Choosing the right seeds
As with all plants, with the carrots, many factors of later growth are determined with the seeds. Choose the freshest possible seeds for a good germination rate and sow them in loose rows with a distance of about 20 cm. You can also use pilled seeds to make it easier to keep the correct spacing of the plants and to save later thinning.
also read
- Hibernate carrots in the sandpit
- The right season for growing your own carrots
- The silver leaf: interesting facts about sowing
Early and late varieties
There are many different types of carrots, each with their own special features. Early varieties with a ripening period from May are particularly suitable for fresh consumption immediately after harvest. Late varieties, on the other hand, have better properties for storage after the carrot season.
Important information for sowing carrots
What all carrots of different types and colors have in common is that a preculture and subsequent pricking of the plants are not really worthwhile. So you save a lot of work if you sow the seeds directly in the field or in the cold frame. Mark the rows of carrots for better visibility by sowing a few radishes at the same time
Harvest radishes and carrots from a row
It's an old trick to sow radishes together with carrots. Since carrot seeds need about 14 days to germinate, the rows opposite to budding weeds with the radish seedlings will be visible much faster. When the radishes are harvested after about four weeks, the space between the carrot plants becomes free for their main roots to grow.
Offset sowing for a long harvest season
When sown in March, carrots can sometimes be harvested as early as May, although these carrots, like bunch carrots, still have a rather thin main root. When sowing at monthly intervals, summer carrots can be harvested continuously between May and November and eaten fresh. Winter carrots for storage should be sown in June at the latest in order to reach a storable size by the first frost.
Tips & Tricks
Feel free to be tough when thinning out excess plants from the ranks of growing carrots. In this way you ensure sufficient space for the individual carrot roots and avoid stunted growth and a disappointing harvest. Summer carrots should be 5 cm apart, while winter carrots need a distance of up to 10 cm.
