Planting Carrots

[jammar9082]

I am having problems in planting carrots too thick resulting in having to thin the plants. I have tried using sand and seed in a shaker type container but am still getting to much seed on the ground. The holes in the shaker were about 3/16 inch and positioned in a horizontal manner four holes wide which facilitates keeping the seed in the very shallow furrow. This month I reduced the openings to about half that size with Scotch Tape but won't know the results until they sprout. What are others doing to seed carrots in a more efficient way?

[homesteading101]

Try building a raised bed, and using half potting soil and half garden soil in the bags. I had to finally use it to get carrots to grow. Works great. I now have more carrots than I know what to do with each year.

[Veggie]

I always mix radish seeds in with my carrots. The radish grows faster and it helps me keep track of where I planted my carrots! :lol If my carrots need more room, I just pull up a few radishes.

I also plant in beds not rows, and just scatter seed, but sometimes you just have to thin them.

[Johnny Apple Seed]

I like to use 2 inch wide strips of paper towells, wet them down with a hand sprayer lay them in a shallow trench, when you sprinkle seed on the white paper towells it's easier to see how much seed you are putting down, plus the paper towells hold moisture and help with germination.

[jammar9082]

Using the paper towel strips may be a key to my problem. I wonder if the paper is thick and dense enough to hinder root development? I'll try it when I plant the fall crop. Thanks. I tried making my own seed strips using tissue paper one winter and it did work but seed quantity is limited. Maybe this is one of those situations where "you pay me now or pay me later" on the time element. However, thinning by pulling is damaging to the remaining roots. Cutting out the extra roots with small scissors may be an alternative measure to try.

[Johnny Apple Seed]

I have never had a problem with the paper towell hindering the roots, as long as you use a standard thickness it degrades into the soil in no time, I get very good germination this way, carrots like to be evenly moist when germinating, the paper towell strips help this a lot as they tend to hold moisture.

[Jodi]

I think I will try the paper towel trick. Never thought of it. Have to look for non-bleached towels. I too mix my carrot seed with my radish seed. Never a problem with thinning that way; if I do have a rare occassion, I use shears to cut-thin. With the strangly mild winter here in TN my carrots were green though out the entire winter!
Jodi

[walleye]

I too have struggled with carrots over the years, but much of that might have been self-induced. Using fresh seed really makes a difference! I had some new seed this year and the carrots sprouted in 6 days. Unheard of around here! If I had mixed radish seeds to help show me where the carrots were planted, I'd be using the carrots to find the radishes!

Also, I plant the seeds under a board. Moisten the soil, then lay a board over the planted seeds. This, like the paper towel method, helps keep the seeds moist until they germinate.

[Doc]

No problem with pill bugs, snails, or slugs with this board method?

[lovetogarden]

I wonder about the bugs too. Carrot seeds are slow to germinate so I just tell my self be patient and make sure the soil stays moist.

[walleye]

Surprisingly, no problems for me. (And if anyone was having problems with things eating plants, it would be me this year. I'm losing battles daily with the rabbits, caterpillars and deer.)

Key is taking the board off once the seeds sprout. Then the critters under the board (if there were any) would leave. I prop a rock under the board and use it as sort of a roof over the seedlings for a couple days, gradually exposing them to more light. They are real fragile at first. If you don't water lightly twice a day, they would fry in the sun within a few hours if fully exposed.

[GreenZone]

Well similar to the board method is the old carpet method. I've recently gotten a nice stand of carrot seedlings in spite of very dry weather this way. Pests under the rug might be a problem sometimes but never yet in my experience.
--Randel

[walleye]

I have not noticed any problem with bugs congretating under the board. It seems like a reasonable concern, but it hasn't happened yet, at least to me. The biggest problem I've had is weaning the plants to grow in the light. Once they have sprouted in the dark, they are so darn fragile. I prop the board over them like a roof if the temps get real hot during those first couple weeks, otherwise those seedlings will cook and dry out in a matter of hours. Regular, even watering seems especially critical when using this method.

[drobinson]

I mix sand with my carrot seeds and that seems to space them out nicely. Also, I sow in beds of soil that has lots of compost and is spaded at least a foot deep, with all rocks and other root obstacles removed. After sowing sand and seed, I sprinkle sifted compost or loose soil over them to just cover them a bit. Then I cover the bed with an old house screen, propped about 6" above the bed, and water gently through the screen to keep the seeds in place. They get a drink of water almost every day, unless it rains, until they come up, and then I water only every third day so as to not disturb the young shoots too much. The screen wire does a good job of diffusing the water, and keeping the soil moist by shading it a bit (30%). When they are up and going, I remove the screen, unless the weather is hot.

