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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27 Feb 14, Colleen (Australia - tropical climate)
Or dig a narrow trench by inserting the straight spade in and wriggling it. Then fill with sand leaving a 2cm gap to the ground level and then put a light layer of soil, place the seeds, cover with a light layer of soil then water, protect from birds, heat etc.
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05 Dec 10, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi there, I planted some dutch carrots about 4 months ago and whilst it is producing carrot the plant is now nearly 2 meters tall and flowering. Is this normal? The couple of carrots I pulled out were short and slightly disfigured so I figured I needed to let them develop more but it appears as though the only thing developing is the height of the plant and the flowering which has developed rapidly with the warmer weather. Should I let it go or pull them out?
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09 Oct 10, Tony Morales (Australia - temperate climate)
I have fertilized my carrots with a bit of super-phosphate and had no more "forking" than usual (maybe 5 - 8%?)
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10 Aug 10, Sirie (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi...am starting to read about crop rotation. Is it OK to have a long carrot growing period in the same spot as carrots in Perth can be planted from September to April? I was thinking of planting some in Sep, then some in late Mar...or is this naughty?
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28 Jul 10, Corinne anderson (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just woundering what fertiliser do you use when your growing carrots?
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30 Jul 10, Daryl (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
no fertiliser, carrots are best planted in well dug patch after growing other hungry plants eg cabbages, too much nutrients results in all tops and no carrot root, well dug soil helps a single tap root
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30 Jun 10, Natalie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
As long as your ground doesn't freeze you will be right. Our carrots are growing really well at the moment. We have even planted more seedlings for a sept crop.
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30 Jun 10, joan jenks (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Is it okay to grow carrots in the winter? it says u can but its not the preferred weather.
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15 Mar 12, Anonymus (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Yeah, you can grow carrots during the winter. Just keep the ground mulched and make sure the grund doesn't freeze. For winter growing I would recomend Artist and Merida (nantes types) and Camberly and Scarlet Keeper (danvers types). However, the coloring on the carrots aren't as good in colder weather with less daylight hours.
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10 Aug 10, Adam (Australia - temperate climate)
No because the carrots will wilt. So its best to do it after Winter
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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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