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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
02 Nov 09, adam synnott (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My carrots grow best in a bed where something else has grown the previous year. I DON'T fertilize carrots, because as soon as they find a little bit of nitrogen, they fork, and they're really hard to clean. I sprinkle the seed and press it into the wet soil. I then put some old palings on top, and don't check them for a few days.After four days or so, I check to see if they're popping up. As soon as a few of them have popped up. I lift the boards, and put them on little blocks of something, to be about 1-2 inches off the ground. This protects the small carrot plants from the sun, and helps to keep the moisture in a bit. After a week or so, they are big enough to take the boards away, and voila, they should grow pretty well. Just thin them out after a couple of months, so you have some baby carrots for salads/steaming/whatever, and the others will grow to beautiful fat vegies. Chantenay are my faves, they just seem to have a sweeter more robust taste. Don't forget to water during summer.
Reply or Post a new comment
02 Nov 09, Skip (Australia - temperate climate)
Previously had planted both seeds and seedlings with terrible results - roots were curved and woody - Yuk! Almost gave up. Found out my high nitrogen soil (horse manure) has a negative affect. Used old veggie boxes (thick waxed cardboard) to create a raised bed and filled with 60% landscape sand and potting mix. Planted seeds in August and have not fed them at all and the carrots are lovely 4-5 inches, straight and very sweet. Go figure!
Reply or Post a new comment
03 Oct 09, meeghan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
have never planted anything before and would like to know how long it takes for carrotts and parsnips to come up?
Reply or Post a new comment
25 Sep 09, Jodie (Australia - temperate climate)
Carrots do not like excess nitorgen. This will cause them to fork or grow stumpy. Don't fertilise with Dynamic lifter. We planted carrots and they grew very well but you do need to leave them for about 3 months to grow sufficiently. Carrots grow best from seed. If you buy seedlings and then transplant you are disturbing the roots which are the part that grows to form the carrot.
Reply or Post a new comment
22 Sep 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Lisa. How long have the carrots been in? Are they getting plenty of sun & water?
Reply or Post a new comment
18 Sep 09, Lisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
my carrots are VERY leafy but have tiny root growth. Good soil. Good drainage. Not too much fertiliser. What am I doing wrong???
Reply or Post a new comment
08 Sep 19, Anna (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have the same problem it is now 8 September and I put them in about 5 months ago. Lots of green foliage. short subby carrots. The soils is deep and mostly made up of composted lawn clippings.
Reply or Post a new comment
10 Sep 09, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)
Many thanks for the info David, most appreciated! I've planted another crop of them but will lay off the fertiliser this time.
Reply or Post a new comment
10 Sep 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Dee. "You are what you eat" same for vegies, I am guessing the bad taste came from the Liquid Nitrosol rather than the basil. Carrots don't need feeding whilst they are growing, just dig a little (very little) compost in before planting and keep well watered.
Reply or Post a new comment
08 Sep 09, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all. Has anyone had any problems planting carrot seedlings with basil? I'm new to vege gardening and didnt think about companion planting too much (obviously :)). They were the round variety and ended up quite small and they were so DISGUSTING I wanted to scrub my tongue with a wire brush to get the taste out of my mouth. I used liquid Nitrosol to fertilise - do you think the basil or fertliser may have been the reason for the bad taste?
Reply or Post a new comment
Showing 331 - 340 of 372 comments
See comments for all plants

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

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.