First time growing carrots. I got the seeds from a reputable retailer. What happened?

by Delicious-Note-6463

7 Comments

  1. What variety are they? What kind of soil did you grow them in?

  2. Carrots can be very challenging to grow “correctly.”

  3. Primer50

    I’ve never had luck growing carrots. I grew a few this year because I got some free seeds. They ended up being about 4 inches long and they were in a raised bed with really good loose soil.

  4. Relevant_Actuary2205

    That first pic looks like a beet

    And you gotta give a lot more info to know what you did wrong.

  5. karstopography

    Looks like too much nitrogen fertilizer. Carrots get all hairy and the roots fork with too much nitrogen. Strong tops with roots like those pictured are signs of excess nitrogen.

  6. karstopography

    https://gardenbetty.com/deformed-carrots/

    “If you overfertilize your carrots, this may result in lots of lush green growth above—but stubby roots below. Too much nitrogen may also cause excessive branching of roots, giving your carrots a “hairy” look.
    Stick with a slow-release organic granular fertilizer mixed into the soil before planting, or better yet, add a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost to improve soil tilth at the same time.”