Tips for Growing Great Carrots
Yesterday, some readers asked if I had any tips for growing great carrots, so I thought I’d share a few things that work well for me. I’m by no means an expert carrot grower and sometimes things work well in one place and not in another. If you’ve had difficulties growing carrots, keep trying new varieties and different methods, keep amending your soil, eventually you’ll find a variety that works for you. Here are a few tips I’ve learned.
Carrots like loose rich soil, preferably a little sandy, and soil that’s been worked quite deeply. I find that they work best when planted where I’ve grown something like potatoes or sweet potatoes because the soil has been worked up well. Having loose sandy soil, will allow you to grow long slender straight carrots. If you have heavy soil, like I do here at Chiot’s Run, try growing shorter round varieties like Oxheart and Parisienne while you spend time amending and loosening the soil. Remove as all rocks and debris, because carrots will form “legs” when they hit a rock. If you’ve ever seen a carrot that looks like a pair of pants you know what I mean.
Carrot seeds take a while to germinate and they like even moisture during the process. This can be a bit of a chore since they are very small and are sowed very close to the surface where the soil dries out quicker. You can water your carrots twice a day to keep the top of the soil damp. That can be time consuming, so I usually cover them with a layer of burlap to hold the moisture. I only have to water them every couple days and this works beautifully for me. Make sure you check under the burlap every day for germination, at the first green sprout, remove the burlap and water daily until they have all sprouted.
Carrot seeds like to be planted close to the surface of the soil, the general rule: seeds should be planted double the diameter. When I plant carrot seeds I usually sprinkle them on top of the soil and cover them with fine vermiculite, which holds moisture, thus it helps with germination rates.
I usually plant one big wide row of carrots four feet wide and about ten feet long. I use my square food gardening template that Mr Chiots made for me, sprinkling one or two seeds in each hole, the cover with vermiculite. This method works really well for me because I know exactly where each carrot seed should be and I can pull any weeds sprouting outside the vermiculite. This way I do not have to thin the carrots since usually only one or two carrots germinates in each spot. I’ve also read that carrots do better when slightly crowded, so this close planting should make your patch more productive. Planting in one wide row also saves garden space as compared to having several long rows with paths in between then.
As with all root vegetables, carrots appreciate a lot of phosphorus in the soil. As you should do with onions, garlic, potatoes and other root vegetables, give them a healthy dose of bone meal when you work up the soil at planting time. An occasional watering with a light fish/seasweed emulsion like Neptune’s Harvest or Dr. Earth Liquid Fertilizer will also help them size up and grow beautifully, especially if your soil tends to be on the lean side.
Make sure you do not plant carrots where you had sod growing the previous year, they do not take kindly to this. For even greater success You can also plant mustard as a cover crop in the area you are planning to plant your carrots. Mustard does a wonderful job mitigating problems for root vegetables. I’m hoping that soon, the soil here at Chiot’s Run will be amended enough and cleared of stones so I can grow a nice crop of carrots here. Until then they’ll have a spot in the potager that I share with my mom.
Any great tips & tricks you want to share about how to grow carrots more successfully?
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Wow! Fab-oo idea with the frame and vermiculite! Absolutely brilliant!
Thanks for the tips!
daisy´s last post ..Bloomin’ Tuesday
to daisy's comment
Some great advice – well done!
Just go easy on the fertiliser. Carrots don’t need a lot of feed, so once a fortnight using any good general purpose liquid fertiliser should be plenty. They must never be soggy or allowed to dry out.
to John's comment
Yes, for all root veggies go easy on the fertilizer, especially that with lots of nitrogen as it will produce lush leaves with tiny roots.
to Susy's comment
Just found your site. I’m always reading anything that pertains to gardening. I have a blog on ‘growing a garden’. So I like to see what others are writing about he subject.
Found your site to be interesting and informative. Would be glad for you to visit my site and check it out.
Thanks for sharing. You’re doing a great job with your site.
Thanks for sharing,
Ben Church
to Ben Church's comment
I’ve been using peat moss for the same process as vermiculite– works brilliantly. The burlap is a good idea- would be easier than dragging an old board out to the garden. I’ll have to remember that for the next crop of carrots.
Melissa´s last post ..I will be back…
to Melissa's comment
I got lucky this year and it was nice and rainy right after I seeded my carrots, so I got lots of germination. I’m going to use your vermiculite idea in the future though.
I love the template idea. How big is it? And how large are the holes? I think I need to make one of those. I bet it would be great for plant lettuce seeds as well.
