Trick to germinate CARROT seeds FASTER and more EVENLY; Fall/Winter Planting
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- This trick to sprout carrot seeds faster will be my "go to" for the future. it is an extra step but beats all the other methods I have seen which require ongoing attention until the seeds germinate to keep the seeds moist and bug-free.
Carrots are fantastic to grow in winter.. they grow faster, taste sweeter, and what's best is that if your ground does not go into a hard freeze, you can actually store them in the ground and pull out as needed, ensuring you are getting the freshest sweetest carrots possible. But they can be challenging to germinate - for a variety of reasons that I go into in this video. this trick will give you a headstart by showing you how to germinate carrot seeds predictably, consistently, and a WHOLE lot faster than possible by just broadcasting them outside!!
#LiveGreenAndLoveYourGreens
#GreenLove
This is the best tip I've ever seen...my carrot seeds all germinated within 48 hours of removing the from the freezer rather than a whole month with my previous attempt straight into the ground. 👍 Thank-you so much 💕
Wow, that so good to know that it worked out for you. Yes,the freezer step is optional, but I find it really speeds up germination and improves the germination rate. Thanks for sharing your experience! Happy gardening!
I have been sowing my carrots by sprouting them in a sprouting jar and then putting them in a baggy with cold cornstarch thickened water. I cut a small corner off the bag and sow directly into my small furrows. Cover and they do better than anything else I have tried. The cornstarch slurry keeps them damp for longer and the seedlings are spaced really nicely.
I have to try that method. Thanks for the the great suggestion!
@@GreenLove1 That's the fourth different version of that method. I think you have to cook the cornstarch after you mix it, so as to make it into a gel. I've seen that in other methods. I wish I could get a definitive version of this without wasting any more carrot seeds.
This is EXACTLY what I am going to try, not only with carrots but also any others that have minuscule seeds. 😁
Yeah until the gel freezes and then it's useless.
I have some carrots that i have to plant, so I will be trying this. Tfs
I have never experienced any problems simply putting my carrot seeds into the soil, or long germination time. I sowed mine 14 days ago. They came up many days ago, and today I noticed the first true leaves showing on a few of them. This is at latitude 55.3 north, in Europe.
The best tip for good carrot germination is to ensure the soil never ever gets dry until the plants are established. The temperature of the soil also matters a lot, and the unusually hot weather with a lot of sun in April and so far in May has probably helped with the fast germination of my carrots this year.
Where I live nobody sows carrots in the fall. I have tried to (like to experiment), but the result was not good: They start to flower in early summer next year before you have a root ready for harvesting, and this makes the core of the carrot so hard that the carrot is basically uneatable.
For decades I have prepared the beds. I run my finger along to make a planting row. I seed. I cover with a thin covering of light potting soil. I cover the bed with old curtains then water well right through the curtain.. The cover keeps the soil moist, dark and cool. I water the cover every day. Almost every seed sprouts , usually in about a week. When the plants are growing leaves I remove the cover , continuing the regular watering. I am in Canada. I plant May 1st before it gets too hot.
What a wonderful idea. I am going to have to try it
Plum perfect for south east Idaho and I do thank you😉💖
I've been doing this for years ... after soaking the soil, sowing the seeds and covering with a thin layer of soil, I cover with old carpet, burlap, cardboard weighed down with a few rocks and I've even used an old piece of plywood. Check regularly after about 7 days and remove the cover when you see a few sprouts. I've never had the need to water until after I've removed the cover.
Thanks! I live in Australia and this is my first time growing carrots. It's winter here now. Just hope I can get them planted and grown before the heat arrives! 💚
Excellent demonstration. Definitely will give it a trail.
Thanks for sharing.
That is so cool. I will definitely try this method.
Wow I've never had luck with sprouting carrot seeds I can't wait to try this method thank you so much
I hope it works out well for you, I always sprout my carrot seeds this way. Make sure you sprout plenty, because carrot seedlings a so delicate and many of them just don't make it. Good luck!
Been struggling with carrots. Thanks. Can't wait to try your method.
I really hope it works out as well for you as it has for me!
Love this method! So simple and it works!
Glad it worked for you. I always start carrot seeds with this method.
Great info & explanation! Thanks 👍
Oh thank you for this tip. You are very pleasant to listen to , great vid !
