How to Grow Carrots

Carrots
Get the soil conditions correct and carrots are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in the cooler climates. Incorrect soil conditions lead to mis-shapen carrots - these may well cause a chuckle when dug up, but they are not so well appreciated at cooking time!

CARROT QUICK GUIDE

Latin Name
Daucus carota

Type
Edible root vegetable

Site and Soil
Full sun for early varieties, partial shade for maincrop varieties. Very well dug light soil.

Plant to Harvest Time
Early varieties 10 weeks, maincrop 16 weeks

How Many?
6 kg (13lb) per 5m (16foot) row for maincrop. 4kg (8lb) for early varieties.

Carrots are rich in vitamin A, calcium and trace elements and a good source of fibre. Maincrop varieties can be stored for up to three months making it possible to have a near year round supply.

The tastiest carrots are the early varieties, which can be harvested as early as early June when they are at their most expensive in the shops.

All in all, a good vegetable for the beginner gardener to try, but read the section on carrot fly carefully.

Where To Grow Carrots
Carrots prefer a light soil which has been improved with lots of well-rotted organic material fully dug into the soil. Carrots grown on heavy soil, or where organic material is not well-rotted, will become misshapen and grow 'forked. Stones in the soil will have the same bad effect. Prepare the bed two weeks or so before planting, forking in a handful of bonemeal for each square metre (yard). Ensure that the soil is dug to a spade's depth and is of a crumbly texture.

Early carrot varieties do best in full sun, especially if they are to be harvested when young. Maincrop varieties do best with some shade especially in mid-summer.

Carrots are ideal vegetables for growing in containers and raised beds. Click here to go to our page on raised beds.

CLICK HERE FOR NEXT CARROT PAGE

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: webmaster@gardenaction.co.uk
Date posted: December 03, 2011 - 10:26 pm
Message: Hi Robert. Read the pages on this site.
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_february_1a_carrot.asp

Name: robert
E-mail: bakkakizza@yahoo.com
Date posted: December 03, 2011 - 06:50 am
Message: how long will the carrot take to grow, and how should i space from one another?

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: webmaster@gardenaction.co.uk
Date posted: November 16, 2011 - 05:26 pm
Message: Look at pages:
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_february_1a_carrot.asp

Name: julius
E-mail: jyokoboi@gmail.com
Date posted: November 16, 2011 - 05:19 am
Message: May i know how to grow carrots

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: webmaster@gardenaction.co.uk
Date posted: November 08, 2011 - 10:10 pm
Message: Try http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?q=carrot+seedlings.

Name: willie green
E-mail: williegreen@embarqmail.com
Date posted: November 08, 2011 - 08:35 pm
Message: dont know how carrots look comming out of the grown. have been pulling up carrots with the grass. if anyone know how they look comming up plese email me or call 334-786-2601 cant find picture nowhere

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 03, 2011 - 10:22 am
Message: Look at the pages further on, some excellent advice. Try growing them somewhere else, rotation works.

Name: Trevor Wood
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 03, 2011 - 05:40 am
Message: Yes had a problem with carrot fly this year 0n all carrot's last year no problem with the late one's,was told about the height was about18inches have had covered in fleece still a problem.

Name: aisha
E-mail: Private
Date posted: October 07, 2011 - 02:47 pm
Message: im really enjoying this website!!!!!!!!!
lol

Name: Ken
E-mail: Private
Date posted: September 04, 2011 - 10:11 am
Message: Having been a keen gardener for a number of years you would think i would know all about carrot fly,wrong.All the books you read say carrot fly only fly about a foot above ground, well thats wrong also.Ive grown carrots in tubs two feet above ground level and still had carrot fly.The only way that ive avoided it is to sow carrots thinly ,so as to avoid thining and when they grow to about6 inches high keep them earthed up,keep the top of the carrot covered with soil.

Name: ram
E-mail: Private
Date posted: July 29, 2011 - 11:36 pm
Message: Carrots grow well in Mauritius especially on the high plateau where the soil is more fertile.

Name: jimbob sherwood
E-mail: Private
Date posted: June 27, 2011 - 09:03 am
Message: um... i am not sure i am growing my carrots right...

Name: Shambel Aseffa
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 30, 2010 - 01:57 pm
Message: Hello Sir

I am a third year under graduate student
at Dilla University and doing my research proposal on effects of bedding system on the growth and germination of carrot.

So, please would able to send me some necessary document/ information about it.

Regards

Shambel Aseffa
POBox 282
SNNPR
Dilla
Ethiopia

Name: ellen
E-mail: els.@hotmail
Date posted: November 23, 2010 - 12:00 pm
Message: these is so great thanks
is like it did my home for me

Name: jim
E-mail: Private
Date posted: October 14, 2010 - 11:19 am
Message: i planted onion shalots this year and they and the crop did not grow any bigger than the shalots i planted ,the shoots were long and hard with a kind of flower on top

Name: Lubabalo
E-mail: mufadoller@Gmail.com
Date posted: August 27, 2010 - 09:47 am
Message: I have a question, how do I keep my carrots at best when there is a great shortining of water?