With basil being the perfect addition to salads and cooking, this article will guide you through the steps of growing and caring for basil in your garden. From choosing a location and spacing, to how to water it and protect it from pests, these are all simple tips to help you grow your own perfect basil!
Basil is a perennial, which means it will last through the winter and grow back again the following year. It can be a little tricky to find a good spot in your garden, as most of us use family plots or even driveways to plant our veggies. For these reasons, Basil grows best in containers and other areas with more soil space. Not only does it help give you more room to work but they also need more care so that they’ll grow healthy and have longevity!
How To Start A New Basil Plant From Seed
You can easily start a new basil plant from seed if you’re planning on growing the herb indoors. Simply purchase some seeds from your local grocery store and make sure you buy more than one. I like to buy several in case of any ‘miscalculations’ with my seeds. Use scissors to snip the seeds and scatter them into a jar or plastic container. Cover the containers with a towel and place them into your fridge or somewhere cool until they germinate in a few days to a week. Simply let the seeds grow until they sprout, which shouldn’t take longer than two weeks, then transfer them into their own pots or containers. Basil can be planted inside any time of year but if you want it to start flowering right away – mid-spring is the best time for this!
Planting Your Basil Seeds
It’s really important that you plant your basil plants as deep as the soil allows, and it’s also important that you do not cover the soil with plastic as this will cause problems with your plant. I always plant mine in an area of open ground at least 6 inches away from any wall or fence so that they can get plenty of sun and space to grow, however many home gardeners simply use a small window box or a large pot. You can even use some old terracotta pots and window boxes but make sure you take the plants out of them before winter.
How to Care for Basil Plant
Watering – Basil is a drought tolerant plant. However, it will do best in well-drained soil with adequate water. A good rule of thumb is to water your basil every week during the growing season, but only if the soil feels dry. When watering, aim to wet the surface of the soil, not the leaves.
Fertilizing – One of the best ways to grow basil from seeds is to fertilize them with compost or manure. Once the basil plants are established, you can water them with compost or rainwater. You can also mulch the plants to keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.
Harvesting
Basil is a great herb to grow in the garden because it can be harvested multiple times throughout the year. In early spring, basil is in its flowering stage and can be picked fresh. In summer, basil is in its fruit stage and can be eaten fresh or dried. In fall, basil is in its harvest stage and can be used as a flavoring for foods or brewed as a tea. Basil can also be frozen for later use.
We all love avocados, and especially in the summer, they are everyone’s favorite fruits! The avocado fruit is simply delicious and irresistible, and this food can be easily incorporated in your everyday diet, either alone or as a unique condiment.
However, a few of you probably knew that you can plant and grow your own avocado at home!
Therefore, next time you are slicing it for a salad, or you are preparing delicious guacamoles, remember not to throw the seed away, as you will need it in order to grow your own avocado trees.
However, people in areas with sunny and warm areas may enjoy in these fruits often, but since they can be easily destroyed by frost and cold, northern gardeners should follow some important tips in order to grow them at home.
First of all, extract the seed, by removing the pit from the flesh of the avocado gently. Wash it clean or soak the pit n some water for several minutes and them scrub it to eliminate all remains. However, note that you should keep the seed cover, that is, the brown skin of the pit.
Then, pierce it. All avocado pits have two ends, its top, that is, the end from which the sprout grows, and its bottom, from where the roots grow. The top is the end which is a bit pointier, and the flatter one is the bottom.
In order to stimulate it to sprout, you should put the bottom in some water. Therefore, it is important to determine which end is the bottom before you pierce the pit.
After you have soaked it in water, firmly wedge in some toothpicks. In order to leave a larger part of the avocado base soaking, you should stick the toothpicks pointing down.
Next, you need to leave the seed to sprout for 3-6 weeks. After this time, you will notice a sprout coming out from the top, as well as roots at the base.
As soon as the stem is grown for about 5-6 inches, pinch out the top set of leaves, and in a few weeks, you can expect to have new leaves and no more roots.
After some time, the sprout tail will be around 6-7 inches, and you will need to trim it in half in order to stimulate new growth.
Now, take a large flowerpot (for instance, 8″ to 10″ across) and place some enriched potting soil to about an inch from the pot’s top.