Thank you💚
Thank you! I am going to try this!
Thank you! I will try this. Thanks for making a fun video.
Let me know how it goes when you try it!
Great trick with carrot seeds!! I had bad experience with low germination last year so will definitely try this technique this year
This is the only way I do it cos it works so well. Let me know how it goes for you, Kavita!!!
Great video ! You have an amazing personality and are very kind and approachable !!
Thank you so much, it's comments like yours that keep me motivated and energized to put in the work and keep going💚💚💚
❣️I did this a couple weeks ago and it worked great. Thanks 😊
So glad it worked for you!
Great ideas! Love it!!!
Love it thank you
Am eating fresh carrots from my Oregon Coast garden thanks to your trick of getting them to sprout. Going to plant more this year b/c they taste sooo much better than store bought.
That's wonderful, thanks so much for sharing, and so glad you had success! Completely agree - home grown carrots are so much tastier than store bought!
I can probably grow them here in Winter/Spring but I will DEFINITELY try this for Fall! Just subbed!!!
Thank you! I love pre-sprouting seeds in the off-seasons and am always looking for techniques to do it differently and better! Thanks for the sub!
Great ma'am
Thanks, I'll try this.
Thank you, great video.
Like the freezer idea
Thank you for such a clear explanation and demonstration. I will try this!
It's been a couple of years since I published this video, but it is still the only method I use, and results have been consistently great, awesome carrot harvests! I hope you are as fortunate as I have been. Happy Gardening!
Great tip - I'll try it!
Great idea
good idea. thank you.
What a great technique! Thanks for sharing :)
Glad you liked it! Works well for me every time.
I like this trick
Thank you. 💕💕💕
Interesting. I have some on a paper towel. I migh give this method a try.
My seeds just sprouted using your technique and are now in a raised bed. Great tip! Can't wait for the carrots to grow.
Delighted that you tried it and it worked!! Good luck for a successful harvests! This year I have really been enjoying some great carrots!
Btw, much as I would like to claim it, it is not my technique. There are plenty of videos on germinating carrot seeds using this method on youtube. I don't even remember which video I watched before I tried this myself. Just wanted to clear this up.
This video just came up in my YT feed. Excellent video, thank you very much for your tips and expertise! Have a wonderful day! Greetings and blessings from central Florida!
So glad you liked it! Warmest wishes to you as well.
I’ll have to give that a try in the spring
Let us know how it goes for you! 👍
Thanks for this tip
You are so welcome
I love to experiment, 22 experiments per year. I learned a lot from this video. My first garden was 12 Rutgers tomatoes, given to me by my next door neighbor. I've had a garden every year since I tasted those home grown tomatoes., 58 yrs ago. Thank you for teaching me something I didn't know, it's inspiration. John Rabeler and Karen rice.
That is a fascinating story. Wow, 58 years of gardening. #Respect. Glad you liked the video!
Nice trick gonna try this
I tried this. It really works. Many thanks!,,,
Delighted that you tried it and that it worked for you!! Much appreciate your follow up comment! Happy gardening!
She's right - I've had TERRIBLE luck with carrot seeds drying out and just ALL dying. This year I'm going with the old "board trick" where you cover the seeds and soil with a board to keep the soil moist and weeds from sprouting. Check under the board daily, until you see green, then remove the board and WATER CONSISTENTLY until they hit a decent size!
I tried that too. Rolie-polies collected in hordes under the board and ate all the seedlings :-(
I’m using cardboard weighed down… I am removing slugs each day and there are springy critters under there, i don’t think they will eat the sprouts but what are rollie pollies?
Little arthropods that usually eat decomposing material...but young weak seedlings are fair game for them as well. They have been a real menace in my garden.
so lovely :)
Nice technique, good method!
Thanks, Scott. I am on a mini quest to find better and faster ways to germinate seeds!
My wife bought some cheap seeds at the end of last season. It was Danvers at first I thought they would not grow, but they did well. I should have thinned them, but I find it difficult to thin any thing. So I will use pelleted from now one.
Sweet! Much better than sprouting on a paper towel. I love that you just picked them up and sprinkled them on the soil--how easy is that??!!!! I always thought seedlings were super fragile, but you just proved that they are robust and full of life!! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! That's what gardening is all about!! :)
Thanks, Heather, yeah, I am always looking for shortcuts and easy. Gardening does not have to be hard or frustrating. Hope you try it - it really works!
I have also been told in the past that you can’t disturb carrots, so have to direct sow them where you intend to grow them. Never knew they were actually this hardy!
@@juliemcgugan1244 People say the same thing about beets. I'm going to try my method with them as well.
I use a regular 6 hole 2" starter tray. Fill it with starter mix. I put 10-12 seeds in each hole. I wait for them to germinate and let the tops get a couple of high. Then I pull them from the starter tray and tap them gently against the heel of my hand until the starter mix falls off. When you do this, the mix can't be too wet or too dry. After that, I simply plant them in my garden. No thinning, easy peasy. Blessings to you and your family.
Wonderful way to do it, thanks for the suggestion! And for the blessings 🙏
Thanks for the information 😉
Don't the roots get all tangled and make it difficult to separate each "plant"? I would imagine if the roots tear, your plant is damaged?
@@LeapingFrogg No the root's don't get damaged as long as the starter mix is not too wet or especially too dry. I've been doing this for tomato seedlings for about 10 years. I always planted 3 seeds in each hole. When the tomato seedlings get to be 2-3" tall and have their first set of true leaves, I would squeeze the 2" module, pull out the three plants and gently tap them against my palm to loosen the dirt. Then I gently pull them apart and transplant them. One year for the heck of it, I put 10 seeds in one 2" starter hole. In a few weeks I did the above method and they all did well. I decided to do it with carrots and it worked. Two days ago I started about 150 carrots in a 4" tray that's a couple of inches deep. I'll do the same. No worries, no weeding. Blessing!
@@tomfisher3117 OK thanks, I'll give it a try
That is an amazing idea and concept.
And it works too!!! It's the only method I use!
Nice, I'll try it with parsnips, thanks.
Hi tara good job keep it up
I did enjoy this video and I did learn something new. I an going to try this starting today. Thank you
That's fantastic - and if you remember to check back in and let us know how it went, and if you discovered any new tips along the way, that would be awesome!
I'm going to try this trick today!
Hope it works as well for you as it does for me!
I use pelleted seed and putting them in the freezer is a great idea. Thanks.
Oh my goodness! When you said your climate was in California, you had my attention. I tried my best to sprout them when I lived in California and never could get them to sprout. I was so disappointed that when I moved to where I am now, Northeastern US, I never tried them. But your video has given me inspiration to try again. Thank you!
So glad you are inspired to try again, carrots grow better in cooler climates . Worth a try!
Good job. I'll give it a try.
Let me know how it goes! I have had lots of good luck doing it this way!
I am definitely going yo try this!
That's great, and if you can share your results that would be awesome!!
great video! im going to try this technique right away
Awesome. Hope it works out for you!
what a gem. i have the hardest time getting carrots to germinate.... 🥕
So kind! This is the only way I germinate my carrot seeds, and it works very well, esp in my very dry climate, where it is so hard to keep the seeds moist till they germinate! Thanks for watching!
Just sub what a great trip hi from England keep up the good work thanks for your time 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Why thank you, Graham! I love looking for efficient shortcuts! Thanks for checking in from beautiful England. I was there just last year!
Thank you.
Very welcome 💚
This is awesome!!! Thank for the tip I subscribed :-)
Glad you liked it, and thanks for subscribing
Awesome idea. I'm trying this today, thanks for sharing.
Let us know how it goes!
@@GreenLove1 Will do. pull them out tomorrow. It looks like the only thing different is I used Jiffy seed starting mix but do plan on using your method of mixing perlite and peat moss to place over the germinated seeds. I've got a small section of my raised bed I want to try this method out on and compare the results with carrots I planted about 3 weeks ago... :-)
You have a beautiful smile. I planted seeds and the waiting is the hard part I'm going to try this method and see if it helps carrots and parsley I have trouble growing my celantro is doing good
So very kind of you, thank you! I wish you luck with this method. I have gotten really good feedback on it, and personally it is the only method I use.
I just tried this and my seeds germinated in 5 days! Excited to scatter them in my bed soon.
Always amazed me how fast they sprout!!
I live in Cyprus, where I have found it so hard to grow carrots from seed, by direct sowing, so this video has been so helpful!
So glad it was helpful. Would love to know how it turns out if you try this method. Good luck!
The difficulty is to create a weed free bed first. Then keeping seeds moist.
Many people tarp the beds for several weeks first after watering, to kill weed seeds, or water the beds then in a week use a flame weeder, so as not to till the beds, which brings up more weed seeds from below. Some people then cover the beds with compost about 2" thick. Then put in seeds. But some plant carrots, add a little beets at end of bed.beets sprout before carrots, so then the bed gets flame weeder, when you see beets sprouting, and a few day later carrots sprout in clean moist bed.
@@Zack-lq9tb so interesting to hear all these tips and techniques...thanks for sharing!
Tha k you that is so helpful. Will definitely try your method. Love from South Africa. New subscriber here
So glad you are going to try it! And wonderful to have a subscriber from South Africa ! 💚
Wow, cool idea! Going to try that. Almost 85F today here in nova Scotia.... 30C May 13/22
Let us know how it goes!
I struggle with carrots thanks for sharing
Here's hoping you have success with this method!
Great idea I will like trying that out ! In Canada ya it can be to cold then burst into to hot to keep soil moist
Good luck, I hope it works for you!!
Wow, so much great info in your video ! I have planted carrot seeds for the past couple of years and they came right up. This year I planted them and nothing, noda, zilch 🤣🤣 I will try your method I think !! Thanks for the video !!
Wish you luck! Happy gardening!
Me too. Going to give this method a try!
👍👍😊
I have to say that i am surprised that the germinated seeds can be treated that 'roughly'. Under a microscope the delicate new root has several 100' super fine root-hairs, and they are the real business-end of the seedling, but they are fragile. Afaik the _most_ common mistake in carrot-cultivation, is to cover the seeds with a thin layer of dirt.
Cover the seed with ~ 1 cm of dirt, not the few mm that the "2*gird-of-the-seed"-rule prompt you to do. a few mm is not enough to keep the seeds _moist_ but one cm _is_ !
I have tried the _Starch_ method, and it works, but.. Why not use mud! so i tried that too, and it works very well! Nice spacing and high germination percentage.
Thanks for the advice, and definitely still learning!
I would really appreciate any helpful hints on how to grow berry seeds. Thanks, I really enjoyed your video, subscribing now👍
Gosh, wish I knew- I just start my raspberries/blackberries from canes, my blueberries from starter plants, and my strawberries from runners.
I clicked on this link from your other video, so glad l did!!!🥕🥕🥕
UA-cam is doing a nice job recommending videos that you appreciate! So nice of you to watch AND comment! I truly appreciate it!
@@GreenLove1UA-cam does a nice job recommending content except when they intentionally omit a channel. This channel which l love, dr Berg. True that he is a chiropractic dr & not a western medicine dr. I have learned so so much from watching him. I found out that Y T actually unsubscribed me from his channel!!!
They even unsubscribed me from a gardening channel, A Gardening A'll!!! What'll be the next channel they unsubscribe me from, a "faith" channel, not to their liking? Be careful of your content, as it could be yours they may deem not of interest to Your subscribers!!!😲 UA-cam censors, so Beware!!!😮👾👾
UA-cam does a nice job recommending content except when they intentionally omit a channel. This channel which l love, dr Berg. True that he is a chiropractic dr & not a western medicine dr. I have learned so so much fron watching him. I found out that Y T actually unsubscribed me from his channel!!!
They even unsubscribed me from a gardening channel, A Gardening A'll!!! What'll be the next channel they unsubscribe me from a "faith" channel, not to their liking? Be careful of your content, as it could be yours they may deem not of interest to Your subscribers!!!😲 UA-cam censors, Beware!!!😮👾👾
@@emilyglasser1072 I have heard about this happening - many UA-camrs have talked about it. Yep, when we don't own the platform, we are at the mercy of those that do. Fingers crossed that my channel is not affected!!
Great video! My secret to cut the germination time in half is to bury egg shells just below the seeds and water only using rain water I’ve collected in buckets.
It works!
I can see how that helps - both essential for soil health! Thanks for sharing!
a light sprinkling of straw or grass clippings always works for me , might have to water once or twice...Yah bless...doug
Super hot and dry where I live. I hear that mulching or a piece of wood placed over the seeds works well where it's not so dry.
