Overview
What carrots need, how long they take, and whether your soil suits them.
A carrot pulled young from the ground is sweeter and crunchier than any you can buy. The catch is the soil: stones, clods and fresh manure make roots fork, so the crop is decided before you sow. Sow thinly, straight where they grow, cover them against carrot fly, and you can lift carrots from early summer and keep them in the ground or a clamp into winter.
Quick facts
- Botanical name
- Daucus carota subsp. sativus
- Soil pH
- 6.0 – 6.8
- Feeding
- Light feeder
- Temperature
- 10 – 24 °C
- Hardiness
- Any zone, as an annual
- Time to harvest
- 70 – 100 days
- Height
- Up to 40 cm (16 in)
- Propagation
- Seed
Optimal growth
Growing details
- Germination
- 14 – 21 days
- Spacing
- 5 cm (2 in)
- Sowing depth
- 10 mm (⅜ in)
- Frost sensitivity
- Frost hardy
Growing calendar
- Sow outdoors: February, March, April, May, June, July
- Harvest: January, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Early varieties from February under cloches; main season April to early July. From early summer; maincrops can stay in the ground or a clamp into winter.
Is this plant right for you?
- Sow direct
- Container friendly
- Raised-bed friendly
- Needs stone-free soil
- Tolerates light frost
- Stores well
- Needs carrot fly protection
Good to know
It stands frost, so it can go out earlier than tender crops.
Before You Grow
Match the root shape to your soil, and prepare a fine, stone-free bed without fresh manure.
On stony or heavy soil, grow short or round carrots, or grow them in a deep container.
What you need
Seed
An early and a maincrop variety, and a shape to suit your soil. Pelleted seed or seed tape helps you sow thinly. See choose your carrots.
A deep, stone-free bed
Forked over, stones out, raked fine. See soil.
Fine insect mesh or fleece
To cover the crop against carrot fly. See pests.
A rake and a watering can with a rose
For the seedbed and gentle watering.
A fork
To loosen the soil for lifting without snapping roots.
Choose your carrots
Early or maincrop. Early varieties are sown from early spring and ready about ten weeks later. Maincrop varieties are sown from late spring to midsummer and take 14 to 16 weeks, growing on for storing and winter use.
Root shape to suit your soil. Stony, shallow or heavy clay soil makes long roots fork or twist. There, grow short, broad-shouldered types (Chantenay, Danvers) or small round ones, which also suit containers. Long types need deep, sandy soil.
Colour. Orange, purple, yellow, red and white. SDSU finds purple carrots tend to be very sweet.
Carrot fly resistance. Varieties such as ‘Resistafly’, ‘Flyaway’ and ‘Syrtan’ resist the fly (Gardeners’ World).
Seed saving. Choose an open-pollinated (not F1) variety if you want to save your own seed. See saving carrot seed.
Carrot types compared
-
Round or Oxheart
- Root
- Small, round, about 5 cm (2 in)
- Best for
- Heavy clay, containers
-
Baby (Amsterdam)
- Root
- 5 cm (2 in) wide, 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) long
- Best for
- Early crops, pots
-
Chantenay
- Root
- Broad-shouldered, 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6 in) long
- Best for
- Shallow or heavy soils
-
Danvers
- Root
- Conical, up to 18 cm (7 in) long
- Best for
- Heavy soils; best young
-
Nantes
- Root
- Cylindrical, blunt tip, 15 to 18 cm (6 to 7 in)
- Best for
- Sweet all-rounder
-
Imperator
- Root
- Long and slim, 18 to 20 cm (7 to 8 in)
- Best for
- Deep, sandy soil
Sizes from UMD. The heavier or stonier your soil, the shorter the carrot you should grow.
Where carrots grow best
Carrots are a cool-season crop: they grow best below about 24 °C (75 °F), and taste best when they grow quickly and mature before summer heat. High temperatures slow them and make them bitter, and above about 29 °C (85 °F) the colour pales (Utah State).
