I'm tackling my second garden this year, and I'm having some issues with getting carrots to grow. Last year, I only managed to get a few to sprout in the fall. This spring, I started some seeds in a wet paper towel, then moved them to egg cartons with starter soil. I saw about five sprouts pop up, but they vanished and nothing else has grown since. Should I just sow the seeds directly? I've been hesitant because it's been raining a lot lately and I haven't prepped the garden bed yet. Any advice would be really appreciated!
3 Answers
A tip: use a simple $12 tray kit if you're trying seeds indoors, but for carrots, I’d recommend direct sowing. They're picky about their growing conditions and moisture levels.
Definitely skip the transplanting! Direct sow your carrot seeds and ensure the soil stays consistently moist until you see them sprout. An Amish tip I learned: cover the soil with a piece of cardboard after sowing and weigh it down with some rocks. This keeps the moisture in and helps with germination. Make sure you mist the soil occasionally to keep it damp, but not soggy.
Carrots really don’t like being transplanted, so it’s better to sow the seeds directly in the ground instead of starting them indoors. Try soaking your seeds for about three days in a clear jar near a window before planting them. On the day you sow, you can make a warm corn starch slurry for better seed distribution. Just remember to use loose soil—carrots don't want to struggle to grow down! Mixing in some sifted compost and sand can help too. Good luck!