Place the pit in a small depression you will make in the center, but you need to put it root-side down. In order to water the pit, you should generously water the soil, as it needs to be really moist.
This optical illusion may tell a lot about your personality based on what you see first.
The optical illusion was made by Christo Dagorov.
This optical illusion reveals your deepest personality strengths – what do you see
This ‘mermaid’ optical illusion has left netizens completely baffled; JK Rowling says it’s a ‘donkey’
What did you notice first?
Trees? Or roots? Or lips?
Read on to find out what it means!
If you spotted the trees first, you are likely to be a more outgoing and extroverted person.
“You care a lot about the opinions of others and can sometimes be overly focused on what other people think about you,” according to Heart.co.uk.
This cat optical illusion will tell you if you’re an optimist or pessimist
“Politeness is something you live by, but you are also extremely mysterious, and it’s hard for other people to know what you’re thinking in social situations.”
“This also means you’re good at hiding your true emotions, and although you have a large group of ‘friends’ around you – only a few are considered ‘true and sincere.'”
The Roots
If you noticed a line of plants rooted, it means that you are a shy and introverted person.
Heart said, “You are particularly good at accepting constructive criticism and work hard to always better yourself which can inspire people around you.”
You might be gentle and sometimes have low self-esteem but you’re hard-headed and can be stubborn at times.
“The people you meet first will think that you are someone very ordinary, without talent or revolutionary qualities. However, this impression changes when they get to know you and realize that you are extremely competent and enthusiastic.”
The Lips
If you saw lips first, you are most probably a simple and calm person.
“Shying away from drama, you like to live life in the middle land and ‘always go with the flow,’ without being distracted by complications and an ‘unnecessary movement to find fulfillment’.”
“While you’re seen as flexible, wise, and honest, some people may perceive you as weak and needing help, but in reality, you’re more than capable of solving your own problems.”
Optical illusions are a fun way to not just determine how fast you can solve complicated puzzles through your observation power and common sense, but can also help you learn hidden traits about your personality. You can also do these challenges along with your friends or family members, and learn more about each other.
As for how an optical illusion test can help determine your personality, it is believed by many experts in psychology that your perception can reveal a lot about how your mind works and where do you incline towards.
Here is one such simple yet interesting optical illusion personality test. All you need to do is focus on what you see first and make note of it. Ready? Observe!This picture has two dominant parts – a crocodile and a boat. After noting what you (and your friends/family) saw first, read below what these two symbols represent.
If you see a crocodile first
If the first thing you identify is a crocodile, then it means that you tend to focus on the bigger picture. On the bright side, this helps to get through troublesome times faster, without obsessing over every small thing that comes your way. However, on the downside, you may have to bear the repercussions of missing out on some crucial stuff, as you fail to read in between the lines. You lack focus and usually have less patience. However, you are generally cool-headed which helps you take charge, especially when all others go spiraling in stress.
If you see a boat first
If the first thing you notice is the boat, then you have a unique approach to life in general. You do not like playing by the rules and following customs until you figure out the logic of their existence. You value the little things in life and would prefer having a great time in your living room with your closed ones, instead of going hiking with 15 people. You have a limited friend circle but those you have understand you like no one else can.
The image you see first is said to say a lot about the aspects of your personality that can impact your relationships
What do you see first?
This optical illusion by artist Oleg Shupliak’s is a surrealist painting depicting a mountain landscape.
Shupliak is renowned for combining faces of people within landscapes in his collection of hidden paintings, and it is claimed that this Visions in the Mountains picture can reveal your hidden weaknesses.
Several different people are hidden within the landscape and the person you are drawn to first reportedly reflects your negative habits in relationships and what you need to do as a partner to keep that spark alive, according to Your Tango.
If you saw the hooded figure first, your biggest weakness in a relationship is your temper.
Everyone has a tendency to lose their cool at one point or another, but it is said that people who spot the hooded figure become angry more easily.
To improve your relationship, you need to be careful what you say when you lose your temper as words can hurt and can be difficult to take back.
Your Tango states: “Sometimes just walking away until the red subsides is the best way to make productive communication happen.”
