Carrots are a total garden favorite, but let’s be real—they can be a bit high-maintenance when it comes to their diet. If you want those crunchy, sweet roots we all love, picking the right fertilizer is key. The good news? You can actually whip up your own DIY fertilizers with simple ingredients that not only feed your plants but also help keep them healthy.
Pre-Sowing: Prepping the Soil
Before you even think about getting those seeds in the ground, you need to prep the “bed.” Carrots thrive when you mix a good organic fertilizer into the soil ahead of time.
Great options include:
- Well-aged manure
- Mature compost
- Horn meal (or a similar slow-release organic nitrogen source)
Pro tip: Make sure your fertilizer is finely crumbled and free of large clumps. If the soil is too chunky, those growing roots will hit obstacles, resulting in “forked” or twisted carrots. Not only do they look funky, but harvesting crooked carrots is a pain because the roots tend to snap off in the dirt.
Feeding During the Growing Season
Once your carrots are up and running, you’ll want to give them a boost every two to three weeks. A standard liquid organic fertilizer from the garden center works great, but you can also go the DIY route. A “manure tea”—made by dissolving fresh manure in water—is incredibly nutrient-dense and budget-friendly.
Brewing Your Own Plant Teas (Jauchen)
Carrots have a few enemies in the garden, with the carrot rust fly being the biggest troublemaker. While companion planting with onions can help ward them off, it’s not a foolproof shield. That’s where fermented plant teas come in! They are a fantastic way to support your carrots against pests and diseases.
Nettle tea (Brennnesseljauche) is a superstar for carrots. It’s packed with nutrients and actually helps toughen up the plant’s outer “skin.”
Here’s how to make it:
Chop up some fresh nettles and fill a bucket about two-thirds of the way. Fill the rest with water and cover it up. Let it sit until the plant material has mostly broken down (fair warning: it gets smelly!). When you’re ready to use it, dilute it at a ratio of 1 part tea to 10 parts water, and give your carrots a good soak.
