Why are my carrot seedlings not emerging?

Growing carrots is certainly not the easiest to do. These tend to have rather slow and irregular germination. In general, obtaining beautiful roots only takes place in very good quality soils.

Sunshine and soil preparation

You should know that carrots have difficulty withstanding drought at the start of their growth. The presence of the carrot fly can also be seriously damaging. It is by applying good practices that it is possible to obtain beautiful carrots.

When growing carrots, you should provide plenty of sunlight, six to eight hours a day. This need also remains valid for most vegetables. Soil preparation is also of great importance. Carrots like the soil in which they are planted to be deep, rich and free of stones. It must also benefit from excellent drainage.

In this case, we can consider using a raised vegetable garden for which the results are often convincing. In the case of heavy clay type soil, it is wise to use a garden fork to loosen the soil in depth. A grelinette is also perfect. Secondly, organic matter such as compost can be added, which has the effect of helping to lighten the soil. This operation must be carried out every year, given that this type of soil tends to return to its clayey origin.

Fertilization and sowing

If carrots need rich soil, it should not be over-fertilized. For this reason, a regular organic fertilizer is preferable to one with a very high nitrogen content. Manure that is too fresh should also be avoided. The effect of too much nitrogen will cause the production of beautiful tops, but the roots will have a forked appearance.

To benefit from faster germination, it is best to wait until the last frost to the carrots. In this way, in addition to faster germination, the appearance of seedlings will be more regular.

Drought and varieties

Since drought is unfavorable for carrots, abundant watering is necessary a day before sowing. Then, you just need to ensure that the soil remains moist until the height of the leaves measures approximately five centimeters. Furthermore, it is advisable to plan for seeding at a shallow depth, i.e. 5 to 8 millimeters. In the event of heavy soil, we can turn to specific, more suitable varieties. Nantes or Chantenay type carrots therefore offer more success in this configuration.