How to plant carrots? The best time to plant carrots

Carrot is a herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family and the genus Daucus. It is also known as red carrot, clove carrot, sweet carrot, and golden bamboo shoot. Carrot has strong adaptability, few diseases and insect pests, is easy to cultivate, has high yield, and is durable in storage and transportation. It is one of the main vegetables in winter.

Carrots are semi-cold-tolerant vegetables with a certain degree of cold resistance. They have a well-developed root system and a deep distribution, and require a soil moisture content of 60-70%. Loose, aerated loam or sandy loam is best for planting carrots, and fertile soil with a deep soil layer and good drainage is preferred.

Carrot planting time

Carrots are suitable for sowing in spring , specifically from mid-March to the end of April , or in July or August in summer and autumn . In the south, they are usually sown from early July to late August and harvested in late December, while in the north, they are sown in spring.

How to grow carrots

1. Seed treatment

Carrots need to be germinated before sowing. The method of germination is to soak the seeds with the prickles removed in 40-degree warm water for 2 hours, then take them out and put them in a room at 20-25 degrees Celsius for germination, maintain appropriate humidity, and turn them regularly to make the temperature and humidity uniform. When the radicle of most seeds is exposed, they can be sown .

2. Sowing method

Carrots can be broadcast or sown in rows with a row spacing of 15-20 cm . After sowing, cover with 1.5-2 cm of fine soil, and then cover with straw to cool and retain moisture. The seed rate for broadcasting is 1-1.5 kg per mu, and the seed rate for row sowing is about 0.7 kg per mu.

Carrot planting care

1. Thinning

After about 10 days, the seedlings will grow. When the seedlings grow two true leaves, the first thinning will be carried out , and the distance between the seedlings will be kept at about 4 cm. When the seedlings grow four true leaves, the second thinning will be carried out , and the distance between the seedlings will be about 6 cm. When the seedlings grow seven true leaves, the final thinning will be carried out , and the distance between the seedlings will be 15 cm.

2. Water and fertilizer

Don't water too much during the seedling period , as too much water is not conducive to the expansion and growth of the fleshy roots. In the later stage, water should be sufficient to allow the fleshy roots to expand fully. It is best to apply decomposed organic fertilizer once during the growth period. The growth period of carrots is about 90 days, and they can be picked when the leaves become withered and yellow.