Wortelgroente
How to sow and grow carrots
Sweet orange carrots with a slightly rounded point. When they hit the bottom of the garden box, they grow thicker instead of curving. The longer they grow, the thicker they get.
Carrot
Home-grown carrots are delicious, and this variety is nice and sweet. It also has a rounded tip. So, when your carrots hit the bottom of your garden box, they just get thicker. They won’t bend and grow crooked.
The root of the carrot grows 15 to 20 cm long. You can leave them in your boxes for a long time in the fall.
- Species name: Nantes-2
- Family: root
- Plants per square patch: 16
- Height: 30 to 40 cm
- Sowing time: mid-March to mid-August
- Sowing depth: 0.5 cm
- Germination: 10 - 21°C in 10 - 15 days
- Time to harvest: after 9 to 10 weeks
- Sunlight: ideally full sun (more sun means sweeter taste)
Want to buy carrot seeds? We sell seed bags separately, or, you can get them as part of a seed pack:
What are carrots?
Carrots are grown for their edible root. This popular vegetable can be eaten in many ways, raw or cooked. Even the foliage is edible.
The first white carrots came from Persia (now Iran) and were brought to the Netherlands by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. The current orange carrot is the result of crossbreeding over the years. You can find carrots in lots of colors, even purple.
The first white carrots came from Persia (now Iran) and were brought to the Netherlands by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. The current orange carrot is the result of crossbreeding over the years. You can find carrots in lots of colors, even purple.
Are carrots good for you?
Absolutely. All carrots are rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and C. They also have a lot of beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A.
Carrots contain minerals like calcium and potassium for strong bones and fiber for healthy digestion.
Don't forget the leaves: even the carrot tops are full of vitamins and minerals like calcium, potassium, and Vitamins C and K.
Carrots contain minerals like calcium and potassium for strong bones and fiber for healthy digestion.
Don't forget the leaves: even the carrot tops are full of vitamins and minerals like calcium, potassium, and Vitamins C and K.
What do you need to sow and grow carrots?
Just this:
- a 30x30 cm patch with airy, nutritious soil mix
- carrot seeds
- a place with at least 6 - 8 hours of sunlight a day
In other words: an MM-Mini, or a square patch in one of our garden boxes, filled with MM-Mix.
Growing your own carrots is super easy with the MM-Mix. If you grow in low-quality (potting) soil, disappointment is pretty much guaranteed. So don't skimp on soil mix: go for the best.
Hoe zaai en kweek je wortels?
Wortels staan in de gratis Makkelijke Moestuin app. Die begeleidt je van zaadje tot oogst.
Elke groente doorloopt een aantal stadia - wij noemen die levels. De app vertelt je precies wat je in elk level moet doen en laat je regelmatig checken of je plantjes al ver genoeg zijn voor het volgende level.
Hoe je succesvol wortels kweekt, hoef je dus vooraf niet te weten. Maar vind je het leuk om alvast het een en ander te lezen, kijk dan bij de Wortel in de shop. Daar staat een uitgebreide omschrijving.
Elke groente doorloopt een aantal stadia - wij noemen die levels. De app vertelt je precies wat je in elk level moet doen en laat je regelmatig checken of je plantjes al ver genoeg zijn voor het volgende level.
Hoe je succesvol wortels kweekt, hoef je dus vooraf niet te weten. Maar vind je het leuk om alvast het een en ander te lezen, kijk dan bij de Wortel in de shop. Daar staat een uitgebreide omschrijving.
How do you sow and grow carrots?
Our carrots are included in the free Planty Gardening app. Use it, and you'll get step-by-step guidance from seed to harvest.
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So you don't need to know how to grow carrots before you start: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the whole process looks like:
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So you don't need to know how to grow carrots before you start: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the whole process looks like:
Level 1: Sowing carrots
Level 1: Wortels zaaien
First, pick a square patch in the 2nd or 3rd row of your garden box. Loosen up the damp soil mix. Then, sow like this:
- poke 16 holes in the square patch (max 1 cm deep)
- put 2 to 3 seeds in each hole
- carefully cover the holes with soil mix
After about 10 days, you'll see your first tiny plants come up. It depends a bit on the weather.
Level 2: Carrot seedlings
Level 2: Wortels zaailingen
As soon as you see the first seedlings, you know things are going well. They probably won't all come up at once, but give it another few days.
Then it's time for the next level.
Then it's time for the next level.
Level 3: Thinning your carrots
Level 3: Wortels moet je uitdunnen
When several seedlings come up in each hole that you sowed, choose the best ones and remove the rest: that's called thinning out.
It might sound harsh, but it's necessary. Especially for carrots. They need enough room to get nice and thick. Too close together, and you'll get plenty of carrot leaves but no carrots.
If you see spots where nothing came up, sow a few more seeds. Carrots - like beets and radishes - can't be transplanted.
It might sound harsh, but it's necessary. Especially for carrots. They need enough room to get nice and thick. Too close together, and you'll get plenty of carrot leaves but no carrots.
If you see spots where nothing came up, sow a few more seeds. Carrots - like beets and radishes - can't be transplanted.
Level 4: Caring for your carrots
Level 4: Verzorging van je wortel plantjes
After a week or 2, your seedlings will become small plants.
You hardly need to do anything for the next 5 weeks: if the weather's dry, give them some water and remove the odd dead or yellow leaf. Easy 🙂
You hardly need to do anything for the next 5 weeks: if the weather's dry, give them some water and remove the odd dead or yellow leaf. Easy 🙂
Level 5: Harvesting carrots
Level 5: Oogsten van wortels
About 9 - 10 weeks after sowing at the earliest, the first carrots are ready to harvest.
To see if your carrots are ready, wipe away the soil mix at the base of the leaves. The carrots should be at least 1 cm in diameter, ideally bigger.
It can sometimes take longer, depending on the weather. Just leave the small carrots in your patch: they'll catch up. Go ahead and harvest the bigger ones now.
To see if your carrots are ready, wipe away the soil mix at the base of the leaves. The carrots should be at least 1 cm in diameter, ideally bigger.
It can sometimes take longer, depending on the weather. Just leave the small carrots in your patch: they'll catch up. Go ahead and harvest the bigger ones now.
Carrots require a little patience. You can actually forget about them for weeks. The longer they're there, the thicker they get. You can even harvest them in winter 😀
What do you use carrots for?
You can enjoy the carrot roots by themselves. Eat them raw by the fistful or grated in salads. You can also boil, stew, or roast them.
The leaves are edible and super healthy. They taste similar to parsley: spicy with a hint of carrot flavor. Process raw in a (tabouleh) salad with the carrot root, tomato, onion, chickpeas, and cumin. Or make a pesto. Or toss in a stir fry. The options are endless.
The last levels
Het laatste levels
Keep harvesting until your carrot patch is empty.
Carrots can handle the cold, so you can leave them in their patch for a long time. A little frost makes the carrots even sweeter 🙂
The last level: tidy up the empty patch in your garden box or your MM-Mini and prepare it for the next round of sowing.
Carrots can handle the cold, so you can leave them in their patch for a long time. A little frost makes the carrots even sweeter 🙂
The last level: tidy up the empty patch in your garden box or your MM-Mini and prepare it for the next round of sowing.
So: ready to grow carrots yourself?
I'm sure you are 😉 Our carrots are sweet and super tasty. They're also ridiculously easy to grow. All you need is some patience.
Plus: with our app and materials, it's pretty much impossible to fail.
Order your carrot seeds here or get started with a complete starter kit:
Plus: with our app and materials, it's pretty much impossible to fail.
Order your carrot seeds here or get started with a complete starter kit: