Prepare the site by tilling to a depth of 10 inches.For a fall harvest, sow seeds in mid- to late summer-starting about 10 weeks before your first fall frost.Seeds germinate after the soil temperature is at least 40° and germinate best at 55-65°, not exceeding 75☏. High summer temperatures reduce growth, decrease quality, and cause bitter or off-flavors to develop.Find your local frost dates here. Ideally, you want the soil to have both dried out and warmed up a little after the winter.
Carrot seeds can be sown about 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost date.See our tips on container gardening below! When to Plant Carrots If your garden is made up of hard, clay soil, grow carrots in containers or raised beds at least 8 inches to 12 inches high. You don’t want your soil to be too rich either or the carrots can’t reach down! The soil itself should be free-draining this is one of the few crops that actively benefits from sandier soils. Misshapen carrots can be caused by heavy, compact, overly-enriched soil.Ĭarrots prefer sunny locations (6 to 10 hours of sun). However, with a little effort, you can indeed grow carrots. Plus, the home gardener has so many more varieties to grow from Belgium Whites to Purple Dragon to Parisian heirlooms that are round! (Not all carrots are the grocery store shape.) In fact, don’t expect to get perfectly straight ”grocery store” carrots. Your carrots will still taste better, whatever their shape!Ĭarrots have a reputation of being difficult to grow, especially in heavy, compacted soil. This popular vegetable has a natural sweetness-especially the homegrown carrot because the sugar that makes a carrot sweet begins to be replaced by fiber as it ages in the grocery stores. They are an excellent source of vitamin A and add color to a meal. Here’s what you need to know in order to grow carrots in your garden! About CarrotsĬarrots are a cool-season crop grown in spring. The trick is to plant them in soft, airy soil. Carrots may also be stored in moist sand to keep them fresh prior to use.Everyone enjoys a sweet, crunchy carrot, but many gardeners find them a bit tricky to grow. Carrot tops should be twisted off and the roots washed prior to refrigeration in airtight bags. Carrots are harvested by gently digging around the plant to expose the top of the root and gently, but firmly pulling the root from the soil by grasping the top of the carrot just above the root. Allowing the carrots to stay in the ground for at least one frost makes them sweeter but care should be taken to harvest before the ground freezes or to cover the plants to prevent freezing. The plants should be fertilized 5–6 weeks after the seeds are sown.Ĭarrots are generally ready to harvest after around 2–3 months when the roots have reached 1.3 cm (0.5 in) in diameter. Any weeds growing around the plants should be carefully removed. Mulching around the plants helps to conserve moisture and reduce weeds. When seedlings reach 2.5 cm (1 in) in height, thin them to a final spacing of 7.5 cm (3 in) between plants by snipping with scissors - this avoids damaging plant roots.Ĭarrots benefit from a plentiful moisture supply and should be provided with 2.5 cm (1 in) of water each week. Sow seeds 6 mm (0.25 in) deep, leaving 5 cm (2 in) between seeds and approximately 30 cm (1 ft) apart. Avoid using fresh manure as it can cause forking of the roots. It is also beneficial to work some compost into the soil prior to planting. Soil should be prepared prior to planting by removing rocks and breaking up any hard lumps of soil down to a depth of at least 30 cm (12 in). Carrots do very well in raised beds and can also be grown in containers.Ĭarrot is usually direct seeded and should be planted 3–5 weeks before the least frost date in your area. The plants also require plenty moisture and organic matter. Carrot seedlings are very sensitive to extremes of temperature, very hot weather may kill the plant whereas temperatures below 10☌ (50☏) tend to cause the development of longer, paler roots. The optimum temperature for their growth is between 16 and 24☌ (61–74☏).
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They require full sun for optimum development but will tolerate some very light shade.
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Carrots grow best in a well-draining, loose, sandy soil which is free of large rocks and has a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Carrots are cool-season crops which can be planted in early Spring and left in the ground all summer for harvest in the fall.
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