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

(Best months for growing Carrot in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed

January: water well

September: broadcast sow

  • 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

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08 Feb 23, (Australia - temperate climate)
I've grown carrots and parsnips next to each other for years, and have never had any real issues. [Temperate - Geelong, Victoria.]
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15 Jan 23, christina (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i have tried to grow carrots and beets unsuccessfully over the last year... i have built up soil in beds with bunnings veg mix, mushroom compost , manure bags and dynamic lifter... i also use worm castings and tea... from my worms.. i mulch with sugarcane .. and its so frustrating they wont grow... what am i doing wrong please....
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23 Jan 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
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.
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08 Feb 23, gregj (Australia - temperate climate)
I agree. He/she is trying to grow them with far too much fertiliser. I have grown carrots in the same raised bed for years, and have barely added anything to the soil in all that time. They grow fine. When I try to grow them in the garden beds, which have all been well fertilised with animal manure etc they don't grow well at all.
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05 Dec 22, Harold J Roth (USA - Zone 10a climate)
What varieties of carrots do best is zone 10A ?
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01 Nov 22, Sharon (USA - Zone 7b climate)
When should I start my carrot seeds for harvesting in January February March
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07 Nov 22, Liz (USA - Zone 7b climate)
Find your zone at the top of the Carrot page Check the harvest time and work back from that, or check the chart which suggests sowing time.
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24 Oct 22, Ralph (Australia - temperate climate)
can I grow carrots next to Potatoes and sunflowers ? ps lov eyour website :-)
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25 Oct 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sun flowers will shade them if planted on the east or west side.
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22 Oct 22, Mar (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Can I sow carrot seeds in mid October zone 8a. The fall heat hasn't helped my failed attempts.
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Showing 21 - 30 of 368 comments
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A good idea to do this anytime. And to do it when transplanting seedlings especially when the seedlings are bare rooted (no soil around them). I have a 2m x 2m x .4m high frame with 30% shade cloth.

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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. GardenGrow 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.
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