Carrots are what I consider a kid-friendly vegetable. One of the reasons is that kids will eat these with only a little persuasion and maybe some ranch dressing. But the main reason is that carrots are a relatively easy plant for kids to grow. Their short growing period of about 70 to 80 days means that kids will see results and can eat these results rather quickly.
Carrots are a root vegetable. While orange is their typical color, they do come in other colors. You can find yellow, purple, black, and white varieties. There are enough varieties to cover the alphabet, but for your home garden, you should choose a variety that is a little shorter than average, because those will reach their peak much quicker.
The carrot does not like acidic soil, but like other root vegetables, it does need soil that is well-drained. The seeds should be planted in mounds of soil for the straightest ones.
The big problem with planting them is that the seeds are incredibly small and can be difficult to handle. You will need to experiment a little to find a method (such as a syringe) that can help you plant these tiny seeds.
Carrots need to be weeded pretty often, otherwise, the weeds will soak up the nutrients and the carrots won’t grow very well. They also should not be placed close together, because they can crowd each other.
Carrots are prone to insects, but you really don’t want to use any type of insecticide. This will make the carrots inedible. Instead, you should harvest them as soon as they are ready, or use a screen to block out the insects.
The best time to grow them is around mid-March, but they can withstand some cold weather; however, they will not do well if the ground freezes. So you should wait until after the last frost. They also can be planted in containers and will do well in those as long as the conditions are met.
Carrots are a vegetable that kids will naturally gravitate toward. Getting them to eat them is even easier if they are involved in the growing process. Even if you don’t have kids, carrots are still a staple for the home garden.
