Growing carrots

Carrots smell amazing when they are first harvested - like a bouquet of wisteria and gardenia. The slightly phenolic aroma is intoxicating. It is no wonder rabbits keep finding their way to my carrot patch! I seriously think the perfume industry is missing out on some untapped fragrances that can be extracted from vegetables. 

The smell of carrots is fresh in my mind as I just harvest the mother load today. It has been a long wait for these sweet treats, especially given the cooler, wet spring we experienced this year. 

Fortunately, not all the carrots were "of size" so I will probably continue to harvest them throughout the rest of the season. A handful every couple of days is still too much for two people, but that is why I have friends, neighbors, and co-workers - to share the bounty! This is probably the real reason I love gardening. If Ryan and I ate everything we harvested, we would be a lot thinner and healthier. But that is for another blog  ;)  

In general, carrots are slow to grow and are picky about their growing conditions. 

Although carrots can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring, seeds germinate best when the soil temperature is 60-65oF. So it is best to give the soil a few weeks to warm up in the early spring. 

Carrot seeds must be seeded directly in the garden. They should be sprinkled over the surface of nutrient-rich, deeply tilled sandy soil that is free of stones. The seeding density needs to be just right: close, but not too close together. This can be quite the chore given the size of carrot seeds and the fact that they are hard to see when sprinkled over the soil surface. There are lots of ways to help get the right spacing, but the easiest is to take a pinch of seeds and gently rub them between your fingers over the surface of the soil...think of how you might sprinkle pepper over your food.

To germinate, carrot seeds need even moisture. But be careful watering! It is best to use a mister to water carrot seeds during the 14-21 days it takes for seeds to germinate to prevent seeds from floating away with every watering. 

I keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season. Too much water, especially after a hot spell, may result in the carrots splitting (see photo).

Waterlogged carrot

After about 2 months, to see if the carrot is ready to harvest, look at the thickness of the leaves at the soil line. Carrots are ready to harvest when the leaves at the soil line are thick and about 1 inch in diameter. The shoulder of the carrot may be visible when ready to harvest, but not always. 

To harvest, hold the carrot top close to the soil and give it a tug. Success? You may find you have a tiny root. Try another one. Same thing? Wait another week and check again. If the carrots look like a good size, start harvesting as many as you can eat in a weeks timeframe. 

Carrots can be left in the ground without rotting. You will be in for an even more tasty treat when carrots are allowed to go through a cold spell (light frost).