I can't for the life of me grow carrots well. My dad started gardening and he's getting some insane carrots. What's the secret!?
by akwilliamson
13 Comments
s0cks_nz
Always direct seed, can’t transplant carrots. Fork the ground so it’s not compact. Carrots are pretty easy imo, so long as they germinate. Germination requires keeping them damp at all times if possible. Once they are growing they are fairly hands off.
anewman513
It’s almost certainly to do with the soil.
bmaanndd
Heavy amounts of perlite in his soil and the nutrient that makes bigger roots in excess perhaps
hereandthere_nowhere
The correct soil compaction makes all the difference.
HighColdDesert
Direct seed only, and don’t try to transplant.
I’ve had great success getting soft soil just by keeping deep permanent mulch on top of the ground, and not by forking or turning the soil. The first year, yes, mix in compost or manure or whatever I’ve got, but from then on, I try to keep a deep mulch of any an all natural materials I can collect. The soil gets fluffier and softer year by year, with no forking or digging.
In order to direct seed anything, of course seedlings can’t come up through deep mulch so I pull the mulch away from the spot where I’m seeding. Then, for carrots, since they can take 2 or 3 weeks to sprout, I like to lay a board down over where I’ve seeded, to keep the soil damp. After a week or so, I check under the board every day, and when i see the first sprouts, remove it. As the carrot seedlings get to be 2 inches (5 cm) tall, I start gently pulling the mulch back into place around them.
wasdtomove
Spacing and loose soil.
My beets, radish, and carrots did much better In my loose recycled soil that was amended than the fresh soil I had.
I had some huge carrots in grow bags when properly spaced 1-2inches, another year I got lazy with spacing and only had small to medium at best.
galileosmiddlefinger
Dad is planting in a very sandy loam without any rocks or roots that will cause his carrots to twist or fork. His watering is also on point and the nutrient profile of the soil is good (e.g., no excess nitrogen). Lastly, he’s picked an Imperator variety that trends toward a very long, relatively thin growth pattern so that he can produce monster carrots given all of the above optimal conditions.
just-say-it-
He’s using good soil. Carrots will not grow in compacted soil.
BaldyCarrotTop
His are even better than mine. And mine are pretty good.
Deep, loose, loamy soil. Direct seed. Low nitrogen, High Phosphorus fertilizer. Water deeply (drip watering) about two weeks after tops develop. Ant then at several times during the growing season. This develops the tap root.
[deleted]
[removed]
Nonyabizzz3
Good soft soil, probably
mountainofclay
Deep soil. I learned a trick this year for germinating carrots. They often take a long time after planting to germinate which allows them to dry out. I found that when planting them simply lay an old board on top of them until they start growing. Increases germination rate so they can be planted more thinly and avoids having to thin them.
13 Comments
Always direct seed, can’t transplant carrots. Fork the ground so it’s not compact. Carrots are pretty easy imo, so long as they germinate. Germination requires keeping them damp at all times if possible. Once they are growing they are fairly hands off.
It’s almost certainly to do with the soil.
Heavy amounts of perlite in his soil and the nutrient that makes bigger roots in excess perhaps
The correct soil compaction makes all the difference.
Direct seed only, and don’t try to transplant.
I’ve had great success getting soft soil just by keeping deep permanent mulch on top of the ground, and not by forking or turning the soil. The first year, yes, mix in compost or manure or whatever I’ve got, but from then on, I try to keep a deep mulch of any an all natural materials I can collect. The soil gets fluffier and softer year by year, with no forking or digging.
In order to direct seed anything, of course seedlings can’t come up through deep mulch so I pull the mulch away from the spot where I’m seeding. Then, for carrots, since they can take 2 or 3 weeks to sprout, I like to lay a board down over where I’ve seeded, to keep the soil damp. After a week or so, I check under the board every day, and when i see the first sprouts, remove it. As the carrot seedlings get to be 2 inches (5 cm) tall, I start gently pulling the mulch back into place around them.
Spacing and loose soil.
My beets, radish, and carrots did much better In my loose recycled soil that was amended than the fresh soil I had.
I had some huge carrots in grow bags when properly spaced 1-2inches, another year I got lazy with spacing and only had small to medium at best.
Dad is planting in a very sandy loam without any rocks or roots that will cause his carrots to twist or fork. His watering is also on point and the nutrient profile of the soil is good (e.g., no excess nitrogen). Lastly, he’s picked an Imperator variety that trends toward a very long, relatively thin growth pattern so that he can produce monster carrots given all of the above optimal conditions.
He’s using good soil. Carrots will not grow in compacted soil.
His are even better than mine. And mine are pretty good.
Deep, loose, loamy soil. Direct seed. Low nitrogen, High Phosphorus fertilizer. Water deeply (drip watering) about two weeks after tops develop. Ant then at several times during the growing season. This develops the tap root.
[removed]
Good soft soil, probably
Deep soil. I learned a trick this year for germinating carrots. They often take a long time after planting to germinate which allows them to dry out. I found that when planting them simply lay an old board on top of them until they start growing. Increases germination rate so they can be planted more thinly and avoids having to thin them.
Thinning!!!