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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17 Dec 15, Paul (Australia - arid climate)
Of course you can! You won't get a carrot root but keeping it in a tray of water will let it develop a flower stalk from which you can collect seed true to type. Why would you throw away free seed? Same applies to celery and beetroot!!!
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15 Dec 15, Paul (Australia - arid climate)
Growing carrots from the tops leftover after cooking the roots will get you a lovely plant from which, if placed in a tray of water, a flowerhead and resulting seeds.Collect them to grow on all year round!
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23 Nov 15, Michelle (Australia - temperate climate)
I have grown carrots successfully for years, using either purchased seed, or some I have saved myself. I usually plant just after the shortest day of the year and find that they will stay in the ground, growing happily for a year (or just over). This year however, they all seem to have bolted to seed. I used saved seed, and planted just two days before the shortest day - didn't check the calendar properly. I can't work out why this has happened. Can anyone help with an answer?
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29 Nov 15, Garden of Earthy Treasures (Australia - arid climate)
There were a few days of very hot weather in October which has made my uncovered carrots go straight to seed but the ones growing with some cover and next to a water tank (cool thermal source) are forming nice roots, no flower heads on any of them. Secret to successfull carrot growing? Grandad said always plant your root crops 14 days apart all year round, that way you avoid famine/feast issues and you have a rolling crop of baby/mature carrots with only some going to flower.
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31 Oct 15, Spud (Australia - temperate climate)
Always grow your carrots in loose well dug soil..great after broccoli, leafy greens, cabbage, sprouts etc.(heavy nitrogen users) do not fertilise carrots!! High nitrogen in the soil will cause the carrot to fork and twist etc, as mentioned by others here. Also do not over water carrots.
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27 Oct 15, Rick Priestley (Australia - temperate climate)
What effect would very heavy rainfall,very dry conditions,strong winds,frost and hail have on my carrot and asparagus crops? How do i minimise the effect? I would appreciate ideas as i am establishing horticultural crops and need to cover all bases for the future climate changes!! Kind regards. Rick Priestley Central coast/NSW.
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21 Oct 15, Edward Hague (Australia - temperate climate)
I have carrots with tops as large as trees but little or no root what has gone wrong
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26 Oct 15, Retz (Australia - arid climate)
Too much nitrogen will cause big leaves and little root. Plant carrot after and heavy nitrogen feeding crop.
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24 Oct 15, Jo Christensen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
With carrots you need very deep loose soil. If your soil becomes hard packed at any stage the carrots can't grow deep, hence the short fat carrots. My father grew amazing and huge carrots, he would break up the soil at least 30 - 40 cms and work in heaps and heaps of cow manure
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23 Oct 15, eric (Australia - tropical climate)
mine was the same and then I read do not plant carrots in cow manure and what had I do yep so my carrots were small and curly and the tops lush and green so I figured it musted of been the cow pooh that did it.
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Carrots: -- Germination minimum temp is 2c: optimum germination temp is 10c to 25c (the temperatures must be sustained). Seeds germinate over a 2-week period -- if crust forms on the top of the soil, germination will be restricted. *********** Optimum growing temps : 15C to 20C , with a minimum of 5C and a maximum of 24C Outside of the growing range (less than 5c or more than 24c) the carrot goes into "dormancy/holding pattern" with extreme temps killing the carrot. ********* Average days to harvest for carrots is 60 to 80 days. The days to harvest are calculated based on ideal growing conditions (temperatures/sunshine/water). *************** Having lived in your area MANY years ago – I can recall – and checked with environment Canada – Based on last year’s temp – June was a good month to start planting carrots – and September had decent carrot growing temps – as did the first week of October. I would plant carrots in semi-shade as Stoney Creek can get VERY HOT in mid-summer – and this is a problem for carrots that don’t like temps over 24c. ********* So, what I see is a total of 129 days of good carrot growing weather (June 01 – to the first week in October). You need 2 weeks for germination and depending on the type of carrot about 80 days to harvest: total of 94 days. If you plant starting June 01 – you can plant carrots every couple of weeks until around July 5th (07/05 plus 95 days yields a date in the first week in October). If you want to do only 2 plantings – then I would plant on June 01, and again the last week of June. This is based on 80 days to harvest – if you have carrots with a higher number of days to germination and/or days to harvest (like dragon carrots that take 90 days) – adjust accordingly. You need your last harvest in by the first week in October so count backward to find your last planting date. Bolero Nantes have the following stats: Germination 10 - 20 days and days to harvest 70. The site indicates that your last planting should be 3 months before your first expected frost date -- and it looks like your first expected frost date is October 15 -- which yields a last planting date of: July 15th which is a couple of weeks later than what I have calculated .... remember that Nobody can guarantee what your weather will be ..... when it comes to your last planting, I would error to the side of planting a little early -- and I would feel a little bit short on time with a July 15th planting...but I have heard of people planting later and doing just fine.

- Celeste Archer

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