tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post4489983090533378083..comments2024-03-19T00:54:49.043-05:00Comments on In My Kitchen Garden: Gardening How To:Growing and Thinning (and Weeding!) Heirloom CarrotsFarmgirl Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04851855517852917202noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-44370805964715130152011-06-22T12:35:33.093-05:002011-06-22T12:35:33.093-05:00Hi Anon,
Welcome to the wonderful world of gardeni...<b>Hi Anon,</b><br />Welcome to the wonderful world of gardening! I'm afraid I don't have any experience planting carrot seeds in containers - it's recommended that you plant seeds for root crops like carrots directly in the ground.<br /><br />Whenever starting seeds in containers, though, you want to wait to transplant them until they have at least one pair of 'true' leaves. The first two leaves that sprout up aren't true leaves.<br /><br />Since carrot seedlings are - as you mentioned - so tiny and fragile, you'll probably want to wait until they're bigger before you put them directly in the ground. If they're all in one container now, you'll want to first transplant them into individual plugs.<br /><br />Happy growing! :)Farmgirl Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04851855517852917202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-67651053485395582802011-06-21T22:50:13.405-05:002011-06-21T22:50:13.405-05:00ive planted carrot seeds in a germinating tray &am...ive planted carrot seeds in a germinating tray & the seedlings are about an inch tall & have 2 leaves...how do i know when theyre ready 2 put in the soil...they just look so tiny & fragile...i need some help please...totally new to this gardening thing but loving every minute of it...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-22799994250036677942011-06-05T08:28:55.246-05:002011-06-05T08:28:55.246-05:00Anon,
I've used both green ('fresh') a...<b>Anon,</b><br />I've used both green ('fresh') and brown (dried) grass clippings as mulch in my raised garden beds. Now that we have a lawn mower with a collecting basket attached, they usually go straight from the mower into the garden.<br /><br />But up until last year I had to rake the clippings off the lawn, and sometimes they had already dried and turned brown by the time I got to them, especially if the weather is hot and sunny - they dry out quickly!<br /><br />Both kinds have worked fine for me, although if your clippings are very wet, they may end up getting moldy if you use a thick layer - which is what works best when mulching to keep out weeds.<br /><br />You can always spread the clippings out somewhere for a day or two, or even a few hours, to dry them out before spreading them - either on the lawn where they were cut or on a plastic tarp, etc.<br /><br />Grass clippings are a wonderful way to both mulch and add nutrients to the soil. If you don't need/want to mulch, simply leave them on the lawn where you cut, where they'll also work their way back into the soil and help the lawn. Grass clippings never need to go in the garbage! Though you can also add them to the compost pile.<br /><br />Hope this helps! :)Farmgirl Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04851855517852917202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-49355623855685225022011-06-02T15:03:30.552-05:002011-06-02T15:03:30.552-05:00Do you mulch with "fresh" grass clipping...Do you mulch with "fresh" grass clippings? Thanks, I am new to gardening and need lots of help!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-78786706867717228682009-06-10T10:35:13.096-05:002009-06-10T10:35:13.096-05:00Lo, I had the same problem--not sadness so much as...Lo, I had the same problem--not sadness so much as hating to "waste" anything. But when you see your carrot tops really take off in neat little grids because they have room to grow, you will feel better I promise!ValHallahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843439954015747722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-68215974383660449272009-06-09T16:31:31.439-05:002009-06-09T16:31:31.439-05:00Great tips!
