For those who grow carrots, do you have any tried and true tips for good germination? Any secret amendments/practices to get them to grow to a respectable size? I sowed seeds last spring with dismal germination (I think consistent moisture was an issue) and again in autumn with better germination but rather sad results.
I do not grow carrots because they do not like Texas heat and I am tired by seasons end ! They are so cheap at the market I see no reason to grow them !
I have been told that carrots require loose soil, not heavy clay. That way the roots will go further down.
Hello there, The soil is everything. You want it a bit rich, but not too rich—and definitely no stall manure in the bed as this will cause serious deformity in the form of forking. There should be no clods or stones or anything that will offer resistance to the downward-growing root. Perhaps another factor that could be important for you is the shape of the carrots you choose. There are long ones, medium length ones and even little round ones. If excessive heat is a problem where you live, you could grow your carrots in containers. As in the garden good drainage and fine soil. If you get the right growing medium and manage the heat you should be successful. Please let us know how your carrot growing goes and which ones you choose to grow.
As mentioned above, good loose soil is a must. Carrots will not germinate if its too warm. One good trick about carrot germination I learned from Jess at Roots and Refuge Farm, is to cover with a board. She explains the method here
I've always been lucky with carrots for some reason. I've only done coreless nantes due to my growing season, and how cold my soil can be deeper down. I agree with everything Sjoerd said. Pebbles are my carrot enemy and can cause strange shapes. I am sure to water the soil before I plant them. It's important to not let them dry out when they start to germinate or the crop can be lost. I accidently discovered that covering with remay after sowing, sped up my germination considerably. ( I had to keep the cat out of the newly sown seeds so anchored remay over the newly seeded rows for a week or so). It also helped with retaining a bit of moisture and I'm sure a bit of warmth. With my carrots, I have learned that I must be ruthless. Thin, thin and then thin again. I also space the rows apart enought that I can run my hoe between the rows. I slightly hill them as they grow to keep out any little voles, pocket gophers or mice from finding their orange tops. A dear friend of mine used to run a local market garden and has now retired to the coast. She uses a cornstarch slurry to plant her carrots as she hasn't had much success since the move. She's found it very helpful. Germinated indoors and then planted. She had success for the first time in a long time since moving.
Thanks everyone! I have seeds for shorter varieties and have (I think) enough loose, fluffy soil built up in the bed. Germination is really my issue, so I might give the cornstarch gel a try with one of the rows. I'll be sure to update the thread with successes and failures
hahaha. yes. floating row cover, frost blanket, reemay.....gosh, there could be more names. I'd be lost ( well my garden would be) without the stuff.
I saw a YouTube video the other day to cover the seeds with a piece of plywood and keep the soil moist until they germinate.
It's been chilly here, with a couple of frosts since I planted carrot seeds. Yesterday I noticed the had just germinated, a few weeks after planting.
