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(Best months for planting Carrot in New Zealand - temperate regions)

• Easy to grow.
• Harvest in 65-90 days
• Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 25-30cm

A root vegetable which grows well in deep cool soil. Hardy. Carrots take about 3 weeks to show themselves and the first leaves look like grass . If broadcast sowing, mix with radish seeds which will germinate quickly and indicate the sown area. In hot dry areas, water well before seeding then cover with boards to maintain the moisture and cool soil for more successful germination. Check every week or so.

Over fertilised ground will produce split roots. Protect against carrot fly. It is best to put carrots in a different area of the garden each year for four or five years.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Carrot

Steamed or raw carrots are tasty. Cook them in a small amount of water until nearly dry then add a pat of butter and teasp of brown sugar to glaze.
They can be added to most casserole-type dishes.
Grate raw carrots and add to salads

Your comments and tips

10 Nov 09 adam synnott (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I just watched a certain gardening show on a certain government station. They were planting carrots, and beetroot, in 10cm deep furrows, and then backfilling. Seemed a little insane to me. Has anybody had any success with this method?.

11 Nov 09 tom (Australia - temperate climate)

Carrots seemed to grow well but after 3 months we find that some of them have split vertically down the side to the core of the carrot. They are quite stumpy - fat and short. Thanks Tom

11 Nov 09 Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Meeghan, Carrots and parsnips will take about 3/4 weeks before you see anything above ground. Carrots look a bit like blades of grass when they start. Tom, there's probably too much fertiliser in your soil. See the comment from Skip (02/11)

19 Jan 10 Adrian (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

A packet of carrot seed has about 2000 seeds. Not all of them are going to germinate, but to make sure enough do I form three 3cm wide furrows in loamy soil about two metres long, 1.5cm deep and 25cm apart. I mix the seed thoroughly into a bucket of well mulched porous loam and carefull spread the mix into the furrows, ensuring that the seed is sufficiently covered with good soil that will not cake and will retain moisture without being soaked. I lightly press in the soil with a rake and keep that moist with a light spray of water twice per day. Seeds come up in 7-10 days and the carrots are always superb within 3 months. This is fail proof. And don't fertilise.

23 Jan 10 Andrew (Australia - temperate climate)

Can I use worm tea on carrots?

29 Jan 10 Chris (Australia - temperate climate)

I tried Adam's idea of the timber on top of the seed bed as I could not for the life of me get germination. Brilliant, within a week the first seed is through and they are all looking good. I would not have believed it but it got rid of the issue of the bed drying out too quick nad has given me good germination. Thanks to Adam, Cheers, Chris

10 Feb 10 Lem (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Hi everyone. I have planted purple carrots in Dec. For some reason they have an awful bitter taste. Is this due to the variety or an extremely hot summer? They seem to be growing well and fast and the tops are a lush green. Could someone please help me.

15 Feb 10 David (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Cris, a sack bag over the seed will keep the soil moist and the Carrots will come up then remove the bag I have also used dryed grass clippings they work well

26 Feb 10 emma sutton (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

how to grow carrot in the garden because this year we are growing ved in the garden and how long dus it take.

02 Mar 10 boot (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

carrots are the best if eaten when straight out of the ground