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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02 Sep 09, Julia (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I just read that you can't grow carrots from seedlings, only seeds. Is this true? We planted some from seedlings we bought at a market and they all came out round and woody. Very disappointing!
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02 Sep 09, Julia (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
We planted carrots around 4 months ago. It's been an unusually warm winter (warmest on record i think) and everyone I have pulled up is about an inch wide, but round! Any suggestions to prevent round carrots next time? thanks
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09 Aug 09, harry levy (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My soil is dug at least 6ins.deep but they still won't grow deep some were in for 2months and I pulled them the other day and they were only about 3ins long I use dynamic lifter in liquid and pellet form and blood/bone hope you can help thank you
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04 Aug 09, sylvia (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Onions & leeks are good companion plants for carrot, and also seem to keep down pests (except snails!). I plant one row of each, every couple of weeks, and have had no problems at all with pests. Short, stumpy carrots are usually a result of not cultivating the soil deeply enough before planting (as I learned myself!). If this is not possible, get around the problem by planting short, stumpy varieties like Chantenay, or try baby carrots. Hope this helps!
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13 Jun 09, Simon (Australia - tropical climate)
Has anyone been able to grow carrots in a tropical climate
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20 May 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Rowan: Jareds' comment is a good idea to get the variety, but do NOT buy carrot seedlings, or any root crop seedlings. It is almost impossible to get them from the tray to the ground without damaging the root. They will never be as good as seed sown. Alison: full sun? not really, I have mine in and they get about 6 hours/day and are doing fine. Watering is the tip. many light waterings (2-3 times /day) until the seedlings are about 3-5cm tall. plant radishes at the same time to get an extra crop and to break the soil crust.
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18 May 09, Alison (Australia - temperate climate)
Do carrots prefer full sun? I'm new to vegie gardening and think my bed (on the east - NSW) isn't sunny enough for most vegies. Need to find some vegies that like the shade (hahaha). Thanks
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17 May 09, Jared (Australia - temperate climate)
Rowan' If you have a local nursery and they sell seedlings they nearly always sell the correct seedling for the correct time of year, so if there selling it its good to go, i always keep my eye out for what they have out at what time of year it helps in planning when to sow in your plot!
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18 Mar 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Elise: I had the same problem, until I lightly watered the seed bed 8am & 3pm everyday until the seedlings appeared (about 10-14 days). Now I can germinate carrots all year round Rowan: follow the planting guides on this site, they are a pretty good guide until you work out what works for you / your (micro) climate / your soil.
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17 Mar 09, rowan barker (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
my girlfriend and i would like to grow, carrots, lettuce and tomatoes. we live in the northwest of tasmania and have no idea when to plant what or how to go about it. if anyone knows the best time to plant these plants on the northwest coast of tassie successfully please email me so we can make a start on our first vege patch. thanks
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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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