Carrots are a staple in any veggie garden. As with all root crops, they should be directly planted where they are to grow, as transplants cause J-rooting and poor performance. Sown thinly at a rate of 100-150 seeds per metre and thin out to 2.5-5 cm between plants. Row spacing of 20-30 cm is adequate.

For best germination results, sow seed very shallowly, and cover the bed with hessian garden cloth (available at most nurseries). Water the seed every morning through the cloth and start watching from day 5 for the small seedlings to appear. Once the bulk of your seed is up, remove the hessian and water as normal. The hessian cloth traps moisture on the soil surface ensuring that the seed does not dry out, which is the most common reason for carrot seed failure.