If you spotted the face of the Mona Lisa when you first glanced at the illusion, your greatest weakness in a relationship is the way you romanticise life.
You find “everyday beauty” in relationships with different people, but your outlook means you have a tendency to avoid problems and pretend everything is fine when it’s not.
Shying away from issues is not healthy in a relationship and will not do you or your partner any good.
The person sitting on a jacket
If the first thing you saw in the image was a person sitting crossed legged on a jacket, your biggest weakness in a relationship is supposedly your fear of conflict.
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You find having to express negative emotions or concerns to another person difficult, and worry about having such conversations as you fear how they might react.
Learning how to deal with issues head-on is key to a healthy relationship and making it work long-term.
The person sitting on a rock in the distance
Eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted the man sitting on a rock in the distance first, which supposedly means your biggest weakness is a tendency to isolate yourself.
You enjoy spending quality time by yourself, but you need to ensure you also make time for your partner.
Your Tango states: “You call yourself an introvert, but the truth is that sometimes you just take it too darn far, alienating yourself not just from your peers, but also from the person you love most in the world.
“Getting time to yourself is important, but if you really want to nurture your relationship so that it goes the distance, you need to carve out time to be with your partner.
“The quality time you spend together is a wordless way of expressing your affection that can make a major difference in your connection.”
The bearded man
If the bearded man was the first thing that jumped out at you in this image, it means your biggest weakness is low self-esteem.
You know you have a lot of value, but sometimes a lack of self-confidence can rear its head in relationships which may have a negative effect on your love life.
Having the ability to accept that your partner loves you no matter what is important for trust and will help to strengthen your bond.
Your Tango explains: “Never question why your partner loves you. Plain and simple: that’s not your problem, and it isn’t even your right to know.
“Blindly accepting the love your significant other offers you is essential if you hope to deepen your connection over time.
The optical Illusion image here can tell if you can cross boundaries for the ones you love. This optical illusion picture can reveal a lot about your personality traits and also if you can cross limits for love. See the picture below.
Optical Illusion Revealing If You Can Cross Boundaries For Love: Optical Illusion images have a different effect on your brain. They reach the darkest corners inside your mind and pull out the personality traits even you are not aware of explicitly. So, taking these tests is not wrong but can help you know more about yourself. Today’s optical illusion image can tell you if you can cross any boundaries for someone you love. It can tell you if you prefer hiding your feelings or confronting people about what you feel. The optical illusion picture below can reveal your personality traits based on what you see first.
Optical Illusion Image: What Do You See In The First 10 Seconds?
Check the image below and tell us what you see in the first 10 seconds.
In the image people generally either see a horse or two birds with one of the bird’s mouths open. Check the images below to be clear about what you saw first.
Optical Illusion: Analysis
Read the analysis below to know if you can cross all boundaries for someone you love or not.
In case you saw a horse first:
If you see a horse, you have a focused vision. You do not like confrontation or unnecessary fights. You are an amicable person and like being in your zone. This is why be it for anyone you do not like to fight. You prefer staying quiet instead of fighting or arguing.
It does not, however, mean that you do not show your love to people around you. It is just that you are subtle in doing that.
In case you see the love birds first:
In any case, you saw two birds first, then you confront people well and are a very straightforward person. You believe in saying what you feel straightforward. When you love someone you tell and show them without expecting them to profess their feelings in return.
You can do anything for love and you do not believe in taking the defeat or losing the game.
The optical illusion tests are not 100% true and should not be considered the sole reason for an event happening to you or the personality traits you possess. It is an indicative test that reveals the innermost secrets of your mind but we nowhere recommend relying one hundred per cent on the results observed here. However, reading these is always fun.
Know Yourself Test: What you see first personality test has been popular among internet users. In this article, we have an optical illusion that reveals your personality. What you see first in the picture tells about you, and everyone has been in awe of the results that tell 100% accurate facts and IQ levels of an individual.
Look at the picture below, do you see a face, brain/tree, or birds? These optical illusion images are designed to conduct picture psychology tests to reveal hidden traits of the personality of an individual. In this article, we have an image and what you see first in this optical illusion reveals a key part of your personality.
