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 7b 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

Your comments and tips

28 Oct 11, Bruce (Australia - temperate climate)
Carrots are very small seeds and should be planted as shallow as possible. One method is to mix the seeds with a handful or two of dry sand and run out in a line or sprinkle on the area you plan to grow them. They should be watered enough to keep the sand constantly moist until germination. After that daily in hot weather.
26 Oct 11, Vivienne (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi .... I've just started to pick some of my carrots to check how they are going ( first timer) and they are small and curly, great tops it makes you think they are ready. I have planted the in a veggie mix soil, they are in full sun and are watered every day. They still taste great.
28 Oct 11, Bruce (Australia - temperate climate)
If the carrot tuber is mis-shapened, twisted, curley or forked the soil is too heavy or has too much humis or other vegitable matter. In WA they grow acres of beautiful straight carrots for the Asian market in almost pure sand. If the tops are huge and small tubers the nitrogen content in the soil is too high.
25 Oct 11, matt (Australia - temperate climate)
how many seeds do you plant at each station and how much do you water them.....each day or less?
01 Dec 11, BCW (Australia - temperate climate)
One way to plant carrots is to mix the seed with a cup of sand,make a small shallow groove in the soil with your finger in a line where you want to grow them and run the sand/seed mix into that groove,then water. The seeds are tiny and must not be planted too deep so need to be watered twice daily till they have all germinated otherwise they will dry out and die.
23 Oct 11, zoe (Australia - temperate climate)
How do you know when carrots are ready to harvest?
31 Oct 11, Digger Dave (Australia - temperate climate)
Expose the top of the carrot carefully through the soil, if the top of the carrot is the size of a ten cent piece or bigger pull it up, if not cover it back up and have another look an a weeks time, it works for me...
14 Oct 11, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
We planted carrots 6weeks ago and we have not seen anything. Why could this be?
21 Sep 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
I have lots of carrots growing but they are small when pulled I was wondering if anyone knows if I was cutting some of the greenery of the top would that make them grow better underground
23 Sep 11, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I've been told not to feed carrots too much as the fertilizer produces a lot of leaf but not much carrot.
Showing 261 - 270 of 368 comments

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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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