also add some old coffee grounds to the soil as well.
WHEN TO PLANT CARROTS
Early spring – for a summer harvest, start sowing the carrot seeds 3-5 weeks before the last spring frost date
Late summer – for a fall harvest, start sowing the carrot seeds 10 weeks before your first fall frost.
Sow the seeds ¼ inch to ½ inch deep, 2 to 3 inches apart, in rows 1 to 2 feet apart. Cover them with a thin layer of vermiculite or fine compost to help keep the soil moist, and give them a sprinkle of water for germination (which may take 2-3 weeks). When they reach a height of 4″, thin them to 2″ apart. Thinning should be done with scissors as to not destroy any of the roots for the carrots you are keeping – so just snip the tops instead of pulling them.
CARING FOR CARROTS
Keep the weeds out of their beds as weeds will take the nutrients away from the carrots. Gently pull them and lay a fine layer of mulch around the carrots to retain moisture.
Give them 1″ of water per week in their beginning stages, then 2″ of water as their roots mature. After 6 weeks, fertilize with a low-nitrogen and high potassium and phosphate fertilizer.
CARROT COMPANION PLANTING
Carrots grow well with beans, Brassicas, chives, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, pole beans, radish, rosemary, sage, and tomatoes.
Avoid planting carrots with dill, parsnips, and potatoes.
WHEN AND HOW TO HARVEST CARROTS
Carrots don’t take long to grow, so you can start harvesting carrots once they become the size of your finger. Check the size by removing some dirt from the top, looking at the size of the root (they should be as wide as your thumb), and then gently lifting the carrot out from the soil.
For summer crops – harvest the carrots before the outside temps get too hot as the heat will cause fibrous roots.
For fall crops – if you have an early frost, don’t worry. You can always keep the carrots in the ground after the first frost by covering the carrot tops with some shredded leaves until you’re ready to harvest.
And there you have it – the low down on Carrots – How to Plant, Grow, and When to Harvest. I hope you find the above information useful and it helps you to achieve a bountiful carrot crop this growing season. Enjoy 🙂 AND AS ALWAYS – HAPPY GARDENING
