Easy Ways to Plant Carrot Seeds

Carrots can be planted whenever the ground is thawed, which means year-round planting opportunities for gardeners in warmer climates. Carrots should be planted in rows that are one to two feet apart, with 18 to 20 seeds per foot. There are several simple ways to make planting your carrot seeds easier and encourage healthy seedling growth later on.

Creating Rows

Mark your rows in the soil before you plant to ensure the rows stay straight and organized. You can form a small mound in the soil using your hands, or you can draw rows with a knife or garden hoe.

Mixing Seeds with Sand

Carrot seeds are small and lightweight, so mixing the seeds with sand before planting can make them easier to handle. The sand and seed mixture will be heavier and easier to disperse, and the sand will also help keep the soil moist after planting.

Using Salt and Pepper Shakers

You can also use salt and pepper shakers to lay your seeds in each row. This method makes it easier to handle the small seeds without accidentally dropping them or having them blow away.

Using Radish "Markers"

Carrot seeds take two to three weeks to sprout, so it can be difficult to tell where your rows of seeds are planted once the initial rows fade. Some gardeners choose to plant a few radish seeds along with the carrots, because radishes sprout faster and are larger than carrot seedlings, which makes it easier to locate each row.

Adding Plastic

After the seeds are dispersed in each row, cover the seeds with soil. To keep the seeds moist and prevent the ground from crusting you can cover the rows with a clear plastic sheet. Remove and replace the plastic for watering until seedlings appear. Once the seedlings poke through the dirt, the sheet should be removed.