Carrots are one of the easiest garden vegetables to grow. They are also one of the fastest to mature. While it is possible to grow carrots outdoors for up to 9 months, it is also possible to grow indoor carrots for the entire year. Using the right methods you can have a ready crop of carrots for cooking and snacking at any time.
Lay a layer of newspaper on a table or workspace. This will help make cleaning up easier to handle when you are finished planting. Place the drainage tray on the newspaper and the potting container on the drainage tray. The container should have drainage holes in it to drain out excess liquid so the carrots don't drown.
Fill the container with potting soil to an inch of the lip. Keep the soil loose so that it drains well and the carrots can grow straight. The carrots can be expected to reach a length of 7 to 9 inches.
Dig a 1 inch trench around the perimeter of the container. You can use your finger to do this and place the trench about an inch in from the edge. This will allow you to grow the greatest amount of carrots in your pot.
Spread the seeds into the trench so they are about 2 inches apart. This allows the seedlings room to grow. Cover the seeds with the soil from around the trench. Make another trench inside of this circle if there is room, and place more seeds 2 inches apart. Cover these as well.
Water the potting soil until it is damp, but not wet. This will help start the seeds in germinating. Use the watering can to provide adequate coverage without drowning the seeds or pushing them further into the soil which will prove too far for them to reach the surface.
Water the soil twice a week until you see sprouts coming up from the soil. This will keep the soil damp enough for germinating. When the sprouts arrive, water weekly but increase the amount of water provided so the soil does not dry out.
Thin out the seedlings when they have reached 2 inches in height. Leave 2 inches between each new stem as you would in an outdoor garden. This ensures proper room for the carrots to grow their roots.
Keep the pots in direct sunlight for up to 3 months as the carrots grow. Continue to water weekly to keep the soil damp. Harvest your crop when you begin to see small raised areas around the base of the leaves; this is the carrot under the soil ready to pick.