How to Start Carrot Seeds

Harvested fresh carrots

Carrots are a versatile root vegetable that grows easily in most gardens. Start carrot seeds in the outside garden several weeks before the last spring frost. Carrots tolerate cooler growing conditions readily but they do not tolerate transplanting well, so gardeners will have more success sowing carrot seeds directly outside instead of starting carrot seeds inside. Once you start carrot seeds, keep the seeds evenly moist. Carrot seedlings should sprout within 2 weeks.

Things You'll Need

• Compost
• Garden spade
• Carrot seeds
• Garden trowel
• Mulch

Instructions

1. Work the sunny garden area well with the garden spade several weeks prior to the last spring frost. Remove any rocks and stones you find and break up the soil so that it is smooth and fine. Add 1/2 inch of compost to the top of the soil and work this in well with the garden spade.

2. Make rows for the carrots that are 1 foot apart. Space the carrot seeds 1/2 inch apart in the rows and cover the carrot seeds with 1/2 inch of soil. Water the newly planted carrot seeds lightly after planting.

3. Keep the seeds evenly moist during the germination time and watch for the seeds to sprout within 2 weeks.

4. Thin the seedlings when they are 3 inches tall. Pull seedlings so that the strongest carrot seedlings are growing 3 inches apart in the rows. Add a thin layer of mulch around the seedlings after thinning them.

5. Harvest carrots when they are at least 1 inch in diameter. Loosen the soil gently around the carrots and pull them straight up out of the soil. Immediately trim the greens off the carrots, leaving 1/2-inch-long stems.

References

• Growing Carrots