What You See First Reveals Your Hidden Personality Traits
1. Face
If you saw a Face first, your personality traits reveal that you struggle with identifying who you exactly are so you try to create an image of yourself for the world. You may put in different pieces or versions of yourself to present an illusion or image to the people. You feel puzzled within yourself. You try to be the jack of all trades or be good at different things and build your character. You may put together different aspects of your life together to earn recognition from the public.
In order to build an image for the world, you may focus on aspects of your outer self such as social circle, partners, family, properties, social following, materialistic items, etc., or aspects of your inner self such as memories, past, accomplishments, experiences, etc.
You may not be wrong in how you put the pieces of you to present a perfect image of yourself. However, you should embrace your inner essence and alchemize it into creating the real true you.
2. Brain/Tree
If you saw a Brain/Tree first, your personality traits reveal that you are always seeking knowledge. You are a curious person who wants to absorb knowledge about new things, new concepts, new places, etc. You may also be fascinated by psychology and human behavior. You would also enjoy philosophy.
You work differently from an average unconscious individual. You process every little pieces of information around you like the Universe is presenting you with tips and signs every now and then to help you see the bigger picture. You see life as a cosmic dance of energy. Sometimes, you may lose yourself or feel terribly exhausted in the process of absorbing so much knowledge.
You should learn to balance your inner and outer worlds. You should definitely not change your truth and way of living life. You should however not tire yourself or lose the joy of present moments in the quest of finding answers. Life reveals some of the answers in its own due time.
3. Birds
If you saw Birds first, your personality traits reveal that you are an independent soul. You do not like to be tamed or tied to the norms of society. You like to be just free from the trivial issues of everyday life and experience the world’s beauty. You are not in the quest of building yourself or finding yourself, you know what is it that you want out of life and its freedom.
You may be loyal and committed in your relationships however you have trouble with staying in one place for wrong. Your realization about how momentary and temporary everything is in the world makes you anxious and more desirous of trying or seeing new things. You value experiences over bookish knowledge. You believe traveling and exploring the world makes a man wise and apt for any life situation.
You may not like serious monotonous routines. Your style of living is more nomadic. You thrive best in the natural settings of the earth. You enjoy forests, beaches, oceans, mountains, etc. Your heart fills up with joy at the thought of packing your things and leaving for a voyage every now and then. However, you should also learn to balance your lust for exploration and your family or relationships.
Looking for plants to develop in a hanging wicker container that will be hung in a shady area?
Whether you’re acquiring a hanging bushel with plants as of now in it or putting together your possess hanging basket, choosing plants for your hanging bushel can be troublesome — particularlyin case the hanging bushel will get small to no daylightintroduction.
In this article, we put together a list of a fewwell-known shade-loving plants that we have found to grow incredibly in hanging bushels.
Beyond any doubt, this is oftenfair a test of plants that work well for hanging wicker containers in shade. You’ve got other choices when it comes to shade-loving plants for your hanging wicker container; ideally, this makes a difference you get begun.
One last note: numerous plants will develop well in the fractional sun/partial shade. This list is made of plants that are alright in full shade, but there is a bounty of plants that developincredibly with half a day of shade.
To bounce to a particular plant on this list, press an interfaceunderneath:
Beat 10 hanging bushel plants for shade
Numerous plants will be able to outlive a hanging bushel getting a part of the shade, but the underneath plants are particularly likely to flourish in a shady environment.
Fuchsia plants have beautiful and unique blooms that can droop over the side of the container they are planted in, making them a popular choice for hanging baskets.
These plants will need a lot of shade to keep from wilting or needing to be watered frequently. For this reason, they are great for a hanging basket that won’t get too much hot afternoon sun.
Looking for a plant to go with your fuchsia in a hanging basket? Try New Guinea impatiens as a companion plant.
Fuchsia plants branch out with vines and pretty blooms. For a 12″ hanging basket, we typically plant 3 trailing fuchsia plants for each pot.
Our top varieties for hanging baskets are:
Swingtime Trailing Fuchsia
Dark Eyes Trailing Fuschia
3. Coral Bells
Coral Bells, also known as heucheras, are beautiful shade-loving plants.
Their bright foliage and unique leaves make them a great option for filling your hanging baskets in a shady spot.