Now -- any tips on not feeling SO INCR...Great tips!<br />Now -- any tips on not feeling SO INCREDIBLY SAD when you have to thin the poor carrots. Those babies that must be "sacrificed for the cause" just break my heart :)Lohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02627131190832189839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-24020608702341812772009-06-09T16:03:45.173-05:002009-06-09T16:03:45.173-05:00I have my first "big time" garden this y...I have my first "big time" garden this year--two 3x6 raised beds. It's all new soil so luckily weeds are not an issue.<br />I am over thinning already--someone else told me to transplant my crowded mesclun--as if! <br />I will painstakingly drop one tiny seed at a time at the allotted distance apart before I do any thinning. I cut carrots that were too close together with tiny scissors. <br />I am following square foot gardening plans of 16 per square, a little fewer than that actually, as I am skeptical of that spacing. The spring batch will be my only one until fall, as it gets pretty hot here in Va., but in fall I already have those heirloom round carrots from Botanical Interests to try if the regular carrots end up as midgets.ValHallahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843439954015747722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-61632286327680128752009-06-09T10:15:09.916-05:002009-06-09T10:15:09.916-05:00Thanks for the tips on growing carrots. I've ...Thanks for the tips on growing carrots. I've never been able to do so successfully! Perhaps I'll try again.Lisa Carroll-Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10273095136947961386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-67362375798811717292009-06-08T11:15:49.834-05:002009-06-08T11:15:49.834-05:00My raised beds last year did fabulous with carrots...My raised beds last year did fabulous with carrots. Big and juicy and sweet! They sure do love that loose and rich soil.<br /><br />This year I thought I'd be miss smarty pants and interplant them with tomatoes (as another book suggested) since they supposedly will grow faster and be done before the tomatoes shade them.<br /><br />Hmmm...well, I have about 200 carrots trying to get a tiny bit of sunlight under 7 foot tall tomato plants.<br /><br />This fall I'm going to have to double plant for sure.<br /><br />I also did the Scarlet Nantes and St. Valery (Baker's freebie this year) and both were delicious.ChristyACBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18396628757148282551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-77513101339011311572009-06-08T09:04:47.477-05:002009-06-08T09:04:47.477-05:00I was THRILLED to see this post. I have also real...I was THRILLED to see this post. I have also really wanted to grow carrots! Something about the pictures of those things with long sprigs of curly greens on the end completely emulates home gardening! And I haven't had any luck yet. I have checked out the Gardening Bible book you referred to and the carrots page is the page have I read over and over! Because I just really want to grow carrots dang-it! You mention planting more carrots for a fall harvest. Can you give an idea of when you plant carrot seeds for a fall harvest in Missouri? I'm a little farther north than you but probably not much difference in our weather! I even made seed tape this year for carrots, planted them in with the lettuce, but I think my lettuce is choking out the carrots! Aggggghh! I'll keep trying - this is the one vege I am determined to grow! Keep us updated on the progress of yours. <br />(I have to tell you one year I planted carrots and what I got was referred to around our house as "barbie carrots" - long greens and very little carrot - I have two daughters, and no sons, so we relate to most things in "girl terms" :)JeannaMOnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-46111535949481337352009-06-07T19:16:49.679-05:002009-06-07T19:16:49.679-05:00Great article and practical tips. I'm trying m...Great article and practical tips. I'm trying my hand at carrots this year with some small Parmex carrots I ordered from Johnny's. So far they are doing great in our North Alabama soil.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-29393858362325633972009-06-07T19:14:09.663-05:002009-06-07T19:14:09.663-05:00I had bad luck with carrots the first time I tried...I had bad luck with carrots the first time I tried; thick clay soil isn't very conducive to root crops. But now, after several years of adding compost to the soil, I might try a few again.Daisyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11647906900944224234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-57531500859582326432009-06-07T14:11:19.628-05:002009-06-07T14:11:19.628-05:00I wish I'd had this post a month ago...I think...I wish I'd had this post a month ago...I think only 4 carrots out of the three rows actually sprouted. I gave up last week and dug all the weeds up. Next round I'll add lettuce in the mix. Thank you for the tip!Going Green Mamahttp://going-green-mama.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-3391907205781605512009-06-07T13:09:33.351-05:002009-06-07T13:09:33.351-05:00The carrots look great! I have big plans to grow ...The carrots look great! I have big plans to grow a wide variety of heirloom carrots this fall, when the temps. are cooler here. I like the tip about planting radishes to mark the rows, and just read someplace that harvesting the radishes will keep the soil loose, which the carrots prefer. Cheers!Elizabethhttp://inthekitchenandthegarden.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-24623412555549708892009-06-07T12:11:25.881-05:002009-06-07T12:11:25.881-05:00This is my first year growing carrots. Actually i...This is my first year growing carrots. Actually it's my first year growing anything! The greens are only two inches high so we'll see how well they do.jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05925212233815659494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-54297269658816489952009-06-07T10:18:44.684-05:002009-06-07T10:18:44.684-05:00I'm also growing carrots, my garden blog just ...I'm also growing carrots, my garden blog just started but pictures will be coming soon. I did an oopsie the other day and wanted to see how they were growing only to find out that they were as thin as a pencil's lead. When I put it back, I bent some leaves and also some others. Oopsie! I need to grow patience!!! Thanks for having such a wonderful and informative blog. I'll be back!Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582480354471217718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-39555717726965788162009-06-07T08:41:07.566-05:002009-06-07T08:41:07.566-05:00Great post! I haven't had luck growing carrot...Great post! I haven't had luck growing carrots either, although I planted some this year and am hoping for better results with the raised beds. My whole garden needs some serious attention.Kalyn Dennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02499065771517548587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-36687269198293950462009-06-07T07:25:29.812-05:002009-06-07T07:25:29.812-05:00A few weeks ago I pulled a carrot from my garden t...A few weeks ago I pulled a carrot from my garden that accidently overwintered in the soil (I live in western PA). It was still nice and firm but I didn't try eating it as some bug already had. The only carrots I have had success with are the half size danvers.Rachelhttp://pyro_98athotmail.comnoreply@blogger.com