Frost. Tops take light frosts, and the roots stand more cold than the leaves. Utah State finds 0 °C (32 °F) does them no serious harm.
Rotation. Don’t sow where carrots grew recently: the soil can hold carrot fly pupae. Rotating each year breaks the fly’s cycle and cuts disease.
Neighbours. Keep carrots away from parsnips, celery and parsley, which the fly also attacks.
Sun. Carrots like a sunny spot.
In hot summers, Gardeners’ World suggests a place that avoids full sun in the heat of the day, to reduce bolting. A mulch of straw or grass clippings keeps the soil, and the roots, cooler and sweeter (SDSU).
Soil
Soil makes or breaks a carrot crop. It needs to be deep, loose and free-draining, and free of stones, clods and debris.
Preparation. Weed thoroughly, fork the ground deeply to break up lumps, remove stones and rake to a fine surface. On heavy soil, work in plenty of compost and dig deeply, or grow in raised beds or containers.
No fresh organic matter. Too rich a soil makes carrots fork. Gardeners’ World adds organic matter the year before, not the year you sow. US extensions add well-rotted compost before planting, but no fresh manure.
pH. Slightly acid to neutral, about 6.0 to 6.8.
Planting
Sow direct from spring to midsummer, thinly, in small batches a few weeks apart.
Never transplant carrots: a disturbed root forks.
When to sow carrots
Sow once the soil has warmed a little, and keep sowing until midsummer. For an autumn crop, UMD sows 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost.
Soil temperature. US extensions sow once the soil reaches 4 to 7 °C (40 to 45 °F), two to three weeks before the last frost; seed germinates fastest in warmer soil, best at 13 to 18 °C (55 to 65 °F).
In the UK, the main sowing season is April to early July (RHS); Gardeners’ World sows March to June. Early varieties can go in during February or March under cloches or fleece.
Little and often. Sow a short row every two to four weeks for a steady supply.
Dodging carrot fly. Sowings after mid-May (RHS) or mid-June (Utah State) miss the first generation of the fly, and carrots lifted before late August miss the second.
- Sow direct from early spring to midsummer.
- A short row every 2 to 4 weeks.
- Late sowings dodge the first carrot fly.
How to sow carrots
Always sow where they will grow: transplanted carrots fork.
-
Make a shallow drill
About 1 cm (⅜ in) deep (RHS, Gardeners’ World); US extensions cover seed with 6 to 13 mm (¼ to ½ in) of soil. Rows 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) apart.
-
Water the drill first
Then sow the seed as thinly as you can, ideally 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) apart.
-
Cover lightly
With sieved soil, compost or fine sand. On soil that crusts, a covering of compost or sand helps seedlings through (Utah State).
-
Keep it moist and be patient
Germination takes two to three weeks. Keep the surface evenly moist the whole time.
-
Mark the row
A few radish seeds sown in the row come up first and show where it is; pull them before they compete (UMD).
-
Cover the crop
With insect-proof mesh or fleece, weighted down, from sowing. See pests.
-
Thin only if you must
To 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) apart. Cut seedlings with scissors rather than pulling, and put the cover straight back.
Care
Weed early, water only in long dry spells, and keep the crop covered against carrot fly.
Touching or thinning the foliage releases the smell that draws carrot fly.
Care by growth stage
Sowing to seedling
Water: keep the drill moist · Cover: mesh from sowing
Keep the surface moist and weeds out. See how to sow.
Young plants
Weed: by hand near the rows · Touch: the foliage as little as possible
Weed carefully by hand; thin only if needed.
Roots swelling
Water: a soaking every 2 weeks when dry · Earth up: exposed shoulders
Water only in long dry spells, and evenly. See watering.
Autumn and winter
Protect: straw over the row
Lift, clamp, or leave in the ground under straw. See storing and using carrots.
Watering carrots
Keep the seedbed evenly moist until the seedlings are growing. After that, carrots are fairly drought resistant.
How much. The RHS waters only in long dry spells, with a good soaking every fortnight. In their drier summers, US extensions such as Utah State and SDSU aim for about 2.5 cm (1 in) a week, soaking the soil thoroughly. Water more often on sandy soil and in hot spells.