4. Ferns
Ferns are a classic shade-loving plant that looks stunning when grown in a hanging basket.
Many times these plants are grown under a porch or other shady area to add some style with their distinct green foliage.
Hosta is often grown in shady flower beds but can also grow well in a hanging basket for the shade.
6. Creeping Jenny
Creeping Jenny plants grow great in full sun or full shade.
These plants act as a “spiller” for your hanging basket. They are a popular choice for shade-loving hanging plants since they are easy-care, add color to the arrangement, and drape over the side of the basket.
Creeping jenny plants grow like a weed when planted in the landscape; however, in a hanging basket, other plants competing for the same soil typically help contain these plants.
A coleus‘ bright foliage can make any shade-hanging basket a beautiful display. Plant coleus with different varieties to get a unique look.
Water coleus moderately when growing them in a hanging basket.
8. Impatiens
Impatiens are the ultimate shade plant.
Their bright flowers lighten up darker areas and they thrive with little sun. These plants will branch out with the right growing conditions, including an adequate amount of watering.
New Guinea impatiens are another great plant (and cousin of impatiens) that can be used for shade-loving hanging baskets.
9. Vinca
While vinca is drought-resistant, it can also grow well in part to full shade.
With the proper watering, vinca plants are sure to brighten up your hanging basket in the shade with their colorful blooms.
10. Bacopa
Bacopa plants don’t mind some shade so they are great for shade-hanging baskets.
With adequate watering, bacopa plants will produce beautiful little blooms that attract bumblebees and butterflies.
11. Sweet Potato Vine
12. New Guinea Impatiens
Conclusion
Whether you are sourcing plants for your hanging basket or looking to buy a hanging basket, we hope this post was helpful.
The jalapeño pepper is a chili-type cultivar of the capsicum annuum species, which includes sweet bell, habanero, and cayenne peppers, among others.
On the Scoville scale, jalapeños are rated at 4,000. While many people believe the Jalapeño to be a “hot” pepper, its heat is really on the lesser side of the spectrum when compared to other, more potent peppers. Jalapeño peppers are often plucked when still green. The fruits will mature to red, orange, or yellow if left on the plant.
In this article, I’ll explain how Jalapeño peppers grow and how they are different from other pepper varieties.
Germination
Seed germination is the first step of the pepper plant’s life cycle. Jalapeño pepper plants, like other pepper cultivars, should be started indoors six to eight weeks before your area’s last frost date. Growing jalapeños from seed require a temperature range of 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You may use a seedling heat mat to provide this heated atmosphere.
Jalapeño pepper seed germination is sluggish. The seeds might take two to three weeks to grow.
Sprouting
After 1 to 2 weeks, the seeds will develop little white sprouts. The sprouts will show that the seeds were planted correctly and at the correct temperature.
First true leaves
The first leaves will emerge from the seeds 4 to 5 weeks after sowing. These help assess the growth progress of the seedling.
Third true leaves
The plant will grow a second set of leaves, known as the third true leaves. This means the plant is ready to be transplanted. Before taking the plant outdoors, slowly move it to a window to harden it up.
Vegetation Growth
Plants must manufacture their own sustenance to complete the flowering stage of development. This process is called photosynthesis. The photosynthetic process begins as soon as the leaves sprout.
You may relocate your jalapeño plants outdoors when they have hardened off and there is no danger of frost anymore. Ideally, the temperature will remain above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
The plant above ground will grow quicker and faster as the root system of the jalapeño increases. Watering, fertilizing (if the soil does not contain fertilizer), and transplanting are all required at this time of fast development.
For good leaf growth, young jalapeño plants need a lot of nitrogen as they mature. A shortage of nitrogen may result in slowed growth or fading leaves that finally fall off.
This stage of the jalapeño plant is critical for producing robust crops. It needs enough light and nutrients to develop as effectively as possible.
Flowering
The flower is the plant’s sexually reproductive organ. To attract pollinators, flower petals are often large, highly colored, and intensely perfumed.
After 2 to 4 weeks of being outside, jalapeño plants should begin to blossom. The plant will produce white or yellow flowers throughout the summer months if exposed to direct sunshine following the growth period. These flowers will develop on the tops of the branches.
