Branching Out's Seeds and Sprouts

[Dahlia]

We roasted a bunch of the smallest ones whole last night, and they were yummy. Hopefully there will be carrot cake in our future too!

Carrot cake is my favorite!!!!

 

[Branching Out]

Your carrots are GORGEOUS!!!
You are now My carrot master, and I bow at your feet...and I Will be writing you for advice!!

Carrots were a challenge to figure out; it took years for us to get a reliable crop consistently. In our area I think it comes down to timing (and selecting the right variety, to match the season of harvest). These ones were started a couple of weeks after our last frost. Sowing in late June or early July works well for us too. To begin I add dry organic fertilizer, firm the seed bed well while the soil is dry, and then water deeply before sowing the seeds. For seed placement I use a template; that helps a lot in spacing out the seeds-- so no thinning is required afterwards. Once the seeds are in place they get a fine sprinkling of peat moss or Promix (mostly because it's weed-free), and then a gentle watering until the top dressing is completely moist. I finish by covering the patch with either row cover or else a sheet of plywood, until green sprouts appear. That can take a few days to a week, depending on the weather. At the first sign of growth the plywood comes off, and if using row cover it can stay in place. This might sound very complicated, but once you've done it a few times it's pretty easy. The end result is worth the extra effort.