Why evenness matters. Big swings between wet and dry split the roots and can make them bitter. Near harvest, ease off: a sudden soaking cracks mature roots.
Don’t overwater. Too much water keeps roots near the surface and makes them hairy and forked.
In containers, water regularly: pots dry out quickly.
Feeding carrots
Carrots are light feeders, and a rich soil does more harm than good.
Before sowing, work in a little well-rotted compost or a general fertiliser if the soil is poor: never fresh manure.
During growth, US extensions give a small nitrogen side-dressing once carrots are about 10 cm (4 in) tall, or six weeks after emergence (Utah State). Too much nitrogen makes leaves at the expense of roots.
In containers of multi-purpose compost, a general feed at the packet rate keeps them growing.
Carrots in containers
Carrots grow well in containers, and on heavy or stony soil they often do better there than in the ground.
Depth. Most carrots need about 30 cm (1 ft) of compost. In shallower pots, grow round or baby types, or pull long ones young.
Compost. Peat-free multi-purpose or John Innes No 2, watered first.
Sowing. Thinly, covered with about 1 cm (⅜ in) of compost.
Carrot fly. Cover the whole container with fleece, weighted down, or raise it off the ground.
Harvest. Water the pot first so the carrots slide out.
What to grow with carrots
Companion planting claims range from well evidenced to folklore. Each one here is labelled with the evidence behind it.
Onions and garlic
Grow together · Traditional practice
Alternating rows may help mask the carrots’ smell from carrot fly (Gardeners’ World). A cover of mesh is far more reliable.
Radishes
Grow together · Wants the same conditions
Quick radishes sown in the carrot row mark it and are pulled before the carrots need the space (UMD).
Parsnips, celery and parsley
Keep apart · Agronomic reason
Carrot fly attacks them too, so grouping them concentrates the pest (Utah State).
Problems
Forked, split and fly-damaged roots are the usual carrot troubles, and most are preventable.
Common carrot problems
These are growing problems, not pests or diseases.
Forked or misshapen roots
- Stones
- Heavy soil
- Rich soil
- Transplanting
Damage to the main root tip. Stones, clods, heavy soil, fresh manure, transplanting and carrot fly all cause it. Prepare a fine, deep bed, or grow short types.
Split roots
- Uneven watering
Wet after dry, especially near harvest. Water evenly, and ease off as roots mature.
All leaf and little root
- Overcrowding
- Too much nitrogen
Plants too close, or too much nitrogen. Sow thinly and feed lightly.
Green tops to the roots
- Sun exposure
Shoulders exposed to light turn green. Draw soil over them as the roots swell.
Flowering instead of rooting
- Bolting
Carrots flower after a spell of cold, so very early sowings can bolt, as can unseasonable heat. Once flowering, the root is inedible.
Pale, bitter roots
- Heat
- Drought
Hot soil and dry spells. Water in heat and mulch to cool the soil.
Common pests
Carrot fly (carrot rust fly)
The most serious carrot pest. The low-flying female, drawn by the smell of the leaves, lays eggs at the base of the plants, and the maggots tunnel through the roots, which then rot. RHS research found the best protection is to cover the crop completely with insect-proof mesh; a 45 cm (18 in) barrier fence around the bed also helps. Sow late, rotate, choose resistant varieties, avoid brushing the foliage, and lift the whole crop promptly.
Wireworms
Click beetle larvae that bore into roots, usually in ground that was recently grass.
More problems with carrots
Common diseases
Most carrots grow fast with few problems. Rotating the bed each year controls much of what does occur.
Aster yellows
Several tops per plant, yellow or purplish leaves and hairy roots. Spread by leafhoppers; covering the crop with fabric keeps them off. There is no cure.
Leaf blights
Brown spots on the foliage. Rotate, and clear old foliage at the end of the season.
Harvest & Use
Lift roots as soon as they are big enough, and store the rest in the ground or a clamp.
