Planting Tips: Plant carrot seeds carefully so they aren’t too thickly sown. Crowded seedlings require heavy thinning, which often gets neglected and can severely reduce your harvest. Sow the seeds about ¼ inch deep in well-tilled soil, spacing them roughly half an inch apart. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy — if it dries out, the tiny germinating seeds may fail to grow. When the seedlings show their first true “carrot” leaves (the frilly, pretty ones), thin them to stand about an inch apart.

Don’t rush to plant too early in spring. While carrots can germinate in cold soil, waiting until it warms a bit will speed germination and help them compete better with weeds.

Harvesting Tips:Harvest when they’re finger-sized for fresh eating, or let them mature for freezing or canning.

Seed Saving Tips: Carrots are biennial, producing seed in their second year. To save seed, leave a few carrots in the garden over winter. They’ll resume growth in spring and soon send up delicate white flowers that resemble wild Queen Anne’s Lace. (Since carrots can cross with this wildflower, remove nearby Queen Anne’s Lace blooms while your carrots are flowering to prevent unwanted crosses.) When the seeds in the umbels are fully dry, cut the stems and place them in a paper bag. Shake the bag to release the seeds, then dry them thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.