# Germination time for carrots



## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

I sowed Zukes and Cukes seed last Saturday, and every hill almost has came up already. On Monday I sowed some carrots, but I haven't seen the first hint of the seeds sprouting yet. Any ideas on how long carrot seeds take to germinate. The soil is rich and has been kept moist, so just wondering how long before I should start to see little spriggies popping out of the ground.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

2-3 weeks


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

Ravenlost said:


> 2-3 weeks


Dang!!! that long.... I can about have a calf half weaned in that time. lol. Oh well, they'll be delicious when they do come in.

Now, I've gotta get the rest of my watermelons, pumpkins and spinach in the ground.


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## Judi Reilly (Mar 27, 2008)

I have been wondering the same thing tsyork...thanks for the answer Ravenlost..I have a week to go..


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

http://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Dig a trench for them and fill it with potting soil. Then plant the carrot seeds in that. Moisted the potting soil and cover with a board so the soil will stay moist enough for the seeds to germinate. The potting soil stays soft and doesn't crust over like regular garden soil does and it will keep the immediate weeds out of the row until the carrot seedlings are sturdier. Carrot seeds are easily discouraged. Once they get going they are fairly easy though.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

Windy in Kansas said:


> http://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html


Thank you for a very fine link. I am reading the chart and thinking-if I waited for that... then he addresses the season length issue.

I have a built in fridge cabinet. The top is @3'x5'. (can hold six standard trays.) Just kicked zuc in 4 days, cuke in 3 days.

Warm is good.


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

An old trick my Gramma taught me.

The carrots take so long to germinate that it can be easy to forget exactly where the row was planted.

So, every 6 inches or so, stick in one radish seed.

The radishes will geriminate quickly, marking the carrot row, and are ready to be harvested about the same time the carrots need to be thinned.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Hey, that radish trick is a great idea. Thanks.


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

Yep, carrots are painfully slow to germinate, the seeds wash away in a hard rain, and if they dry out too much, they don't germinate at all....tricky little beasts, they are.

I sow mine heavy, and lay a piece of plywood or whatever I've got handy over mine until they germinate. Holds the moisture in, and protect them from heavy rain.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I didn't do any of that stuff and my popped up after a week, and I have crusty ol' clay soil.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

NickieL said:


> I didn't do any of that stuff and my popped up after a week, and I have crusty ol' clay soil.


You've given me hope! I feel like some nut job going out every day to my raised bed just to see if my carrots have popped up. I would say I need a real hobby, but I already have one! :happy:


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Key is to keeping them constantly moist without flooding. Most successful method is to use a board. Moisten the ground once when the seeds are planted and then place a 6" wide board over the row. No further action should be needed intil approximately 3 weeks later. The boards are lifted to reveal a row of yellow seedlings up to a half inch long. Then you'll see how much too thick they were sown as virtually every seed will germinate if all other planting instructions were followed.

Martin


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## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

When I do my carrots in a wide row, I water, then cover with a wet sheet. I peek under every day and make sure the sheet is damp. They come up faster that way. Just be sure to remove the sheet as soon as most have sprouted.

Do this with a recycled sheet, of course. I save torn/damaged sheets for this purpose in the garden.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

Well believe it or not, but I went out to check today and a six days after sowing, my carrots are sprouting up. I counted four of the little boogers. I used black leaf compost and potting soil to bed in, and I've been keeping it moist, along with a lot of rain we've gotten in the past couple of days. But, they're coming up! Too cool that it's this soon.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

It is possible for carrots to germinate in 6 days. The ultimate temperature is 77ÂºF and the germination would then be in 6 days. On the cold end, it would be 51 days at 41ÂºF but less than 50%.

Martin


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

I would say it was right around that 77-degree mark. Plus, we've had quite a bit of rain too, so it's kept the bed very very moist.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

The carrots are up in full force. I've got green seedlings sprouting up everywhere!


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