Growing Carrot

Daucus carota : Apiaceae / the umbelliferae family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P P P          

(Best months for growing Carrot in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 2 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 12-18 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Onions, Leeks, Lettuce, Sage, Peas, Radishes, Tomatoes, Beans, Celery, Rosemary
  • Avoid growing close to: Parsnips, Beetroot, Dill, Brassicas, Fennel

Your comments and tips

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18 Mar 14, sandeep (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
hi i have seen some leaves coming out of carrot when we kept in a trey can i sow the carrots in soil? so that i can get the seeds. please tell me.
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03 Mar 14, will (Australia - temperate climate)
how long does it take for the seedling to show
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20 Mar 14, Peter (Australia - temperate climate)
In my experience, about 2-3 weeks. I find the seed very sensitive to depth of planting. They must be shallowly sown (no more than 4-5 mm) and kept moist. A board or strip of hessian over them will keep them moist, but remember to check regularly and remove the board when germination has occurred.
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10 Feb 14, Catherine (Australia - arid climate)
this web is great thanks
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17 Jan 14, Marion (USA - Zone 8a climate)
What is a good fertilizer for lettuce, carrots and radishes in a school raised bed garden? Thanks
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07 Jan 14, Yvonne (Australia - temperate climate)
Hello I have a question about growing carrots , every time I grow them they head up great but have small deformed carrots , they taste ok can you tell me what I am doing wrong they are in well fertilized soil with blood and bone and compost soil . Thankyou PS we live at Strathbogie Vic
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14 Sep 14, Kath (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Your soil is too good! With carrots rich soil produces lots of green tops and deformed, stunted roots, they need to be pressured a bit to produce the big juicy roots we like. Use your rich soil for heavy feeders, like broccoli or corn. After the hungry crop is finished clear away the debris, dig over thoroughly and plant your carrot seed, the mildly depleted and deep dug soil will encourage your carrots to send down long shoots which will fill out into good sized carrots. Water daily but don't overdo it, excess H2o will make the roots swell and split.
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30 Aug 14, Bec (Australia - temperate climate)
Sounds like you have rocks in your soil. Carrots deform around rocks. Doesn't change the flavor, just the look. -Bec Whiting
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08 Mar 14, Ferran (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It sounds like you have too much nutients in your soil for carots, causing leaf growth and not root growth. By nutients i mean nitrogen much needed for leafy crops as well as fruiting but a bane for most roots as the nitrogen causes the plant to put all its energy in to the leaves leaving the root small. There for carrots like soil that has been 'spent' (had hungery crops growing in it preavesly so the nitrogen is depleated). Sandy, free of stones that will canse the carots to split, well draining, and moist soil will also help your carrot crop. They also like part sun to full sun over shade.
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09 Jan 14, Xan (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Yvonne, I'm in the Adelaide Hills. This year will be my 3rd attempt with carrots after having the same result as you the other 2 times. I've done some research and am optimistic this year will be better. Apparently carrots like to be sewn direct into the bed and like poor nutrients as this encourages them to grow big and straight in search of soil goodness. I'm going to give it a go... fingers crossed :) Goodluck, hope it works for you. Xan
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I thought I might mention: after you harvest your first crop of carrots you probably have enough time to grow a crop of the smaller varieties of radish. Radishes: ******** Germination temperatures: ideal 15c - 25c acceptable 10c - 30c ************ Germination time: 5 -10 days *************** Growing temperatures: ideal 10c -18c intermediate to short day lengths -Growth must be continuous and rapid for good quality. Acceptable grow temps 4c – 24c. Roots of globe varieties tend to elongate and develop poor shape in hot weather when the tops also grow taller and larger than in cool weather. Long days induce flowering or seed stalks (bolting) and with warm weather the seed stalk may develop so rapidly that no edible root is formed *************** Days to harvest: Regular radish reach market size in 21 to 28 days. Chinese radish take 50 to 90 days (or more) to mature. ** A regular radish seed can produce a radish from planting to harvest in about 33 days. This crop also likes short day lengths and cooler temps making it an ideal crop to “squeeze” in late in the season, before the first frost. With a first potential frost date of October 15 – you could direct sow radish seeds like Cherry Belle, or French Breakfast (both with about 21 days to harvest from seedlings) on September 7th and reasonably expect to harvest your radishes before the first frost. You could also sow in trays and then plant them out… if real-estate is an issue, or if you need to get the radishes started before your harvest your carrots (timing) ************* Storage and Conditioning the recommended storage temperature is 0 C with a relative humidity of 95% to 100%. Topped radishes packaged in perforated plastic bags will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. Bunched radishes will keep 1 to 2 weeks. ********** Temperature information was gleaned from: ATLANTIC PROVINCES AGRICULTURE SERVICES and amalgamated with information from individual radish varieties such as Cherry Belle. ****** if you don't harvest your radishes on time they will be pithy/mealy

- Celeste Archer

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