A Detailed Guide to Carrot Planting Methods and Growth Process

The growth process of almost any plant is much the same: it starts from a seed, then sprouts, then grows more shoots and seedlings, then keeps growing and flourishing, then flowers and sets fruit, and finally dies off. Carrots, as an ordinary vegetable, are naturally no exception.

The growth process of carrots

1. Germination stage: from sowing to the appearance of a pair of pointed true leaves takes 7—10 days. Carrot seeds germinate slowly, with a low germination rate and uneven germination. Therefore the germination process of carrots generally has fairly strict requirements for conditions: keep the soil fine, loose and airy, and create good temperature and moisture conditions, which are essential for ensuring uniform and complete seedlings. Under good conditions the germination rate of carrots is 70%, while under poor conditions the germination rate is only about 20%.

2. Seedling stage: from the true leaves showing their centers to 5—6 leaves takes about 20 days. During this period photosynthesis and root absorption capacity are not strong, and above-ground growth is relatively slow, but it is indeed the key period for the underground growth to set its line; the length set during this period determines the length of the carrot for its whole life. The suitable growing temperature is 23—25℃. Carrots are relatively sensitive to living conditions, so sufficient nutritional area and fertile, moist soil conditions should be maintained at all times. Do not water too frequently; watch the soil to see when it is dry and when it is wet, and ensure the soil moisture is suitable. If the soil is too wet, there is little air in the soil, the temperature naturally drops, and the carrot readily grows into a short pointed small column shape. This period is the key time for thinning and removing seedlings, and the timing must be grasped accurately without missing it.

3. Leaf growth peak stage: from 5—6 true leaves to the rosette stage, the leaf area continuously expands and the fleshy root begins to grow slowly, taking about 25 days. In this period leaf growth above ground predominates, and fertilizer and water supply should not be too great. Management of the above-ground leaves should maintain “promoting growth without excessive vigor”; pay attention to applying extra foliar fertilizer to improve nutritional status and prevent the leaves from turning yellow and withering too early, while also preventing excessive water and fertilizer from causing spindly leaf growth.

4. Fleshy root growth peak stage: from the rosette stage to harvesting the roots takes 50—60 days, accounting for about 2/5 of the whole growing period. The leaves continue to grow, the lower old leaves continuously die, and photosynthetic products are transported and stored in the underground fleshy root. During this period, water and fertilizer management should be strengthened, potassium fertilizer should be applied additionally, and good temperature and moisture conditions should be created to promote the development and thickening of the underground root.

How to plant carrots

1. Rubbing off the hairs and sprouting

The seed surface has bristles that make the seeds hook together into balls, making even sowing difficult and also hindering contact between the seeds and the soil, which is unfavorable for germination. After the seeds are harvested and dried, the bristles should be rubbed off immediately; rubbing also separates the two half-fruits into single seeds. Because the seeds are rather small, when sowing you may also mix in an appropriate amount of plant ash or fine soil to help sow evenly. You may also add an appropriate amount of cabbage seeds, which can emerge early and indicate where the carrot rows are, helping with early weeding, intertillage and other operations. Carrot seeds absorb water slowly and germinate late; sowing after sprouting can bring emergence about 4 d earlier. The sprouting method is: soak the seeds with the bristles rubbed off in 40℃ water for 2 h, then drain off the water and place them at 20-25℃ to sprout. During sprouting, suitable humidity should also be maintained and the seeds should be turned regularly so that they are under uniform temperature and humidity conditions. When most of the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown.

2. Sowing methods

For drilling, use a single row with a row spacing of 15-20 cm, or a wide double row of 45-50 cm. Open furrows 2-3 cm deep, apply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer along the furrows, mix it evenly with the soil, then sow; after sowing, cover with soil (or cover with an appropriate amount of plant ash or fine irrigation fertilizer mixed with fine soil) to a thickness level with the furrow. You may also sow immediately after opening the furrow, press lightly and then water. Afterward, cover the bed surface with chopped grass to retain moisture. For drilling, the seed rate is 105 kg per hectare. For broadcasting, seed can be scattered directly on the bed surface; after sowing, loosen the soil, press, water and cover with chopped grass in the same way as for drilling. For broadcasting, the seed rate is 15-225 kg per hectare. In some areas, such as Shanxi Province, large-scale carrot cultivation uses drill sowing with a seed rate of about 1125 kg per hectare. After sowing, if temperature and humidity are suitable, seedlings emerge in 10-15 d (sprouted seeds emerge in 6-7 d).

Carrot planting time

The best time to sow carrots is between Minor Heat and Major Heat, but in recent years, due to market demand, spring-sown carrots have also appeared. Spring sowing is earlier, generally carried out from late February to early March!

The origin of carrots

1. Carrots originated in southwestern Asia, with Afghanistan as the earliest center of evolution; the cultivation history is more than 2000 years.

2. In the 10th century AD they were introduced from Iran to the European continent.

3. In the 15th century they appeared in Britain and developed into the European ecotype, with the most planting especially along the Mediterranean coast.

4. In the 16th century they were introduced to the United States.

5. Around the 13th century they were introduced from Iran to China and developed into the Chinese ecotype, with the most planting in Shandong, Henan, Zhejiang, Yunnan and other provinces. Carrots were introduced from China to Japan in the 16th century.

Planting carrots is something farmers in most regions of our country do. Small-scale carrot planting is not too complicated, and does not require too much attention in terms of technique and methods. But for large-scale batch planting, it is very critical; after all, anything involving money is worth paying attention to.