851👍👍👍 wonderful sharing this video my friend
Thank you!
I tried this in the fall and it worked really well! Thank you for sharing! The only thing is I put 2 different varieties per plate and labeled with a sharpie on the plate. The moisture made the sharpie unreadable. I'll have to try tape or something next time. Oh well, it was fun to have "mystery" carrots when I harvested! :)Are you growing carrots in the spring as well?
Yes I am! Carrots don't grow as well when the weather gets warm - and I have a very short Spring. But I have a coupke of new varieties I am trying. I also got a new GreenStalk vertical planter, so going to try growing carrots in the shade!
My secret is to put the seeds in the ground and they sprout in 7 days no problem, Vancouver bc Canada
Great idea! I wonder if this would work for lettuces as well?
It should work for lettuce. Though lettuce seeds do not need the cold stratification. And unlike carrot seeds, lettuce germinates super easily. Also, unlike carrots, lettuce does not mind being transplanted. I usually just sow lettuce in a tiny starter container and then up-pot. Made a video about this just a few days ago if you'd like to check it out. ua-cam.com/video/prWOFk7Y7Iw/v-deo.html
Search for carrots in corn starch, that is also a very good method
Will have to do that. Thanks for sharing!
Wonder if you can replant the seedlings you’ve thinned,thanks for the counsel
Carrot seedlings are extremely delicate and the root is very sensitive. You can transplant - very very carefully! It's a lot of work!
This was a shocking hack...lol. 1) that you put them in the freezer 2) that you just took handful of soil, seeds and all and sprinkled it around. I like these kind of hacks that help me move forward with much less work and worry. Nice to meet you and Jesus bless.
Glad you liked it. It's the only way I start carrots...though I have some new ideas from the comments that I plan to try
Nice job! I developed a different carrot hack that ALWAYS works and gives quick germination, even in fluctuating temperatures! Like your speech; like me, not originally American.
Oh please do share your hack!!!
@@GreenLove1 That will take more writing than is typical in these comments; I mean, several paragraphs. Besides, if I discuss the soil preparation, the tedium will be unbearable! Still interested?
Ha ha, yes interested...but maybe you can make a video some day with your method!!!
@@miltonwelch8619
Forget the soil - just tell us what you do!
Unless it's a secret of course ... 😎
nice. I live southwest of Houston. We average about 50" of rain, but what really happens is we have a lot of mini-droughts of a week or 3, interrupted by torrential downpours that try and wash everything away.
I've been hit or miss on carrots, will have to give this a go. I wonder if something like this wouldn't work for spinach. I always end up having to reseed 2 or 3 or 4 times to get a full bed of spinach. Even my dad has the same experience, and in his position in cooperative extension service, he was the guy master gardeners would come to for advice.
I always pre-sprout spinach - and radish too. Though I don't use the cold stratification process for them.
@@GreenLove1 - i always buy seeds bulk, and between plantings, they stay in a refrigerator at about 38º F.
Do I still need to stick the carrot seeds in the freezer for that one day?
Have you ever tried growing beets with this same method. I’ve just been introduced to golden beets. I’d LOVE to get them growing early and was wondering if I could maybe shave off a week using the 24 hour freezer method.
With beets, they don't need the cold spell to break dormancy faster so, all I do is pop them in a damp paper napkin, put in a Ziploc bag and keep somewhere warm. As soon as I see tiny roots, I put them in the soil to sprout. If you have a heat map, just put them is starter cells (those small 6 packs work well) and put on the heat mat with a plastic bag or some over them. They should sprout in 3 days flat!
@@GreenLove1 Thank you so much. Planting that way means less waste from over planting and thinning.
That's brilliant! I have a question. I've been told if the sprouts are still white I could just sprinkle them in the soil but if there's any green from light exposure I have to have that green above the soil. Do you know if that's true?
My experience has been that a light dusting of soil on top, even if there is a little green, is quite ok. Though ideally you want to catch it before that happens. These days, I take the seeds out of the freezer, leave them on the kitchen counter for about 5 days, and then plant even before they start to visibly sprout, because I know the germination process has kicked in already.
What temperature does your freezer go down to? Thanks for the tip.