Once your jalapeño plants start flowering, they don’t need nearly as much nitrogen anymore. This is the time to switch to a more phosphorus-rich fertilizer combination.
Pollination
Pollination is required for the pepper plant’s life cycle to continue.
Jalapeños self pollinate, which means they do not rely on other plants (or flowers) to complete the pollination process. Some of the flowers will pollinate when pollen drops directly from the anthers to the stigma. While other flowers will rely on wind and insects to complete the pollination process.
Fruiting
Jalapeño plant flowers, as you may know, transform into peppers. If a flower is fertilized successfully, it will shed its petals and begin to create fruit and seeds.
Ripening
Jalapeño peppers turn from bright green to dark green. As the fruits mature, they will turn to other colors, like red or yellow. They’ll be spicier after they’re fully grown, so avoid the temptation to pluck them before they’re ready. The pepper’s skin, on the other hand, may become leathery with time.
Peppers should never be pulled from the plant. Cut peppers using a sharp knife or pruning shears, leaving a short stem connected to the pepper.
They may not be as popular as tomatoes or peppers, but carrots (Daucus carota) are a staple in many gardens as they are easy to grow. They are known and loved for their sweet flavor and the crunch that make them so satisfying to bite into. Although they are typically known as the orange root vegetable the Bug’s Bunny eats, they come in all sorts of colors.
Compared to other vegetables, they require little attention and need little space in the vegetable garden because of their small footprint.
Overall, they are relatively straightforward to raise. Carrots are content as long as they receive full sun, are planted in loose, well-draining soil, and aren’t overfertilized.
If you are interested in planting them, but you are unsure where to start, you’re in the right place. The following gardening tips will help you produce a plentiful harvest in no time!
Soil Prep
Like other root crops, prepping the garden soil before planting carrots is one of the most critical steps in the whole season. The ground needs to be free of rocks and other large debris and well-tilled to ensure they can easily grow down through the soil.
Well-drained sandy or loamy soil is ideal. Heavy soils will slow their maturation or cause fully-grown carrots to be short and stubby instead of longer and thinner. Heavy soils also increase the chance of physical deformities that occur during the growing season.
To loosen the soil adequately before planting, dig down to at least 12 inches deep, working it well by hand or with a tiller to break up any clods or hardpans. After you have worked it well once, you should go over it again a second time.
If your soils aren’t conducive to growing (heavy clay or rocky), build a raised garden and fill it with a well-draining potting mix. They grow well in raised gardens because of the loose soil.
Regardless of where you plant them, do not amend the soil with anything high in nitrogen, such as manure or nitrogen-heavy fertilizers. High nitrogen causes the carrots to fork when growing and develop an overabundance of little side hairs.
Planting the Seeds
Since the edible portion of carrots is the roots themselves, we do not recommend that you start the seeds inside. Instead, sow directly into the soil once conditions are suitable outside. Trying to transplant seedlings from containers into the ground results in damage.
As cool-season vegetables, they need cooler temperatures to germinate and grow and often mature before the heat of the summer. Hot summer days can make the carrots tough or fibrous.
Timing
Seeds can be planted in early spring for a summer harvest or planted later in the growing season for a fall harvest.
If you’d like a continuous crop, sow new seeds every two weeks through late spring or early summer in hot climates or the end of summer in temperature regions.
Spring: Plan to sow your seeds in the early spring, ahead of other warm-season vegetables. Seeds can be sown after the threat of frost has passed or 2-3 weeks before the last frost if using row covers. The minimum soil temperature should be 50℉, but seeds germinate best at soil temperatures above 70℉.
Fall: Wait until mid to late summer, so the carrot plants germinate and are actively growing as the summer temperatures are falling. Aim to plant seeds approximately ten weeks before the first typical frost fall in your area.
Spacing
Plant seeds in rows spaced one to two feet apart, with about 1 inch of distance between the seeds within the row. Sow seeds in troughs approximately one-half inch deep and cover lightly with soil.
Sowing
Sow seeds by hand, or use a seed sower or seed tape to help space them out evenly. The seeds are small and tricky to work with; if need be, you can plant them closer together than the recommended spacing distance and then thin the plants after germination.
