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 8°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 5 - 30 cm 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
  • Carrot harvest (commons.wikimedia.org - woodleywonderworks - CC BY 2.0)
  • A few seedlings
  • Very young carrot seedlings
  • Young carrot plants

A hardy root vegetable which grows well in deep cool soil.

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 hotter or 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 teaspoon 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

18 Feb 24, Pat (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Cover with a board means: place a board on the ground flat over the seeds. Carrot seeds do not need light to germinate. Look under board a couple times a day if possible, until you see first leaves of carrots. When more than 10 % or so appear, remove the board so they can grow normally. PS it works well to plant not a single ROW of carrots, but a band of carrots, maybe 6 to 10 inches wide. Whatever width you can manage to work. To thin. If sown thicket enough, you can pull the little babies to thin and use them in salads.when you have carrots left about 2” apart, leave them to grow to size. As you need carrots, thin further. By the time they mature you should have enough room for them to grow full since. You might leave 2 or 3 in a back corner to continue on to next year, when they should eventually go to seed for you. To save seed, allow them to die and brown, save the tops and further dry seed indoors on an herb rack of mesh that should prevent seeds from coming through. When dry, collect on a piece of paper and allow to dry further. When dry, store in a paper envelope or seed pack.
11 Feb 23, Norman (USA - Zone 9b climate)
fastest growing carrots zone 9b florida
13 Feb 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just a few common gardeners reply to comments here - we are not experts on all plants all over the world. Carrots are slow growing and you grow the kind you might like to eat. I live in Australia and reply to some of the questions here.
05 Dec 22, Harold J Roth (USA - Zone 10a climate)
What varieties of carrots do best is zone 10A ?
01 Nov 22, Sharon (USA - Zone 7b climate)
When should I start my carrot seeds for harvesting in January February March
07 Nov 22, Liz (USA - Zone 7b climate)
Find your zone at the top of the Carrot page Check the harvest time and work back from that, or check the chart which suggests sowing time.
22 Oct 22, Mar (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Can I sow carrot seeds in mid October zone 8a. The fall heat hasn't helped my failed attempts.
18 Nov 22, Ruth A Hersh (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Absolutely, you can! The weather is not the same every year.
25 Oct 22, Anonymous (USA - Zone 8a climate)
It suggests up to Sept. Carrots need to be cover with some hessian or shade cloth/??? and watered a couple of times a day. Prepare your soil well and have it in a fine crumbly level soil,
10 Dec 21, Helen Chon (USA - Zone 9a climate)
I use Neem oil to control pests for most of my plants. Will Neem Oil work for Carrot flies? I know you can’t use Neem oil in 90° weather but can you use it in 60° weather?
Showing 1 - 10 of 22 comments

I suggest you go by the planting guide for your climate zone.

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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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