Found seed packets, how to grow?

[Jacob_Valleau]

My tomato plants are thriving. My basil is almost two feet tall.

Now how the heck do you grow other stuff?

Since we have a long growing season in so cal, and the seed packets were only 11 cents each, I decided to get two, for the hell of it.

I got carrots and "table queen" acorn squash...

what do I do with the seeds before planting? and how deep do I plant them? how much do I water? spacing?

I have around 5 feet of length available for the carrots, and a wide u-shaped area thats around 10 feet long by 4 feet for the squash.

I have organic "vegetable" soil stuff, and Ive been adding kitchen scraps to my garden, too.

I need tips, people.

By the way, I'm way new to all of this, so please describe methods- this is my first garden.

[Roger]

Carrots are a little tedious to get started in my opinion. The seed is very, very small. You will want to cover them just slightly with soil, not too deep, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. I usually dig little grooves in the soil with my finger, then place the seeds in the little groove, then backfill with soil. They like very loose & well draining soil. Be careful when you water them at first, to keep from washing the seed out of the ground or burying them too deep with muddy soil. You can space them about an inch or so apart, or sow them thicker and then go back and thin them out a little as they grow and develop. Be sure to keep them weeded; they won't do well at all if weeds are allowed to grow amidst them.

Any of the squashes are a little easier to get started. I usually make a small mound of dirt [nothing too big, maybe a couple of inches high.] Put three or four seeds into the little hill, about 3/4 inches deep, spaced around the hill. Make another hill about 3 to 4 feet away, and repeat. Keep them well watered in the summer heat, and keep them weeded at least until the plants begin to grow larger.

As far as watering goes, it's hard to say. You will probably need to water them a little more than normal in the summer heat than if they were planted in the springtime, especially when they sprout into seedlings. At least once a day or every other day - check them and the soil close to them daily until they begin to grow larger.

[Jacob_Valleau]

Thanks roger for your help!