[louanne]

another bump...this is a good one

[babygarden]

Does anyone mix sand into the beds themselves?
I was thinking about trying that, not sure if it'd work.
Let me know your thoughts...

[windsng225]

I used for the first time last year, the carrot tape. Worked out great for me, but this year I think I will try some seed, we love carrots here, so I will try some different kinds. But definately will try the paper towel method, sounds like it will work.
joyce

[ovenbird]

Does anyone mix sand into the beds themselves?
I was thinking about trying that, not sure if it'd work.
Let me know your thoughts...
Carrots like sandy soil with not too much compost. Adding a bag or two of sand to your carrot bed will not hurt. I had a truck load of river bottom soil delivered in the fall. It is pretty sandy. Ground all around our house settled, and I wanted to fill it in. I dumped one load on the bed where I plan to grow carrots this year. I will not add any compost to that bed, but will mix in some worm castings.

My crop rotation plan is to add my compost to the bed where I grow my brassicas. The next year the nightshades get that bed. Beans and corn the next year. Root crops the 4th year. then repeat.

[jennyz]

I was just having this conversation with windsong -that I always plant my carrots too deep-or just plain have a problem spacing them right. I was going to give up buying the heirloom seeds for the convience of seed tape, but this paper towel idea will work great for me! I'll be able to see exactly where our seeds are to space them and the paper towel dissolves pretty well anyway! Thanks for the idea you guys!!! Jennyz:rolleyes:

[ovenbird]

I was just having this conversation with windsong -that I always plant my carrots too deep-or just plain have a problem spacing them right. I was going to give up buying the heirloom seeds for the convience of seed tape, but this paper towel idea will work great for me! I'll be able to see exactly where our seeds are to space them and the paper towel dissolves pretty well anyway! Thanks for the idea you guys!!! Jennyz:rolleyes:

Just to be on the safe side, I bought unbleached paper towels.

[Billy B]

A buddy of mine uses toilet paper for just about all his plantings. In his kitcken he seperates the two sheets of the paper then puts the seeds on one side of this paper using a paist of flour and water to a spacing he likes then he puts the other sheet on top. He then lets the paist dry and then rolls the paper up and marks the small roll to be planted at a later date. His garden is always neet and well laied out.

[randycarter]

Instead of using paper towels you can use toilet tissue. I also put the tissue on top of the seed too. I feel that this gives the fragile seedings a better shot of penetrating through the paper than paper towels do.

Regards.

[JerichoFields]

Why seperate the TP? It seems way easier to either buy single ply or else just let it go through both.

[ducky]

I've given up on planting carrots the usual way with loose seed. I have to thin so many times and the carrots are still too thick. Now I always make my own seed tapes. I use strips of the brown paper that sometimes comes as packing. They're usually long pieces off a roll. I boil some cornstarch and water, put in a baggie and clip off the corner to make a glue squirter. I tape several long strips down so I can move quickly with no troubles. I put my little seeds in a bowl and use the wetted end of a toothpick to pick up the seed. It works perfectly. Every 5or so carrots I put in a radish or lettuce seed to mix it up a bit. I space the carrots about 1 seed every inch, staggering the seed rows on the strips. I used to use 2 inches but they were a little too spaced :). This makes very lovely rows of carrots and they grow better and faster than my overcrowded rows ever did.

[pixelphoto]

I used to do all of the above but i quickly got tired of it.
I now only buy pellitized carrot seed.
Its the only way to grow LOL :)

[Vera]

I have to admit that my hubby is no longer allowed to plant the carrot seeds. His eyes are just plain too old to see them anymore! The last time he planted them our harvest was extremely diverse! We don't thin much and we had carrots of every size when we harvested them. We simply separated the sizes and prepared them for freezing as to what they would be used for. The tiny ones are great for stir fries, the medium ones are great for putting in whole when baking a roast in one of those nice bags and the large ones can be chopped or diced for stews or or soups.

I realize we want to get the most out of our plantings but if it happens, we can still use them.:)

[flora26]

use the wetted end of a toothpick to pick up the seed.


That is such a good idea!