One is often confused with the question, "Can you grow carrots from carrot tops?" Well, you can find answers to your queries in this article.
The carrot is one of the most loved and healthy vegetables all over the world. It has numerous health benefits, and hence it is one of the widely-cultivated vegetables as well. It is a root vegetable belonging to the Umbelliferae family of plants that are grown in the first growing season. It is the greatest source of carotene and several other nutrients, like calcium, fibers, and sugar. I am sure you have wondered often if you can grow carrots from carrot tops. This article will explain this topic to you in detail.
Basics
Consumed both raw and cooked, carrots are available in plenty of varieties, like baby carrots, small, round, imperator, danvers, nantes, and chantenay. People who preserve gardening as their prime hobby must be aware of growing this vegetable by several methods. Growing it from seeds is the most prime way. Many people are under the misconception that you can grow carrots from carrot tops. But the truth is, you can’t. You cannot actually get the vegetable by growing the top. It is very essential that you understand this point. So, if you cannot grow the vegetable, then why did the misconception arise at all? And what actually grows from the carrot top? The explanations are provided in the paragraphs below.
Planting the Carrot Top
Cut off 1 inch of the crown of the carrot. Place those tops into a plate or a saucer. Make sure the plate that you take has big enough flat surface. Add soil, sand, small pebbles, and lukewarm water into the plate. Make sure that only the end of the tops must be dipped under the layer of water and soil. Place this plate in the sunny part of the house. After a few days, you will observe small ferns, just like the carrot plant. This forms a very decorative plant and can be used as a table décor or as an indoor plant. It is very creative as well as attractive, and a great hobby idea for kids.
Container Gardening
You can grow these plants for container gardening, like hanging baskets. For this, you have to follow the same procedure as above. Take carrot tops of about 2 inch length, and put these into a container that consists of soil. Make sure you water the container on a regular basis and don’t over water it at the same time. These plants will look great as long as you want them to be there.
Obtaining the Carrots
As mentioned earlier, this procedure will not fetch you the carrots, for this vegetable is not like the potato, which can produce multiple tubers. It will remain what it is – a root. What you will get is an attractive plant. What’s more, the plant will bloom and produce seeds, which you can plant in your garden to obtain more vegetables over a period of time. Also, these seeds are very useful for treating arthritis and several medical conditions. However, do remember, that the plant will produce seeds if and only if it is not hybrid. So, if you are lucky, you will find the plant flowering and producing seeds, which can be used for further plantation. If not, you will have to be content with what you have and use it as a house plant. It can also be a great science project for kids.
I hope you have resolved your doubts regarding the growth of carrots from the tops. So, the next time you try this, keep your expectations aside, and instead, create a lovely fern that will beautify your garden. Watching them grow is great fun that somehow gives you a feeling of creativity.
