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 P P P P P  

(Best months for growing Carrot in Australia - sub-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 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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for Australia | for all countries
26 Feb 11, Joe (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
It sounds very much like too much fertiliser, also carrots prefer open type soils if you have heavy clay soils add about a good handful of gypsum or hydrated lime (same stuff) per square meter and hopefully you should see and grow better carrots
Reply or Post a new comment
06 Jan 11, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I'm interested in the answer to this, too. I get exactly the same problem!
Reply or Post a new comment
06 Jan 11, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Carrots prefer light, sandy soil, mulched to keep cool and moist. Light soils give them a chance to grow long roots. If your soil is heavy clay, it is best to grow stump-rooted or chantenay types. A raised bed might be the answer.
Reply or Post a new comment
27 Feb 14, Colleen (Australia - tropical climate)
Or dig a narrow trench by inserting the straight spade in and wriggling it. Then fill with sand leaving a 2cm gap to the ground level and then put a light layer of soil, place the seeds, cover with a light layer of soil then water, protect from birds, heat etc.
Reply or Post a new comment
09 Oct 10, Tony Morales (Australia - temperate climate)
I have fertilized my carrots with a bit of super-phosphate and had no more "forking" than usual (maybe 5 - 8%?)
Reply or Post a new comment
28 Jul 10, Corinne anderson (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just woundering what fertiliser do you use when your growing carrots?
Reply or Post a new comment
30 Jun 10, Natalie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
As long as your ground doesn't freeze you will be right. Our carrots are growing really well at the moment. We have even planted more seedlings for a sept crop.
Reply or Post a new comment
30 Jun 10, joan jenks (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Is it okay to grow carrots in the winter? it says u can but its not the preferred weather.
Reply or Post a new comment
15 Mar 12, Anonymus (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Yeah, you can grow carrots during the winter. Just keep the ground mulched and make sure the grund doesn't freeze. For winter growing I would recomend Artist and Merida (nantes types) and Camberly and Scarlet Keeper (danvers types). However, the coloring on the carrots aren't as good in colder weather with less daylight hours.
Reply or Post a new comment
29 May 10, Eve (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Jenny Both Eden Seeds and Green Harvest (both online) have purple carrot seed ('Dragon')
Reply or Post a new comment
Showing 211 - 220 of 274 comments
See comments for all plants

You are putting on too much nitrogen fertilise. This will produce a lot of leaf and no carrots. Carrots do not need a really rich soil. Put carrots and beetroot in after a leaf crop like lettuce. When the beetroot are about 200-250mm high you can give them some fertiliser - phosphate rich.

- Anonymous

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

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.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.