How to Thin Carrots [Enjoy Carrot Sprouts and Baby Carrots Early This Season]
Carrots are one plant you don’t want to skip thinning. And unlike many other vegetables, I thin my carrots twice so I can eat the ones that I don’t let grow to maturity as baby carrots or carrot sprouts.
Depending on how you planted your carrots, this could be a little bit of work or a lot. If you planted in rows using the sand method, this should be a fairly quick task.
If you sow carrot seeds using the broadcast method, this is going to take a while.
Let’s get into it.
Thinning Carrots TL;DR
Thin carrots first when the carrot sprouts are 2-4” tall by using scissors to cut the carrot green right above the soil.
Thin the carrots so they are a thumbprint apart.
Thin carrots a second time a month after your first thinning by firmly pulling baby carrots from the ground.
Thin carrots so they are two fingers width apart.
Take precautions against carrot rust flies because they are most attracted to carrots during the thinning process.
Enjoy carrot sprouts and baby carrots on your dining room plate tonight!
Why Thin Carrots
In my first year of growing carrots, I didn’t thin them. Out of 100 carrots, I had 2 or 3 that were as big as I would have liked them to be. The others were a variety of tiny baby carrots to medium-sized ones. Many others were twisted around each other and looked like little fingers, even though that’s not what I planted.
Ever since I’ve always thinned my carrots. Without thinning, carrots are too crowded and that means they compete for sunlight, moisture, nutrients, and the works.
Crowding also reduces airflow which can lead to carrot diseases taking hold.
So do I recommend thinning carrots? Yes, every time.
When to Thin Carrots
Unlike many other vegetables, I thin my carrots two times. First when the carrot sprouts are about 2-4 inches tall and then again about a month after the first thinning. Don’t forget to mark your calendar after your first culling - I mean thinning.
How to Thin Carrots
For my first round of thinning, I usually cut the carrot with plant-cutting scissors at the soil level which will kill the root from growing. I do this because the baby root returns some organic material back to the soil and it isn’t big enough to interfere with the neighboring carrots’ development.
For the initial thinning, when the carrot sprouts are about 2-4” tall, I thin the carrot plants so I can fit my thumb in between each one. A thumb’s length is usually good enough because you will do another thinning later which will give you baby carrots you can eat.
I also fertilize my carrots after this first thinning. It’s a good way to remember to do both.
Then I mark my calendar for a month out to do a second thinning. During that thinning, the carrots are much more developed, but still small enough that they’re not stunting each other’s growth. At this time, I thin the carrots so there are two fingers spacing in between each one.
I used to measure out 1-2 inches for spacing, but after losing my tape measure to carrot poker one night, I just started using my fingers and they always turn out fine.
The important thing is that each carrot has enough room to grow. You don’t want it to feel like your pants after Thanksgiving dinner, tight. You should have one full-grown carrot width in between each of your carrots at this point so they have room to grow and for me, that’s usually about two fingers.
For this second thinning, I don’t use scissors either. I grip each carrot at the soil and firmly pull it out. If you’re worried about neighboring carrots, I sometimes will use my other hand to hold the soil around the carrot down to help protect them. However, the carrots are usually small enough and spaced far enough already that it isn’t a problem when you dislodge them.
It also helps to water the carrots first before thinning to loosen the soil.
Baby carrots are sweet and a delicacy you won’t find in grocery stores, so enjoy them.
When you’re finished thinning, go back through your carrot row and gently mound up soil over the tops of any carrots so that all the roots are covered. If the top of the carrot root is exposed to sunlight it will turn green and taste bitter. No bueno.
Carrot Rust Flies During Thinning
Carrots have a very strong and distinct smell and that scent is released when you thin carrots. Carrots have the most exposure and risk of attracting carrot rust flies during thinning.
Make sure you immediately remove any pulled or trimmed carrot sprouts from the area and mound up soil over any carrot roots that are exposed.
If you live somewhere and have had a problem with carrot rust flies in the past, I would even suggest placing a row cover over your carrots for the following day or two after thinning to make sure these pests don’t invade your garden.
Carrot rust flies carry many diseases and will stunt your carrot growth.
What to Do With Thinned Carrots
Eat Them
When you do your first thinning, you’ll be left with what is called carrot sprouts. Many people just toss them in the compost pile, but they are edible and have some good uses in the kitchen.
They’re not as common as lentils or bean sprouts, but they are edible just the same.
I like to toss mine in a salad or use them in a smoothie. They taste just like carrots, only more subtle.
They are also great for garnishes on dishes if you’re trying to impress someone.
To learn all about carrot sprouts, read my article on identifying and using carrot sprouts.
When you do your second thinning, you’ll have baby carrots that you can enjoy. Eat them as a snack.
You can even save the carrot greens and use them in soups, salads, and pestos. This last year I cooked mine up into a warm carrot green salad with some spices and it was quite tasty.
The carrot greens are rich in vitamins A, C, K, and potassium so don’t toss them out.
Compost Them
This is what most of my fellow gardeners do with their carrot thinnings. I personally prefer to eat them. They’re unique and you can only get carrot sprouts and the sweet baby carrots by growing them on your own.
But if you can’t eat them, composting them is a great way to recycle all those nutrients back into your garden.
And if you’re new to gardening and don’t have a composter, go get one. I prefer to use enclosed composters so I don’t attract too many pests, but something is better than nothing.
Transplant Them
Technically you can transplant carrot sprouts and baby carrots if you pull them instead of cuttin them.
Be prepared for a lot of disappointment though because carrots don’t transplant well. They are root veggies after all.
Many times they end up twisted and deformed if they don’t die immediately after transplanting.
If you do try transplanting, I advise trying to plant it as straight as possible, in sandy loam soil and give it plenty of welcome water after replanting.
How to Thin Carrots Recommended Reading
Preventing Carrot Rust Flies and Other Pests
Identifying and Eating Carrot Sprouts
Recipes for Carrot Greens
