Carrots

Carrots are a trouble-freebackyard crop, as long as the soil conditions are right.  The soil needs to be light (add compost if you have heavy soil), loose, deeply dug to 12 inches, and free of stones.  For a gourmet treat, you can pull  carrots as soon as the roots are as thick as a pencil, leave them a little longer for fresh full sized carrots, or keep the in the ground through fall.  If you have a small space, harvest them young for the sweetest baby carrots you'll ever taste. 

Sow

For fresh carrots, choose an early variety and make several sowings at intervals from early spring until early fall.  Sow seeds directly into the soil.  Make a seed furrow 1/2 inch deep.  If the soil is dry, water the furrow; let it drain.  Space rows 12 inches apart.  Scatter the seeds thinly to avoid having to thin them out later.  As a guide, space seeds every 1/2 inch.  Then cover with soil and lightly water.

Grow

Keep down weeds down until the carrot plants are well established by pulling weeds by hand.  Thin the seedlings to about 1 inch apart.  Wait until they are large enough to handle and avoid disturbing the remaining plants or you risk attracting bugs.  One way is to cut off tops with scissors.  Water deeply once a week to keep the soil evenly moist at a good depth, which will encourage deep rooting. 

Harvest

You can start pulling roots as soon as the tops of the roots reach 1/2 inch across.  Either carefully pull up the larger roots, leaving the rest to grow, or dig sections of a row together.  Use a garden fork to loosen the soil and avoid breacking longer roots.  If you don't use carrots immediately, cut off the tops or the roots will wilt.  They should keep for a day or two in the refrigerator.  The best way to store carrots is to leave them in the ground.  If temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, mulch with straw or leaves to extend the season.