Tips For Growing Carrots / Starting Seeds | Zone 8b PNW

Hi Everyone, thank you for watching my video. This video is about starting carrots. Carrots are easy to grow once you get the hang of their specific needs. Of all of the tips, keeping the soil moist for 2-3 weeks while the seeds are germinating is the biggest thing to remember. You also want to make sure you are not fertilizing your carrots ("nitrogen grows greens").
Here in the PNW, the spring is a great time to seed carrots and the rains help keep the soil from drying out. Plant carrots in the late summer for fall/overwintering carrots.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments and Happy Gardening!!
#pnwgardening #pnw #growingfood #gardentips #carrots

[@marilynmiller9864]

I love your 'squirrel!' moments!😁

[@littlerootsranch]

Yes!!! There are no shortage of those moments. 😅😂

[@hbrill3238]

Lord how I wish I could crouch down for 4:50 min! Darn arthritis! Enjoy your youth and health, young lady. And thanks for the great video!

[@littlerootsranch]

That made me laugh. I believe I was using the raised bed to support a little weight. Now I have a brace on my ankle so I hope my luck didn’t run out. Thanks for watching.

[@carlhart9701]

4 hour an 50 minutes I don't think anyone does that.... i could be wrong

[@Cali33650]

Thanks for all the advices. I will try in the July for fall crops since I was not successful in the spring. I should have watched your video earlier. Best,

[@littlerootsranch]

Gardening is all about making mistakes and learning. If you plant stuff now, the longer stuff, they will be ready for a late summer/fall harvest.

[@beverlyhart6144]

I've never been able to grow carrots jhere in Va

[@littlerootsranch]

Oh no, I am sorry to hear that. Carrots take a long time to germinate and need to be consistently moist the whole time.

[@connieslater4779]

you mention that you DON'T have carrot rust where you are is is that typical for the stanwood area I am asking because I am in Granite Falls and pretty much we run about the same with everything

[@littlerootsranch]

I am not sure about other areas but I don’t recall hearing other farmers talk about it- and all we do is talk about what is happening with our crops.

[@andythey1473]

Thank you so much for posting this video! I tried growing carrots for the first time last year with no success. This year I'm growing Chantenay carrots and my soil is doing a lot better so I'm super hopeful! (I inherited a community plot that was just solid clay, I couldn't even put metal stakes in the ground lol)

[@littlerootsranch]

Carrots are easy to grow and hard to grow at the same time. The key really is making sure the soil is wet for 2-3 weeks (which can be difficult if it isn’t raining). You are smart to choose those carrots for heavy clay soil. Fingers crossed for a bountiful harvest this year. Clay soil is hard to work with, especially heavy clay.

[@kayceewhaa]

Can you show us in the fall house to prepare to overwinter? Ide love to see your glass you mentioned

[@littlerootsranch]

Yes, I will absolutely do that.

[@eleanormartinrealtor]

MY SEED PACKET SAYS TO COVER THE CARROT ROWS WITH A “FLOATING ROW COVER” WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

[@littlerootsranch]

They mean to use an agribon or any cover to keep the soil moist. I have seen people use sheets and even wood but you need to make sure you remove when they start germinating. There are also those miniature row covers that help keep the soil warmer in colder temps (if there is sun).

[@katyowens2533]

I've found mine do best in a large storage tote (50 gal, with drainage ) and sift all my soil, compact etc in ad I go. If it's got sides over 18 in high you can thwart off carrot fly if that's an issue. I do like to amend with bone meal My favorites are yellow and red. Uzbek and kyto reds are fun for the kids. The rainbow mixes as well are fun

[@littlerootsranch]

That sounds like a perfect set up. A storage tote would have the best dimensions for growing carrots. I think I was reading somewhere that the first carrots were red and somehow orange ended up being the main carrot color. I love seeing all of the carrot colors. Yes!! I forgot to mention bone meal!!

[@sotiredoflies]

What is a good storage carrot variety?

[@littlerootsranch]

I like bolero personally. I seed it early summer and have it all winter.

