Get Pounds of Carrots by Planting Them in a Grow Bag
Carrots are delicious and healthy crops that are easy to grow.
Grow healthy, happy carrots in grow bags and extend your harvest.
What you will need:
- Carrot seeds
- Grow Bag: you can usually find grow bags at your local garden store, or you can make your own
- Planting mix: do not use ordinary garden soil because it will not drain freely when used in a grow bag. Be sure to choose an organic mix
- Granular fertilizer
- Water
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Grow Bag Carrots
When thinking of the benefits of grow bags, many people often think of potatoes. Yet carrots are also a great crop that can flourish in a grow bag. Since they are a root crop, they will need soil that is well-drained, neutral to alkaline, and not too rich in nitrogen. Grow bags are a great option for urban gardeners who often have little space but have plenty of sun.
All carrots are frost-hardy, so do not be afraid to plant them early. You can even plant them as much as a month before your last frost date.
For a continuous harvest, plant several Grow Bags, one each month until midsummer.
How to Plant the Grow Bag
Pick the site: Select the sunniest site possible. All-day sun is best, but as little as 6 to 8 hours will do. Keep in mind that you will need to water the grow bag regularly, especially if rainfall is insufficient.
Prepare the planting mix: Put the potting mix in a wheelbarrow or tub that can hold it all at once. Moisten it thoroughly. Mix in granular fertilizer. Fill the grow bag with the moistened planting mix, saving a few handfuls to cover the seeds.
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Sow the seeds: Scatter seeds on the soil surface so they are about 3 inches apart and cover them with about 1/4 inch of planting mix. Water thoroughly. Carrots have a hard seed coat. For good germination and strong early growth, the seeds should be kept moist consistently. It is important to remember to only keep them moist, not wet. Cover the top of the grow bag with a layer of garden fabric to retain moisture or plan on water more frequently. Once the crop is established, water deeply and check soil moisture levels with your finger.
Thin out the seedlings: To get a good sized carrot, it is important to remember to thin out seedlings to about 3 inches apart. You can pull them out by hand or snip the unwanted seedlings with scissors.
Feed regularly: Add 1/4 cup of granular organic fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks after thinning.
Carrots should be ready to hardest after about 75 days. The carrots can be harvested all at once, or you can pull them out when needed. Depending on bag size, your harvest should be around 3 pounds per bag.
Ariana Marisol is a contributing staff writer for REALfarmacy.com, where this article first appeared. She is an avid nature enthusiast, gardener, photographer, writer, hiker, dreamer, and lover of all things sustainable, wild, and free. Ariana strives to bring people closer to their true source, Mother Nature. She is currently finishing her last year at The Evergreen State College getting her undergraduate degree in Sustainable Design and Environmental Science. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
Photo Credit:Â Jeremy Keith/flickr
