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

04 Jan 09, Gene (Australia - temperate climate)
Do not put kerosene on carrots! The roots take it up and the kerosene can be tasted. It can also cause reactions in sensitive people who eat them. I believe that kerosene is banned for agricultural carrots in Victoria.
25 Sep 10, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
For all those gardener out there having little success with ther carrots and other root veges you should consider trying them in round tubes I cut them about 350 long and you can fill them up with your own special mix dont forget the sand when you do especially for your carrots.This method saves you having to diginto heavy soils and also you can grow them at any height from the ground as you like.good luck
15 May 12, Glen (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted carrots [seeds] they have come through in good quantity. Is it necessary to thin them out, At this stage they are quite tiny 2cm - I cant imagine them muturing when so crowded.
07 Jun 13, Ben (Australia - temperate climate)
Use the gypsum, hydrated lime is absolutely not the same.
16 Apr 16, Helen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Not replying to Gene. I live at alt 750m, 100kms northwest of Melbourne, Good rich volcanic soil. Is it too late to attempt to plant carrots now to grow over winter? We have vicious frosts when they come - down to -6 somenights but not constanlyt. First frost could be anytime now. Brassicas and garlic planted 3-4 weeks ago all growing well.
27 Apr 20, Stephen Parkinson (Australia - temperate climate)
Whats the best type of sand to mix in with our raised vege bed soil to make it softer for growing carrots ?
05 Jan 09, Kelli (Australia - temperate climate)
i recently found some carrot seeds that have an expiry date of four years ago? Are they likely to germinate? I also found a mixture of other veggie seeds with different expiry dates, are any of them likely to grow? Thanks for any help... im new to the idea of veggie patches but since i have a young daughter i would really like her to eat the good stuff :)
05 Feb 11, Kt (Australia - arid climate)
Kelli some seeds will germinate years after the expiry date and some wont. The only way to tell is plant them and give them a try! Make sure you find the best time of year to plant them for your area though! I have had success planting cabbage seeds 2 yrs past their use by date. Almost all of them came up. Some cold weather vegies will germinate in the fridge during hotter periods and they can be transplanted when the weather gets cooler. I haven't tried the fridge with carrots yet though. Maybe I will try that next ;-)
21 Jan 09, Adrian (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My preference is to grow carrots after I have harvested my first crop of potatoes, usually in January. The reason for this is that the crop matures in around late May and can be eaten all winter. I have found that the carrots sweeten up with a touch of frost. I grow then quite close in rows 20 cm wide so that I get a strip of carrots of about 2-3 metres long. My favourite is Manchester Table, but I hear that Tip Top is the best tasting carrot - I haven't found the seed anywhere as yet. Anyhow, there's nothing like a solid plot of carrots over winter, They are the most versatile and tasty vegetable around.
19 Feb 09, Alice (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
well when planting carrots to make sure theyre planted evenly you can mix the seeds with a handful of sand and then plant them to make sure they're evenly planted! :-)
Showing 11 - 20 of 362 comments

I planted carrot seedlings from bunnings I thought each separate square of the tray would be one carrot, heaps grew all tangled together, I separated what I could, and replanted the ones that still had roots, will they still grow? Also when sowing first, do. I plant one seed per space or multiple seed and seperate when transplanting? Any advice is appreciated!

- Megan

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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.
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