[@georgeruch2579]

Amateur Tip: You can mix carrots seeds in damp starter mix, potting soil, sand, etc for a few days before you spread them in your garden. This will speed up their germination in the garden.

[@littlerootsranch]

Ah yes!! Thank you. I forget that because I used the pelleted seed. Great advice George.

[@ReapingTheHarvest]

I just use the paper towel germination method, then plant when tails sprout.

[@ReapingTheHarvest]

I like pelleted seeds, but have heard they are only viable for about a year. I can't confirm how true that is however.

[@ollagardeningwithmichele1144]

Can you give us the link to the pelleted carrot seeds? thanks

[@littlerootsranch]

If you go to Johnny Select Seeds and navigate to carrots, one of the side filters will say “Pelleted” and it will show you all of the pelleted seeds. Let me try to pull a link.

[@littlerootsranch]

www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/carrots/?prefn1=prod_feature_seed_type&prefv1=16

[@goodtimberfarm]

How do you find the thick wood chip pathways and garden beds are to maintain? I’m guess you’re no till or low till so as to not end up mixing the soil and chips? I’ll have to creep some of your other videos from mid growing season to see what’s involved. I’m considering a living white clover mulch in both the pathways and beds, but I don’t know if it’ll cause problems than it’s worth for short crops 🤷‍♂️. Still on the never ending mission to find a way to reduce both weeds and effort lol

[@littlerootsranch]

I find the wood chips really easy to maintain (except in the off season when my chickens scratch at them, lol). The wood chips are really easy to rake back into line without disturbing the soil. I am no-till so I don’t have to contend with them mixing. I have considered growing micro clover in the pathways but haven’t incorporated it. I didn’t like the idea of edging it though I have heard from others that it isn’t a problem. My gardens are on old blackberry patches, so I needed something thick to smother a lifetime of weeds. Plus, I have a plan to alternate soil and wood chips in several years to “rotate” when the chips break down. I am not totally sure on my plan for that, but my chips are cedar so I have time to figure it out, lol. Thanks for watching.

[@kathynugent1987]

Really good info. We are northwest of San Antonio, Tx in what is called the Texas Hill Country we are zoned 8B also. Can you tell me where you are at?

[@littlerootsranch]

I am zone 8b but I am in the PNW, specifically Stanwood, WA.

[@barbaraengle768]

I have raised beds so probably nanites

[@littlerootsranch]

Yes, that would be the best carrot, and also so yummy even at baby stage.

[@heikedeubner9073]

Excellent overview! A comment and a question: Nematodes probably aren't very effective in our relatively low spring temps. My garden suffers from carrot root fly. Do you have those too, and do you have any tips other than meticulous application of row cover?

[@littlerootsranch]

When I put the nematodes out, I was worried about the lower temps but I do see less wireworms so far (though I bribe the birds to eat them). As far as carrot root fly, I haven’t been challenged with them yet. I am sure it is coming, they just haven’t found me yet. I wish I had some advice to share, but I don’t.

[@heikedeubner9073]

@@littlerootsranch thanks for the reply. I'm enjoying your down-to-earth videos!

[@musiimeremegio434]

I need u knowlege madam

[@littlerootsranch]

Thank you.

[@primazio44]

Where do you buy your pelleted seeds? (Local in stanwood) And which type would you recommend for first timers?, I have young kids so I want to do a rainbow mix for sure! Thanks for the awesome tips!

[@littlerootsranch]

I get my pelleted seed from Johnny’s Select Seeds. They are aimed a little more at commercial growers but anyone can order from them. I’m not sure most seed houses pellet their seed because the seed cannot be stored if it is pelleted. A rainbow carrot garden sounds beautiful.

[@travisevans7502]

I'm growing Napoli, Uzbek golden, Amarillo and Cosmic purple I also have wireworms need to try the beneficial nematodes I was researching and found out about them do they work?

[@littlerootsranch]

I tried them and they did work. They don’t work instantly but they work- which was great. I had a bunch of wireworms and now I rarely find one.

[@travisevans7502]

@@littlerootsranch I will have to get some where did you get them ?