Suzanne D. wrote:
All summer long, every few weeks, I did a new planting of carrots. Most
did not germinate. I planted different varieties from different
vendors, so I know the seed wasn't the problem. I think it may have
just been too hot all summer (temperatures regularly 100 and above). As
a result, two of my beds now have tons of un-germinated carrot seeds in
them. One of them holds garlic now, and the other has the wilted
remains of peanuts.

I am wondering if some of the seeds may sprout and grow into carrots
next spring. I know that you can plant onions in the fall and have them
sprout first thing in spring; would this apply to carrots as well? I
have noticed a few sprouts since the weather got cooler, but they
haven't really done much, as it is quite cold at night. Do carrot seeds
just stay sleeping all winter and sprout in the spring like onions do?
--S.


I stuck some grocery store carrots in the ground a few years ago and
grew them out because my wife likes Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot.)
They grew about 5 feet tall, seeded, and now I get volunteer carrots
every year -- it's just like dill; hard to get started, but then
reseeds readily. So I think that means fall-planted seeds work better
than planting in the spring. But it may depend on the climate.

(BTW, the volunteer carrots have tough mostly white roots, not yellow
or orange)

Bob