More Carrot Growing Tips

carrots

Sweet, crunchy carrots are a favorite of adults and kids alike. They’re also fun and easy to grow! All you need to grow carrots is a little good garden soil and lots of full sun. With those two things, you’re ready to grow a bumper crop of carrots.

If you’ve only ever eaten store bought carrots, you’re in for a real treat. There’s a whole world of carrots beyond the supermarket varieties. Our carrots at Heirloom Solutions come in many shapes and sizes, and there is something for everyone.  With our rich, deep orange colors and amazingly robust flavors, you’ll experience carrots like you never have before.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

  1. Choose a sunny spot to grow your carrots. They thrive on full sun.
  2. When you eat a carrot, you’re actually eating the root of the plant. That’s why your soil is the most important factor in growing your carrots. Your soil should be loose, light, and fluffy. It should also be rock-free. The soil needs to be deep enough to allow room for a healthy root (carrot!) to grow. We recommend a soil depth of at least 12 inches. Raised beds and deep containers are great places to grow carrots if you do not have room to plant directly in the ground.
  3. Directly sow your seeds in the garden after the danger of frost has passed. Sow your seeds in rows a half inch deep.  Sow them thinly and evenly in the row as best as you can. You can thin out the plants later. Space your rows at least 6-8 inches apart.
  4. Cover your seeds lightly with about a quarter to half-inch of soil, taking care not to disturb the delicate seeds you just planted. Some gardeners prefer to cover their seeds with light peat moss, potting mix, or even sand – but loose garden soil will do just fine.
  5. Water gently to begin the germination process. Take extra care not to flood the seeds as this will wash them away.
  6. Keep the seeds and soil moist until you see your plants growing. This can take up to two or three weeks, depending on the variety you plant and the climate where you live.
  7. Thin your plants to 1 inch apart when the tops are about 2 inches high. Crowded carrots will produce crooked roots. Thin again as necessary.

Harvesting Your Carrots

Once your carrots develop roots, they will be ready to harvest when you are ready to eat them. Carrots never really “ripen” they just get bigger. Some people prefer baby carrots, and other people prefer bigger carrots. It is really a matter of personal preference. To check root size, gently scratch back a little bit of the soil and observe the root size and thickness. You can replace the soil if you are not ready to pull them up.

When you are ready to harvest, simply pull them up gently by their tops. If they are too close together, you may pull up more than one carrot at a time. (This is why we recommend thinning your crop before they grow too big.)  You can harvest them at your leisure – one a time or a whole bunch at a time. Leaving them in the ground will not ruin them or harm them; it will just allow them to grow bigger.

Happy eating!

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