Growing Carrot

Daucus carota : Apiaceae / the umbelliferae family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      P P P            

(Best months for growing Carrot in Australia - tropical 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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29 Aug 24, Suz (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I had this exact thing happen many years ago. It was moles. They live underground and eat the carrot taproots. If you don’t want to kill whatever it is living underground, then I’ll suggest laying a barrier made of something they can’t chew through but will let water through like a metal trough deep enough to allow the carrots to grow o maturity. Maybe a type of carrot variety that’s a thicker taproot and not as deep as say a Scarlet Nantes? There’s probably lots of other suggestions on how to protect your carrot crop once you identify what the underground critter is. Good luck!
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08 Aug 12, Ian (Australia - temperate climate)
Corinne I had a similar problem and discovered that my wife kept pulling them out to see if they were ready. However she did not have the forsight to put the tops back in the ground. I would be asking questions!!
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25 May 12, James (Australia - temperate climate)
In Melbourne we call them gremlins.
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21 Feb 12, Dave (Australia - temperate climate)
Can you grow carrots in pots? I've got some concrete pots about 20cm deep x 20 cm wide x 60cm long with drainage holes
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27 Feb 12, Tracey (Australia - temperate climate)
Sure you can. Obviously a pot does limit the length a bit vs growing them in the ground, so choose a variety with a shorter root and pick them as baby carrots.
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22 Dec 11, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
I have tried growing carrots which have germinated however within days they have all disappeared any ideas?
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31 Dec 11, Keith Goodwin (Australia - temperate climate)
Michael I would say you have a snail or slug problem
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31 Oct 11, clem ward (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
so what soil do you grow carrots in mine are always stunted and deformed clem..
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28 Oct 11, Bruce (Australia - temperate climate)
Pull one up and have a look.
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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.
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Hi Brenda, without checking with mixture it’s very hard to diagnose the problem. However I can offer a few maybe’s in the absence of physically looking at everything. Firstly the problem definitely appears to be with the mixture or something you are doing rather than the plants themselves. They are all cool weather crops so temperature is not an issue. If the mixture was “young”, i.e. not fully composted then it could be a simple nutrient “tie up” of the 5 in 1 (presume that’s a fertiliser in this case) by the mixture which means that if you let it be for a while and turn it over a few times it will come good and be suitable for later use. Secondly if the mixture is not inherently well drained you could well be over watering (you said daily). Take a handful of the mixture an hour after watering and give it a good squeeze. If water drips out easily then you are over watering. However, if the mixture handful just falls apart easily when you open your hand then maybe you are not watering enough as you only say watering and not “good watering”. I hope this helps… John Bee, Master Gardener.

- John Bee

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