Harvesting carrots
Carrots are ready about 10 to 14 weeks after sowing (Utah State gives 70 to 100 days): early varieties sooner, maincrops later. Baby carrots can be pulled at four to six weeks.
When. As soon as they are big enough to use, about 2 cm (¾ in) across at the top (SDSU). Don’t chase the biggest roots: flavour declines, and some types turn woody with age. Spring sowings are best young and eaten raw.
How. Water the soil first if it is dry, or lift after rain, so roots don’t snap. Loosen the soil beside them with a fork, then pull. Take the biggest first and leave the rest to grow.
Carrot fly. Where the fly is a problem, lift all the carrots in a block as soon as they are ready, rather than a few at a time.
Tops off. Cut off the leaves straight after harvest, so the roots stay crisp.
- Lift when they are big enough, not as big as possible.
- Water or fork first so they don’t snap.
- Twist off the tops straight away.
Storing and using carrots
In the ground. On well-drained soil, leave maincrops in the ground into winter. Cut off the leaves and cover the row with straw, bracken or cardboard against frost, then lift as needed. On soil that waterlogs, lift them instead.
In a clamp. Gardeners’ World stores carrots in a shallow pit layered with horticultural sand and covered with straw, keeping them fresh until early spring.
In a box. The RHS stores undamaged carrots in crates in a cool place through late autumn and winter.
Cold storage. Near 0 °C (32 °F) and high humidity, topped carrots keep two to four weeks (Utah State) and up to four or five months (UMD). Don’t store them with apples or pears: the fruit’s gases make them bitter (Utah State).
Using. Raw, roasted, steamed, in soups and stews, cakes and juices. Carrots also freeze and can well.
Propagation
Leave a few open-pollinated carrots to flower in their second year for seed.
Saving carrot seed
Carrots are biennial: they flower and set seed in their second year, drawing on the root, which becomes inedible.
Choose an open-pollinated (not F1) variety.
Overwinter a few roots. In mild areas, leave them in the ground, mulched against frost. In cold areas, lift them in autumn, store them in a clamp, and replant them in spring.
Collect. Cut whole flower heads when they turn brown and dry, finish drying them under cover, then rub out the seed. It keeps up to three years.
Beware wild carrot. Garden carrots cross with wild carrot (Queen Anne’s lace), which has thin white roots. Isolating them needs about 500 m (1,600 ft), which is rarely possible, so discard any white-rooted plants in the next crop.
More to Explore
Quick answers, guides that pair well with carrots, and the sources behind this one.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my carrots forked?
Stones, heavy or freshly manured soil, transplanting or carrot fly damaged the root tip. See common problems.
How do I stop carrot fly?
Cover the crop completely with fine mesh from sowing. See pests.
How long do carrots take to germinate?
Two to three weeks; keep the soil moist throughout.
Do I need to thin carrots?
Not if you sow thinly. If you do thin, snip rather than pull and re-cover the crop.
Can you transplant carrots?
No: disturbed roots fork. Always sow where they are to grow.
How long until carrots are ready?
About 10 to 14 weeks from sowing; baby carrots in four to six. See harvesting.
Can I grow carrots in a pot?
Yes, in a container about 30 cm (1 ft) deep, or shallower for round types. See carrots in containers.
Why did my carrots split?
Uneven watering, especially a soaking after dry weather near harvest.
Can I leave carrots in the ground over winter?
On well-drained soil, yes, under a layer of straw. See storing and using carrots.
Why are my carrots flowering?
They have bolted, usually after cold or unseasonable heat. The root is no longer good to eat.
Related guides
Sources
- How to grow carrots (opens in a new tab) Royal Horticultural Society
- Growing carrots in a home garden (opens in a new tab) University of Maryland Extension
- How to grow carrots in your garden (opens in a new tab) Utah State University Extension
- Carrot rust fly (opens in a new tab) Utah State University Extension
- Carrots: how to grow it (opens in a new tab) South Dakota State University Extension
- How to grow carrots (opens in a new tab) BBC Gardeners’ World