Growing your own produce is a simple way to save money and ensure your vegetables are organic.
With these gardening tips from Jacques in the Garden (@jacquesinthegarden), you can grow a garden of carrots in a few months.
@jacquesinthegarden Growing carrots in your home garden isn't as hard as it seems! The hardest part is just getting them started! #garden ♬ That Couch Potato Again - Prod. By Rose
The scoop
According to Jacques, there are two main factors preventing your carrots from growing strong: dry soil and compacted soil.
"Dry soil is what stops your carrots from growing in the first place," says Jacques. "But luckily, it's an easy problem to solve."
To prevent dry soil, move the top layer of mulch aside and water the soil deeply. Carrots require 10-14 days to germinate, and it's essential for the soil to remain damp during that time.
Jacques recommends using a wooden board to create lines in the soil where you can evenly distribute your seeds. After the seeds are in the ground, cover them with soil and water the area again.
To ensure the area remains moist, place the "secret ingredient" — a piece of cardboard, wood, or bunch of leaves — over the soil. The cardboard prevents the water from evaporating, allowing the seeds to fully germinate.
If you use raised beds to grow your carrots, you don't have to worry about compacted soil. However, if you're growing your carrots directly in the ground, it's important to fork and loosen the soil until it crumbles. This is what allows the carrots to grow big and thick.
"Growing carrots at home is actually really easy," says Jacques. "As long as you respect this one trick, you'll be pulling monster carrots from your garden in just a few months."
How it's helping
Jacques' gardening tips are encouraging Internet users to grow their own organic produce. By gardening and growing your own fruits and vegetables, you can save money on groceries. Investing only $70 into growing your own produce can yield 300 pounds of fresh food a year, which is worth $600.
Gardening is also a great way to support your physical and mental health. Consistently tending to a garden keeps your body active and fit. Recent studies have also found that individuals who regularly garden report higher levels of well-being and reduced levels of stress.
The more you garden and grow your own food, the more you reduce the need for mass-produced, globally shipped produce. Relying on local food sources reduces your environmental impact by decreasing your carbon footprint from shipment pollution.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers were eager to start growing their own organic produce.
"Going to try my hand at growing carrots this year, will follow all these tips!!" commented one user.
"Such amazing tips! Thank you! Needed this!" wrote another TikToker.
"If you're starting your carrots inside and it's still very cold, would you still water that often? Or wait for the soil to dry fully in between?" asked one user.
"I would honestly just wait to start them outside but if indoor growing, I would still keep the surface soil moist for the initial period," Jacques responded.
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