CHANTINO - Open Pollinated Chantenay Carrot Seeds

Carrot seeds should be sown only when the soil has been warmed by the spring sun. To germinate reliably, they need light, sandy soil, well-raked to break down any lumps; if your garden has clay soil, you'll be much better off growing carrots in raised beds or containers. 

Create a shallow trench about ¼ in (5 mm) deep, by laying down a cane and pushing it into the soil. Space rows 6 in (15 cm) apart and sow the seed thinly along the row; this avoids having to thin out seedlings later, which may attract carrot flies. Cover the seeds with soil; water through a rose.  

Successive sowings in spring and summer will provide a continuous crop of roots through summer and fall. Choose early varieties for quick crops of small roots and main crops for larger carrots in late summer and fall.  

WEED: Wispy carrot seedlings do not cope well with competition, so weed meticulously to keep the soil around them weed-free.  

THIN: Seedlings should be thinned in stages to about 2 in (5 cm) apart as they grow. Pinch them off at soil level and ensure that all thinned seedlings are quickly disposed of to avoid attracting carrot flies, which are drawn to the scent of bruised carrot leaves.  

PROTECT: Slugs can be deterred using barriers or traps around young carrots, but carrot flies are a more difficult problem. Unless you are lucky, you'll need to protect your crop against these tiny tunneling maggots. No single method is foolproof:  

• Cover rows of carrots completely with fine insect mesh or horticultural fleece to keep out the egg-laying adult flies.  
• Adult flies are only capable of flying close to the ground. Erect a vertical barrier of polythene or fine insect mesh, at least 2 ft (60 cm) tall around the carrot bed.  
• Keep carrots out of reach of adult flies by growing them in pots placed 2 ft (60 cm) above ground level.  
• Try growing carrots alongside alliums such as onions, chives, or leeks; flies may be deterred by their scent.  
• Don't grow carrots in the same place every year, because flies overwinter in the soil and may strike again in spring. 

WATER: Carrots growing in the ground need minimal watering. Water those in pots consistently to keep the roots growing steadily and prevent splitting (which often occurs when carrots are overwatered after a dry spell). 

It is difficult to judge when carrots are ready for harvest, because large roots may be fully concealed under the soil. Baby carrots are typically ready about two months after sowing early varieties. Check by feeling under the soil surface for the top of the root. Unearth carrots that have a reasonable width with a firm pull on the base of the leaves. You may need a fork to lift larger roots. Roots keep well in the ground but should be lifted before the first hard frost. After harvest, you can store main crop carrots by twisting off their foliage and placing them in boxes of damp sand in a cool, dark place.