When we started trying to grow veggies from seeds?

The packet has instructions and you should follow them exactly. A carrot is less than two inches wide so the instructions will tell you to thin the seedlings to one every two inches. I have no idea why they always say to plant more than you intend to let grow, but they always do. And when you thin you don't pull the seedling out because that might damage the root of the one you leave. You pinch or cut it and leave the dying root in the ground.

I have ignored the instructions a couple of times and the result was always inconvenient. Like when it says six feet between watermelons you better believe each hill will dominate a circle twelve feet wide.

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Generally when you are planting a garden outside you try to plant carrots sparsely. You can buy a small plastic seeder where you dial in the size of your seed for a couple of bucks and it helps. If you do happen to have them thick in a spot or 2 then wait until the carrots are a couple of inches long and then go out and thin them by pulling the extra.

Cut off the tops of the ones you pulled and wash them good and either eat them raw or cook them for supper. There is no need to peel them because they haven't developed a thick skin. You do have to separate the seedlings or they won't have room to grow right but this way you give them room and get tender carrots to eat.

Your carrots in the peat try never would have amounted to anything much because there wouldn't have been enough room for the roots. Next time plant them outside

If you want to minimize the time involved and maximize the benefit: till the dirt, plant a row of seed, thin the seedlings, let them grow, harvest the produce. Don't complicate it or agonize over saving sprouts and separating seedlings. Brutal thinning is a fact of life. If you try to save each sprout in its own personal space most of them will die in the process of transplanting. Planting seeds carefully a half-inch apart doesn't work either. Seeds don't have 100 percent germination rate. Some do better clumped, some do better solitary. They sprout irregularly, and there's no real way to predict all the variables of moisture, soil composition, pest (insect, fungus, microbal) infection, nutrition, temperature, etc. Sprinkle in the seeds, cover with a thin layer of soil, pat 'em down, say a prayer over 'em, and keep 'em watered. In defense of your toddler: that tub of dirt would never have produced carrots big enough to eat. It made a much better load of dirt for an afternoon's play.

Generally, each seedling will become a plant - and you will need to separate them and plant them outside, if that is where you want them to grow.

Yes, it is a lot more work and can be time consuming. But, that's the trade-off. Seeds are very cheap, while potted plants are much more expensive. You are paying for convenience, and time.

For your son to learn about how a plant comes from a seed - it's always fun to let him participate. Look at it not as a chore, but as an activity to do with your child! I still have fun with my girls (now in their 'tweens') when we go through the process of growing plants from seeds. They learn a lot about 'patience' in this instant gratification world!

Have fun!

From my experience you should start to grow your garden in may sometime (about half way through the month). and yes it will take a long time for you to plant a garden. you should NOT sprinkle the seeds and have the strongest seed survive, otherwise, you will have carrots only 1 inch long and they will be no good!

i'm in northern SC and that i many times commence my seed 6-8 weeks earlier the final frost date. That way i will set the seedlings out some week or 2 earlier the final frost date. confirm you provide them good lighting fixtures, ideally photograph voltaic, to maintain them from turning out to be to be "leggy". in case you plant the seedlings early like this you're able to desire to maintain an extensive watch on the aspects. If the temperature is for casted to drop under 35 or so I cover my plant with straw, pine needles, or an previous mattress sheet. do no longer use plastic because of the fact in case you do no longer do away with it very early in the day your plant life may be scorched via the morning solar.

Each one is a plant. Make life easier - use a scissors and snip all but the strongest two, and then when you plant them, snip again and leave the strongest one.