carrots should be ready to harvest after 70 to 80 days planting, When the roots are 1 to 112 inches in diameter, pull them out of the dirt. Loosen the dirt around the carrot with a shovel to avoid breaking it during pulling.
HOW LONG DO CARROTS TAKE TO MATUR?
Carrots are a good source of vitamin A and add a splash of color to a dish. They can be eaten raw or cooked, alone or in salads or other meals. 5 to 10 feet of row per person for home planting should provide enough fresh carrots for table consumption.
1 pound of carrots can be harvested from a single foot of row. Carrots ( Daucus carota var. sativus ) are cold-hardy biennials that flourish in USDA zones 4 through 10.
PREPARING GARDEN BED FOR CARROT
Carrots are cultivated as annuals in most gardens, despite the fact that they can survive winters in the harshest zones and flower and go to seed the following year. It takes 50 to 80 days for a carrot to mature from seed to harvest.
Before tilling the garden bed and removing plant debris, sticks, and pebbles in the spring or early summer, put on your gardening gloves, safety goggles, and closed-toe shoes.
To a depth of 12 inches, add 2 to 4 inches of well-decomposed compost or professionally prepared garden soil. Soak the carrot seeds in warm water for several hours or overnight. In rows 12 to 24 inches apart, plant 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and 1 inch apart.
Apply a little layer of damp soil, peat moss, or vermiculite to the seeds. Keep it moist for 14 to 21 days, or until the seeds germinate.
Carrots may sprout in temperatures as low as 45 degrees Fahrenheit, however, germination is slowed by cooler temperatures.
Cover your carrots with a thick layer of straw mulch in colder climates to protect them from late-spring freezes.
Carrots should be planted in the fall for the winter garden in warm areas. Carrots thrive in temperatures between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
CHOOSING A LOCATION FOR CARROT
Carrots thrive on well-drained, loose, sandy loam soils. They mature more slowly in thick soils, and the roots are generally rough and unsightly. They thrive in partial shade and make excellent additions to small gardens and flower beds.
PREPARING THE SOIL FOR CARROT
Clear the soil surface of all rocks, rubbish, and large bits of plant material. To enhance the soil, little, fine fragments of plant debris can be turned under.
Dig a hole 8 to 12 inches deep in the earth. Completely turn it over to ensure that all plant material is covered. Work the earth into beds by smoothing it out (Fig. 1). Beds allow air and water to flow freely through the soil.
VARIETIES OF CARROT
Danvers 126, Danvers Half Long, Imperator 58, Nantes, Nantes Half Long, Red Core Chantenay, Royal Chantenay, Scarlet Nantes, and Sugar Snax are some of the greatest carrot kinds for Texas.
PLANTING OF CARROT
Carrots should be planted as soon as the soil can be handled in the spring. Carrots can be planted any time between July and February in South Texas.
Carrots can be grown all winter in many parts of South Texas. Plant them in August for a falling yield in other locations.
Make one or two 12-inch-deep rows on top of each prepared ridge with a hoe handle or a stick. In a row, scatter 18 to 20 seeds per foot. Many gardeners combine a few radish seeds with carrot seeds since they take 14 to 21 days to sprout.
With carrot seeds to designate the row, which sprouts swiftly. Lightly cover the seeds.
Carrots thrive in the chilly weather of early spring and late autumn. Carrots thrive in temperatures of 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Carrots with poor color and quality are caused by high temperatures.
HOW TO FERTILIZE CARROT
For every 10 feet of row to be planted, put 1 cup of a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 on the soil before planting carrots. Mix the fertilizer into the soil to a depth of 3 to 4 inches with a rake.
When the tops of the plants are about 4 inches high, distribute 2 teaspoons of fertilizer every 10 feet of the row beside the plants. If the tops get pale, fertilize again when they are 6 to 8 inches tall.
HOW TO WATERING CARROT
Water the plants as needed to maintain the soil moist to a depth of about three inches.
HOW TO CARE FOR CARROT
Thin the carrot tops to 2 inches apart when they reach 4 inches in height. There will be some carrots that are large enough to eat. As the carrots mature, thin them out to 4 inches apart. Roots of poor quality are produced by overcrowding and rough soils.
READ ALSO: HOW TO PLANT, GROW, AND HARVEST CARROTS
If radishes were mixed in with the carrots, pick them out as they mature and eat them.
Scratch the soil lightly around the plants and water the row frequently to prevent crusting, or cover the seeds with vermiculite or sand to prevent crusting. This is especially beneficial for crops that are grown during the hot summer months.
When the seedlings reach 2 inches in height, thin them out and space them 2 inches apart. Pull out the weaker seedlings and snip off the tops with sterilized scissors, being careful not to touch the roots. Harvest every other seedling after 30 days to use as tiny carrots in the kitchen.
To avoid disturbing the carrots, remove weeds as soon as they appear. Midseason, side-dress the carrot bed with compost to fertilize it. Alternatively, about six weeks after planting, apply a low-nitrogen 5-10-10 slow-release fertilizer. After fertilizing, make sure to water.
Maintain an even moisture level in the soil and mulch the carrot rows, keeping the mulch 2 to 4 inches away from the carrot tops.
Brush a little mulch over the carrot shoulders when they emerge above the dirt to keep them from turning green and bitter. About 50 to 80 days after planting, harvest the carrots when they reach a diameter of 3/4 to 1 inch.
CARROT DISEASES
Dust the plants with an approved fungicide if they develop leaf spots. Remove any yellowing or stunted carrot plants from the garden.
Your soil may have nematodes if the roots have knots on them. Fungicides such as neem oil, sulfur, and others can be employed. Always follow the directions on the label.
HOW LONG DOES CARROT TAKE TO MATURE? WHEN TO HARVEST CARROT
70 to 80 days after planting, carrots should be ready to harvest. When the roots are 1 to 112 inches in diameter, pull them out of the dirt. Loosen the dirt around the carrot with a shovel to avoid breaking it during pulling.
Remove the carrot tops and lay them in the compost pile to keep the roots from wilting after harvest. Remove any unused carrots and place them in a compost pile or into the soil with a spade.
HOW TO STORE CARROT AFTER HARVEST
Carrots should be washed and stored on the refrigerator’s bottom shelf. If you store carrots in a plastic bag to enhance humidity and at a temperature near 32 degrees F, they will survive several weeks.