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

14 Oct 11, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
We planted carrots 6weeks ago and we have not seen anything. Why could this be?
21 Sep 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
I have lots of carrots growing but they are small when pulled I was wondering if anyone knows if I was cutting some of the greenery of the top would that make them grow better underground
23 Sep 11, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I've been told not to feed carrots too much as the fertilizer produces a lot of leaf but not much carrot.
24 Sep 11, Al (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Carrots are best grown in quite poor soil, If you fertilize they will grow beautiful foliage and disappointing carrots! I plant the seed mixed with radish seed and sand together as the sand helps disperse the seed and radish grows so quickly it acts to thin out the carrots. Plus baby radish u can eat the leaves too. I have a chef mate who rubs jis hands together when he knows I'm bringing in baby radish!
16 Sep 11, Carrot fly (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, it sounds like carrot fly.if you have small burrowing holes then this may be them. Planting spring onions close by throws there senses of due to the tangy smell of any type of onion.
27 Aug 11, Kate (Australia - temperate climate)
How deep to containers need to be to grow carrots?
20 May 11, John Bee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Brenda, without checking with mixture it’s very hard to diagnose the problem. However I can offer a few maybe’s in the absence of physically looking at everything. Firstly the problem definitely appears to be with the mixture or something you are doing rather than the plants themselves. They are all cool weather crops so temperature is not an issue. If the mixture was “young”, i.e. not fully composted then it could be a simple nutrient “tie up” of the 5 in 1 (presume that’s a fertiliser in this case) by the mixture which means that if you let it be for a while and turn it over a few times it will come good and be suitable for later use. Secondly if the mixture is not inherently well drained you could well be over watering (you said daily). Take a handful of the mixture an hour after watering and give it a good squeeze. If water drips out easily then you are over watering. However, if the mixture handful just falls apart easily when you open your hand then maybe you are not watering enough as you only say watering and not “good watering”. I hope this helps… John Bee, Master Gardener.
04 May 11, Brenda (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted carrot seedlings 3 mmonths ago in new organic soil mixed with a little 5 in 1 and they havnt grown look healthy just no growth same with my broccoli, cauli, leeks and baby beets. What have I done wrong they are in full sun and water daily.
30 May 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Brenda, The first problem is seedlings. Carrots (and parsnips) are one of very few plants that do not grow well from seedlings and any processional grower would agree. If they were in the seed trays for more than a couple of weeks then they will struggle as the tap root wants to grow downwards and can't in a tray. Buy some seed and try again. I promise you will have better luck. Make sure your soil is friable and stone free before sowing the seed in a row and then thinning the seedlings out (once they are 10cm tall) to about 2" or 5cm. Daniel
26 Oct 14, J. de Viana (Australia - temperate climate)
You spray the Carrots with kerosene when they are 50mm tall . All the weeds die and the carrots grow. Kerosene is volatile and disappears. It is ridiculous to suggest that there will be kerosene in the carrots after several months. The original amount of kerosene was minuscule!
Showing 271 - 280 of 371 comments

It really comes down to what kind of carrots you would like to grow and eat. Long, thin, short, fat, orange, purple etc. Depending on your weather maybe better to wait until cools a bit. From the notes it likes cool soil - like 40 degree days in summer will nearly fry them.

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