Generally, carrot seeds should be planted directly into the garden in the spring (also known as direct sowing). The germination rate will be much higher in this scenario.įor a summary, check out the table below, and for more information, check out this article from the University of California on ideal seed germination temperatures. In warmer soil temperatures between 68 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 35 degrees Celsius), carrot seeds can germinate in 6 to 10 days. You should see better germination rates in this case. In slightly warmer soil temperatures in the 50s Fahrenheit (10 to 15 degrees Celsius), it will take 10 to 17 days (about 1.5 to 2.5 weeks) for carrot seeds to germinate.
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You can learn more about germination rates and how to test seed viability in my article here.Ĭarrot seeds that are more than 3 years old will have a lower germination rate than new seeds. You will also see a relatively low germination rate (the percentage of planted carrot seeds that sprout). If you do, it is likely to take up to 51 days (over 7 weeks!) for carrot seeds to germinate at such low soil temperatures. However, it may take quite a bit longer at borderline temperatures on the low end (around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or 4 degrees Celsius).įor example, if soil temperatures are lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), you may fail to see any germination at all.
What Temperature Do Carrot Seeds Need To Germinate? (How Time Varies With Temperature)Īccording to both Cornell University and the Michigan State University Extension, carrot seeds will germinate within 7 to 21 days under ideal conditions. One of the most important factors for carrot seed germination is soil temperature, so we’ll start there. If you have been waiting for your seeds to sprout, you might be wondering why carrots take so long to germinate. Without the proper conditions, carrot seeds can take over 7 weeks to germinate (if they ever sprout at all!)Ĭarrot seeds can take over 7 weeks to germinate in cold soil, but will germinate within 1 to 3 weeks with warm soil.
Then we’ll go over some ways to speed up carrot seed germination and how to help them grow faster after they sprout.
In this article, we’ll start by looking at how temperature affects carrot seed germination time. There are also several factors that affect how fast carrot plants will grow after germination, including water and soil quality. You can see how soil temperature affects seed germination with this app I made! You can speed up the germination process by putting the carrot seeds in a humidity dome (purchased or homemade) and keeping the soil at 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 29 degrees Celsius). Carrot seeds germinate faster with proper soil temperature, humidity, and air circulation. So, how long do carrot seeds take to germinate? Carrot seeds take 6 to 10 days to germinate under optimal conditions. That way, you can plan ahead for when to start them in the garden. If want to grow carrots this year, it helps to know how long they take to germinate (sprout).