After sowing the seeds, germination may take two to three weeks. This is slightly longer than many other garden vegetables that sprout within ten to fourteen days and will be slower in colder soil temperatures.
Carrots have a hard seed coat, making it essential to water the soil often, keeping the soil moist to soften the seed coat and encourage germination.
Regular watering also prevents a crust from forming on the surface, impeding the seedlings from breaking through the soil. Some gardeners cover the soil with a thin layer of vermiculite to help prevent crusting.
Thinning
When the carrot tops have 3 to 4 true leaves (typically when they reach 2 inches high) gently thin the seedlings to 2 inches apart. Instead of pulling them out and potentially damaging nearby carrots, you can use clean, sterilized scissors or gardening shears to cut off the tops.
After thinning to the recommended spacing, go ahead and eat the thinned baby carrots if they are big enough!
Care Tips
The following care tips are essential to creating a plentiful harvest.
Sunlight: Carrots grow best in full-sun locations in the garden, where they receive a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily. They will tolerate partial shade (especially when daytime temperatures are at the hottest), but you may see a reduction in growth and yield.
Watering: Keep the soil moist, especially when the temperature rises, without waterlogging the roots. Consistent moisture helps produce the best flavor. Water at least one inch (about ½ gallon per square foot) per week when they are young, then two inches as the roots grow and mature.
Fertilizing: Carrots are light feeders, needing only a single dose of high phosphorus and high potassium fertilizer (such as 0-10-10 or 5-15-15) about a month after germination. Apply at about half the recommended rate on the label, watering the fertilizer into the soil well. Avoid overfertilizing as it causes them to split, and do not use high nitrogen fertilizer since nitrogen promotes foliage growth. Root vegetable plants need more potassium and phosphorus compared to nitrogen.
Weeding: Constantly remove weeds when they pop up near your carrots, especially when they are young and establishing. Weeds compete with neighboring plants for water, sunlight, and soil nutrients. Their roots can also damage developing carrots, depending on the type of weed and their root system.
Pest and Disease Management: Most varieties have little pest or disease problems but periodically scout for pests such as rust flies, flea beetles, and wireworms and diseases such as leaf blight and black root rot. If discovered, treat quickly to prevent significant damage to any plant that is affected.
Harvesting
Carrots mature relatively quickly, taking about 2 to 4 months, depending upon the variety grown and local growing conditions.
When Should They be Harvested?
The guidelines for when to harvest are pretty loose. Once they reach the size of your little finger, you can harvest them. Or you can allow them to stay in the ground and grow to a larger, mature size.
How Do You Harvest?
There are two different ways to harvest:
Using your hand, grab at the base of the carrot top, just above the flesh. Gently pull them straight up out of the ground. You may need to wiggle them back and forth slightly as you pull.
Instead of pulling plants by hand, you can also use a garden fork to dig around the taproots to remove them from the ground.
After harvesting, brush off as much loose dirt as possible to keep the soil outside instead of bringing it into your house.
FAQ
Q. How do you store freshly harvested carrots?
Immediately after harvesting them, cut the tops down to about one-half inch and under running water scrub off any remaining dirt. Allow them to air-dry. Then, seal them in zip-top plastic bags and store them in the vegetable crisper drawer of your refrigerator. For long-term storage, place them in tubs of moist sand or dry sawdust and keep them in a cool, dry area.
Q. Can you leave them in the ground over winter?
Yes, you can leave mature carrots in the soil for temporary storage if pests aren’t a concern and the ground will not freeze. You can also cover the garden bed with straw or leaves for insulation.
Q. Can you grow them in containers?
Yes, you can, but they need a little more attention and care than when grown in the ground. Make sure containers are deep enough to accommodate the variety chosen and have drainage holes in the bottom. During the hot summer months, keep the potting soil evenly moist without overwatering, which causes the carrots to rot.
Q. How do you make seed tapes for planting?
Making your seed tape is an inexpensive, effective way to properly space seeds when sowing them into the ground soil and allows you to customize the varieties based on your preference.
Mix a paste of flour and water until it is the consistency of syrup. Take a length of toilet paper or white streamer and place dots of the paste every inch from end to end slightly off-center. Then stick one or two seeds to each dot and fold the paper over cover the seeds.