I believe it is 0F or -18C
I just watched Your video what type of soil did you use . Where did you get netting
To sprout the seeds, you can use any potting soil or seed starting mix. The netting is tulle - the type used for bridal/decorations
This is wonderful. I'm not sure I understand why you are planting them so late. I wonder if this method would work for parsnips. I cannot get them to grow for anything! Could I do this with parsnips in the spring for early fall harvest?
In California I need to plant carrots in Fall through early winter for a late winter or early Spring harvest. So it really depends on your location. I have never grown parsnips before, so can't really advise on that.. but am keen to hear your experience after you have tried!
You could also buy some Walmart ones, though they are not sweet at all, and they give you 17 for less than a dollar, and put them in water then when they Germinate replant. There are a bunch of videos on youtube about it, and I tried it and bought some seeds too, and both worked super well. Now I have over 30 carrots Growing to make my favorite Carrot Souffle Recipe with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Sugar, Allspice, and a few marshmallows ... delicious....the Plant part is good for salad or soup...Lots of Love 😍 Great Video!!!
That sounds fantastic. Oh my Carrot Souffle, I have to Google a recipe. Thanks for sharing your comment!
Do you put the carrot seeds in the freezer or in the fridge? I am almost certain that putting them in the freezer is going to kill them?!
Freezer - make sure not to go over 24 hours
Nice:-):-):-)
Glad you liked it 💚🙏
Thank you for sharing this video it does work and a few days I will put my seeds in the ground
@@patriciabroussard5696 glad you were able to try it!!
You are cute as plants🥰
By any chance do you happen to know if this same cold stratification method (24 hrs in freezer) for starting berry seeds?
Never tried it, sorry! Let us know if you find out!
Your simile is Goldern..
Can I do this right now? I have shade cloth to put over the seeds once they germinate. I have found that no matter what they always dry out and don't properly germinate (i am in Humboldt County!)
What do you think?
I am going to be planting my first batch of carrot seeds in mid-August, and do a few successions thereafter until the weather gets too cold. I suggest you wait another month, probably when daytime timps are no more than early 70s
People say I have a green thumb, but I just started my own plants from seed and I planted carrot seeds about 3 days ago without knowing about this video! But they sprouted today:) Is that normal for them to sprout quickly?
Might be certain varieties don't care about cold spell. And some varieties do. I need to do a follow up with the same variety under the two different circumstances and see if it really makes a difference. Great that you got them to sprout so quickly...carrots are not always the easiest to sprout! You certainly have a green thumb!! Lucky you!
I’ve done a similar broadcast planting with sand, but found the carrot tops tend to grow together, making harvest of a few carrots difficult. Pulling one winds up pulling many. Any suggestions to eliminate this problem?
Yeah, I did the sand thing too, it helps a bit but not as well as the method in this video, because after the seeds sprout you can see the little sprouts better and space them right from the get go. I always struggle with thinning, because it seems to damage the roots of the adjacent plants no matter how careful I am.
@@GreenLove1 instead of pulling up the seedlings and disturbing the adjacent roots, just snip off the unwanted seedlings at or just below soil level.
@@gdbynoe yes, totally agree!
Wow! I would love to try this method. I started some carrot seeds in Peets soil mixture and in a paper egg carton 5 days ago. Do you think that it’s too late to put my carton into the freezer for 24 hours?
I have not tried that. Frankly I think the stratification increases the number of seeds that germinate and maybe shortens the germination time a bit. But I have successfully germinated lots of seeds without the stratification piece. Maybe put your paper egg carton in a plastic bag to keep the humidity in cos that definitely helps with germination.
@@GreenLove1 Thank you much .
Thx for the idea. But didn’t you put the germinated seeds too late? I believe the best time to sow seeds into soil is just as they start germinating.
You are absolutely right. As SOON as you see hints of germination is best. I got sloppy.
It would be nice if you would tell us what the tool is when you’re referring to that white cloth or is that what it’s called “the tool”?
Tulle!!! Sorry, I should have spelt it on the video!
Hi do you need to wet them throughout this period?
The soil needs to stay moist until geemination...pretty easy to accomplish because the plastic bag limits evaporation. This is the biggest benefit of this method, beacuse it is very difficult to make sure the soil stays moist continuously when the seeds are planted in the ground.