Ready to garden! Carrot question

[doublebowgoats]

I just got to thinking about gardening today and I only just recently noticed the gardening section here. It's finally warmer weather and I am recovered enough from my surgery to get to work. So I officially have the "garden bug" now.
 I have a question about carrots. I can never get them to grow. I asked around last year and tried different techniques but it didn't help. Some actually germinated last fall but produced thin whitish roots. They were nantes, I believe. But I have tried Ox-heart, chantan...(?) and amarillo. None even germinated until last fall. I used to live in Bedford, in the mid-cities, no luck with carrots there, either.
 Help! i love carrots!
 

[buckrun]

Carrots are notoriously difficult to germinate. We always pre-soak the seed at least 24 and sometimes 48 hours.  The problem is if they are not kept evenly moist for the entire 21 days of germination then they will die or stay dormant until weather conditions are correct- consistent soil moisture at moderate temps.
When you soak it cuts germination time to about a week but you still must keep the seed bed moist not wet the entire time.  When watering another problem happens to carrot seed- it washes down too deep to germinate.
You need fine soil - firmed with your hand before seeding so it cannot wash down into open soil.  Then cover lightly with a sprinkle of dirt and firm again.  The seeding is a pain but once up and growing they are SO much food - the tops for green drink or rabbit chow or goat treats and the bottoms for so many yummy things.

We have had best luck in our soils with Red Cored Chantenay.  It is a wider rooted carrot more blunt shaped so it does not mind clay soil.  For lighter or sandy spots we grow Nantes and Nantes types as well as Navarino for juicing.  Parsley needs to be treated the same as carrots.  If you can pull your soil up to a raised bed that gives good depth of loose dirt then you will have nice long slender roots.   

Glad you have recovered from your back troubles.  It is so hard to garden without back pain!
Don't ask me how I know!
Lee

[Sondra]

I haven' had any luck with carrots either 

[doublebowgoats]

Thanks, Lee. I certainly never put that much work into growing carrots, so no wonder I didn't get anything out of it!
 I actually had gallbladder surgery. And also found out I have diabetes and some kind of liver thing so I am really motivated to eat better.  

[doublebowgoats]

You either, Sondra? Maybe we need a special variety out here?

[Ozark Lady]

I raised carrots once, they actually got large enough that you could tell the root was orange, but nothing big enough to eat.
I have clay soil, and have been thinking of trying to raise them in a planter, or something. 

[doublebowgoats]

Lee, I just looked at the thread you started about carrots. Ha! i could have learned a lot just by reading that, without starting a whole new thread! Sorry.
 I spent some time looking at different varieties on the net today. Now I want to grow purple, red, orange and yellow carrots. LOL
 

[Sondra]

Purple? YUCK

[doublebowgoats]

Yeah, purple! They look really pretty raw but I bet they turn a funny color if you cook them. Of course, I like purple potatoes too

[Caprine Beings]

We don't soak ours however when we prepare our rows we pat down the row with a rake so it leaves indents:) Then we spread our seeds with a salt shaker across the row. The carrots come up in the small indents and then we thin them. We wind up with carrots into Sept, nice juicy Nantes Half Longs. We also dehydrate them and freeze dry them. Tam

[doublebowgoats]

"...We also dehydrate them and freeze dry them. Tam..."

That is a neat idea.

[Cotton Eyed Does]

Hmmm... we can grow carrots really well here.  We have sandy loam soil here.  I take a hoe and dig up dirt from one side until I get to the end of the row, then I turn around and dig the dirt up to it from the other side.  Then I knock off the top to level it all the way down the row.  I come back with my hoe handle make sort of a little trench down the middle.  Then I take the carrot seeds and sprinkle sparingly down the middle of the trench.  Come back on my hands and knees and barely take my hand and rake some dirt over the top of the seeds and barely... gently pat the top.  Take a watering can and pour just a little water gently over the row.   Then after they are up a few inches I go back and thin them out.  When they get up about 4 inches or so I side dress them with some 13-13-13 fertilize, making sure not to get it on the leaves, then water it in good.   Can't remember the kinds I have planted but I've planted different kinds.  We can grow the longer varieties because of the sand.  In hard soil you have to plant the shorter varieties.

[doublebowgoats]

I went and got new carrot seeds yesterday. Red cored chantenay. That was the only kind I could find for poor soil. So I will use the info here and see what kind of damage I can do !

[tracy]

Over here in Oz I grow my carrots in early spring when the spring rains arrive this helps with the keeping them from drying out. Another tip is in a jar with holes punched in the lid mix some sand with your seeds so they dont come up too thick and crowded. Also add radish seed in it helps you see your rows as they are up with in a week. I lay old wooden boards over the rows when they have been watered well this stops soil from drying out check every few days depending on your weather and remove as soon as you see the first sign of life. I find if I leave it too late it heats up too much and its a pain to water several times aday. Hope it helps. Happy carrot growing 

[Hollybrook]

you really need to work your soil for carrots try adding some sand and if they didnt even germinate you probly didnt water enough Im in central alabama I can grow Scarlet nantes year round seeds are too small to soak just water every day keep moiste until sprouting also watch for aminals or chickens ate a whole patch of seedings one time argggg

[Holly Govero]

Last year I put the seed on the ground and put very lightly soil over it then put 2X4 board over it and water on the top of the board everyday  and keep checking to see if the sprouts comes up and if u see it and its time to take the board out. It works great..