Growing your own veggies is rewarding, but timing your harvest can be tricky, especially with root vegetables like carrots that grow underground. Thankfully, there's an easy way to check if your carrots are ready without accidentally pulling them too early.
The scoop
Garden expert Nicole Johnsey Burke (@gardenaryco) shared a hack for testing carrot readiness without ruining your harvest.
When you notice abundant leafy growth on top, some carrots might be ready, but there's a simple way to make sure.
"When you've got this much growth on the top of your carrots, it's a sign that some of them may be ready to harvest," Burke explains in her helpful video. Instead of yanking them out and hoping for the best, she demonstrates a gentle finger test.
Simply brush away a bit of soil around the carrot's base to check its width. If it looks thick enough for your liking, do a test pull. No more disappointing baby carrots when you were hoping for full-grown ones.
How it's helping
This technique saves both time and waste in your garden. Rather than playing a guessing game and pulling immature carrots, you can peek at their progress and let them grow until they reach the perfect size.
Growing your own carrots saves you money at the grocery store, as organic carrots typically cost $2-$3 per pound. Plus, home-grown carrots pack way more flavor than store-bought ones and are loaded with nutrients.
As a bonus, your veggie garden boosts your mental and physical well-being, providing gentle exercise and relaxation. It also fights atmospheric pollution by reducing the energy and transportation needed to get produce to your plate.
What everyone's saying
Gardeners were excited to put this simple but effective hack to use.
"Exactly what I needed! gonna test it right now," one commenter shared.
Others were already imagining the results, with comments like "Home grown carrots... oooh, I bet they taste AMAZING!!"
The enthusiasm makes sense. Who doesn't want to harvest perfect carrots every time while saving money and enjoying the freshest possible produce?
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