iGrowVeg

Windowsill Challenge – Growing Carrots in a Pot

Posted on 10. Jun, 2009 by Tracey in How to Grow Veg

As you may know I recently launched my Grow Your Own Vegetables on a Windowsill Challenge (Shortened to GYOVWC on Twitter). This post follows on from my last post in the series:

What do you need to get started in the Windowsill Challenge?

If you’ve missed out on any posts in this series, please click on my GYO Veg Windowsill Challenge page to keep up-to-date with the full collection of posts.

How to Sow Carrots in a Pot on the Windowsill

When do I Sow? April to July

You will need:

• A pot approx 18 – 20 cm diameter, a deep plastic or glass container.
• Multi-purpose or seed/potting compost,
• Watering jug,
• Carrot Seeds – Type: Patio, Baby Veg or Early varieties like Amsterdam Forcing, Parmex, Early Nantes.
• A sunny windowsill.

Instructions:

1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. Fill the pots with multi-purpose or potting compost.
3. Water the compost lightly.
4. Open the seed packet and place the seeds spaced out on the surface of the compost.
5. Cover the seed with a sprinkling of compost.
6. Water the compost lightly again.
7. Label if necessary and keep the seed packet handy for repeat sowing.
8. Place on a sunny and light windowsill.

Caring for your Windowsill Carrots

Slow Growers
Carrots are quite slow growing so seedlings will not appear until 5 to 7 days. Carrots will take 7 – 10 weeks to grow on a windowsill.

Over Watering – Pots on the windowsill will not have drainage holes in therefore a pot may become water-logged quite quickly. Please water lightly and only if the surface is dry.

Under-Watering – When the windowsill is sunny for long periods it will dry out your compost quite quickly. If the soil looks dry on top then please water lightly. You can always add water a little at a time but you cannot take it away.

Little Black Flies, Sciarid Flies or Fungus Gnats
If you use peat free compost, keep the compost moist and the windowsill is in a humid area, you may see little black flies or gnats in the top of your pot or on the compost. These are know as houseplant fungus gnats or Sciarid flies. They do not do any harm to your plants but are a pest indoors. They can be removed by using yellow or white sticky fly papers which can be mounted on a stick in the compost to remove the flies.

Please view my photo-slide show below to see Carrots growing from seeds to harvest.

Growing Carrots (Seed to Harvest) – Video Slide-Show

Harvest Months: Harvest 7 to 10 weeks after sowing.

How to Harvest:
Carrots produce lots of thick feathery foliage when they are ready to pick. If you gently move the soil away from the tops, you will be able to see the thickness of the carrot thus whether its ready to pick. Pull from the compost, cut the leaves off and wash, you may need to use a brush to remove the compost from the cracks of the carrot.

Other Posts in the GYO Veg Windowsill Challenge:-

• What you will need to Grow Your Own Vegetables on a Windowsill
• How To Grow Lettuce in a Tray
• How To Guide to Growing Radish in a Pot

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