Kaytee´s last post ..Crockpot Canning
to Kaytee's comment
Mr Chiots made the spacer for me, I have a few with different distances for planting a variety of things. Here’s my post about my square foot gardening templates. Basically a square foot with holes drilled at 3 or 4 inches apart. One has 16 holes one has 9, you could even make one with 4 if you wanted.
to Susy's comment
The template with the vermiculite. Brilliant. Really. Wow.
Chicago Mike´s last post ..Sometimes Words Fail Me…Well Not This Time
to Chicago Mike's comment
We just planted some carrots last night! Can’t wait to try them!
Misti´s last post ..Adventure Reads
to Misti's comment
We planted carrots at the first house I grew up in and my Dad helped my niece plant carrots in their backyard when we were there this summer ’11.
Amy
goatpod2´s last post ..Apple-Cinnamon Syrup
to goatpod2's comment
I had a few carrots resembling the “pants” you mentioned. I have loosen my soil more this year and hope to have all single-legged carrots this year. I like your idea with the vermiculite over the seeds. Thanks for sharing that wonderful idea. Emily
Sincerely, Emily´s last post ..Mediterranean Kale Salad
to Sincerely, Emily's comment
Thank you, Susy!! This is just what I needed to know! Before, I was getting so discouraged I was about to give up, but now I’m excited to try again. Really appreciate you addressing this at length!
Amy @ Homestead Revival´s last post ..Barn Hop #30
to Amy @ Homestead Revival's comment
Great tips! I had trouble with my carrots this year and now I know why:)
Grace´s last post ..Healthier (and Tastier) Homemade Salad Dressings
to Grace's comment
I’ve heard that if you mix your carrot seeds with coffee grinds before planting it helps to increase the harvest.
Mike Lieberman´s last post ..What Food News Has Grabbed Your Attention?
to Mike Lieberman's comment
That’s a great tip, I always have plenty of coffee grounds to go around!
to Susy's comment
Thanks so much for the tips! I’ll be sure to refer back to this next spring when I plant some more. Thanks again (and please keep it up, these little posts help me SO much)
Alyssa´s last post ..The Perfect Brownies
to Alyssa's comment
I love that template. I’m guessing he made one for the different ratios of how many seeds/plants you plant in each square foot? Trust me I will be adding this to my honey do list :0)
Sandra
Sandra´s last post ..Your Prayers Please
to Sandra's comment
Yep, I have two, one with 16 holes and one with 9. You could also make one with four. I’m thinking a long skinny one row version of this would be nice too!
to Susy's comment
I’m dying laughing reading this today… I seriously just came in from clearing out the garden for the season, and was telling Nick how I need to research how to grow better carrots! Thanks for doing it for me:)
to deedee's comment
Thanks so much for this post. The first year I grew carrots was a disaster. This was the first year that I got a good harvest, but they were kind of bitter. I will try this next year. I really like your suggestion of vermiculite. The burlap too.
Have you ever thought of selling Mr. Chariots planting templates?
Eleanor @ Planned Resilience´s last post ..Starting Filmjolk Yogurt
to Eleanor @ Planned Resilience's comment
If you plant your carrots in mid summer and harvest after the weather turns cool, the sweeten up considerably after the cooler weather hits. I would also recommend a different variety as there might have been something with the variety you chose and the microclimate in your garden.
to Susy's comment
These are really good tips, especially about the phosphorus.
mrbrownthumb´s last post ..Mobile Garden on the CTA
to mrbrownthumb's comment
Great post! I grew carrots last year, but they were small, so you’ve inspired me to try again in the Spring :)
I also have a handy friend who is going to make me a few templates.
Thanks!
to Andrea Duke's comment
When I plant my carrot seeds, I cover them lightly with grass clippings (untreated). By the time the grass clippings have turned brown, I can see the green carrot tops coming up. :)
to KimP's comment
Wow, those are great tips! Those are also the beautiful carrots I’ve ever seen! I love your gardening template, I think I’ll have Walter make one for me too–if I attempt gardening again next year, of course. :)
Sierra´s last post ..risky business…
to Sierra's comment
[...] always had trouble growing carrots, so I’m going to try these tips next [...]
to pinterest « grace garden's comment
Try grow carrots in a large container. Then you control the soil and there isn’t rocks or clay chunks that keep carrots from growing easily. We have had great success using the container method for carrots. Good Luck!
to Gwen Walker's comment