How to grow Carrot

At a glance

🌱 Grow your Carrot with GardenDex

• Reminders to water it, timed to your weather and whether it's in a pot
• Frost and disease alerts for your garden, the night before
• Follow it from seed to harvest, and see what your garden grew in $
• Point your camera at any plant or bug to identify it

🗓️ When to plant

Sow seeds in early spring as soon as soil is workable, then succession-sow every 2–3 weeks until mid-summer for continuous harvest. In mild climates, autumn sowing works well for winter harvests.

🌰 How to plant

1. Prepare loose, rock-free soil and rake smooth.
2. Scatter seeds thinly directly into soil and press gently; cover with 6 mm (¼ in) of soil.
3. Keep soil consistently moist until seedlings emerge (10–14 days).
4. Thin seedlings to proper spacing once they have 2–3 true leaves.

💧 Care

• Thin crowded seedlings ruthlessly to prevent forked or stunted roots.
• Keep weeds under control, especially when plants are young.
• Mulch around plants to retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and block light (which turns carrot shoulders green).
• Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer, which promotes hairy, forked roots; a balanced or slightly phosphorus-rich feed works best.

🧺 Harvest

Harvest when roots reach desired size (usually 1–2 cm diameter); gently loosen soil and pull by the tops. Baby carrots can be picked at 4–6 weeks; full-size roots need 8–10 weeks. Carrots left in the ground in cool weather become sweeter.

🐛 Common problems

Carrot rust fly: Use fine mesh row covers from sowing until harvest, or plant under shade cloth to deter egg-laying adults.

Forked or hairy roots: Thin seedlings aggressively and work soil deeply to remove stones and compacted areas.

Powdery mildew: Ensure good air circulation and avoid overhead watering; remove affected leaves promptly.

Root-knot nematodes: Plant resistant varieties if nematodes are an issue; rotate crops and improve soil with compost.

🤝 Companion plants

💚 Good neighbours: Lettuce, Onions, Tomatoes, Peas

⚠️ Keep apart from: Dill, Parsnips

More vegetables guides