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

03 Mar 13, Mkhu (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
What might be a problem when carrots becomes short and seems malformed. What can I do?
04 Mar 13, Kevin (Australia - temperate climate)
Michu Hi, Seems that your soil is not friable enough to allow the roots to go deep and the forking is due to too much ( probably fresh ) manure.
29 Dec 12, Rosa (Australia - temperate climate)
Something has been chewing my carrots. I found the culprit to be grey fat grubs about 2cm long. Can someone identify them, and should I be worried about my beetroots?
04 Jan 13, Mark Logan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
It is most likely the African Black Beetle grub. Not much you can do about them other than digging them up and giving them to the chooks. Your beetroots may take a knock as well as will any potatoes you may have. I have found that they don't like soil in which garlic has been planted so try planting after them.
04 Nov 12, Lee (Australia - temperate climate)
Are carrots growing above the ground and green toxic like potatoes?
19 Feb 13, seko (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, you just cut off the green part, everything below is fine.
31 Oct 12, Barry Brown (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted carrot seedlings ,they're growing very well by all indictions of the tops.They have been in for about 4 weeks now,what fertiliser should I use so that the tops don't grow excessively with smaller carrots down in the soil.?
01 Nov 12, ray (United Kingdom - cool/temperate climate)
You shouldnt use a fertaliser on your carrots as it will cause it to split so it looks like it has legs, just make sure that they have plenty of water to prevent them from plitting and going woody
23 Oct 12, peter merriman (Australia - temperate climate)
why put a board over a row of carrots
08 Mar 14, Alistair George (Australia - temperate climate)
I always use sacking on my carrots, I broadcast the seed rather than in drills that way I never have to thin .Keep the sacking wet until germination
Showing 231 - 240 of 371 comments

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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