Soil Conditions
Carrots favour well-drained, fine textured soils with good water-holding capacity. Sandy, loamy or muck-based soils are suitable for carrot production. A pH range of 5.5 to 8.0 is desirable. Carrot seedlings are very weak, and do not tolerate soil crusting. Seedbed preparation must eliminate clods as they interfere with uniform growth of the roots. Since the taproot is the edible portion of the plant, the field should be tilled to a 30 cm (12 inches) deep to ensure that root penetration is not restricted. Crusting of the soil surface will prevent the seedlings from emerging. For this reason, avoid clay soils. Raised beds are very popular in carrot production as they help the soil warm up faster in the spring, promoting faster emergence. The soil tends to be very soft in the beds, which is crucial for weaker carrot seedlings. Seed Treatment It was once thought that a 50 per cent stand was good in carrot production, but better varieties and superior s...