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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26 Nov 23, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I really can't answer your question, (Can you grow carrots in December in your area) but I can give you all the growing criteria and then you can check (via prior years climate data for your area) whether your area meets the conditions for carrot growth or not. .Carrots: -- minimum germination temperature is 2c : optimum germination is 10c to 25c (the temperatures must be sustained). Seeds germinate over a 2 week period -- if crust forms on the top of the soil, germination will be restricted. Carrots like well drained, well aerated loamy soil. They are SOMEWHAT drought resistant. -- optimum growing temps : 15C to 20C , with a minimum of 5C and a maximum of 24C Outside of the growing range (less than 5c or more than 24c) the carrot goes into "dormancy/holding pattern" with extreme temps killing the carrot. Carrots like well drained soil and they like aeration... so planting in hills (or hilling) is beneficial and allows carrots to grow longer. Carrots can tolerate shade but do best in full sun. I looked up the temperatures for germination and growing on the Atlantic Canada's Advisory board publications (since I don't have all my germination and growing temps memorized). Hope this helps you decide whether or not you can grow carrots in your area in December.
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25 Nov 23, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
August to April.
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04 Aug 23, CANDY (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
HELLO THERE CAN I SOW CARROT SEEDS DIRECTLY IN CONTAINER (HOMEDEPOT LARGE BUCKET) - AS I LIVE IN A CONDO AND PLANT IT ON BALCONY THANKYOU
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14 Nov 23, Bernadette (Canada - Zone 3b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
i had great success growing carrots in a regular storage container (those blue ones you get from walmart) grew a rainbow variety that wasn't expected to grow as long as some varieties like nantes :) wont know unless you try! (just dont forget to drill holes for proper drainage)
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11 Feb 23, Norman (USA - Zone 9b climate)
fastest growing carrots zone 9b florida
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13 Feb 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just a few common gardeners reply to comments here - we are not experts on all plants all over the world. Carrots are slow growing and you grow the kind you might like to eat. I live in Australia and reply to some of the questions here.
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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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I thought I might mention: after you harvest your first crop of carrots you probably have enough time to grow a crop of the smaller varieties of radish. Radishes: ******** Germination temperatures: ideal 15c - 25c acceptable 10c - 30c ************ Germination time: 5 -10 days *************** Growing temperatures: ideal 10c -18c intermediate to short day lengths -Growth must be continuous and rapid for good quality. Acceptable grow temps 4c – 24c. Roots of globe varieties tend to elongate and develop poor shape in hot weather when the tops also grow taller and larger than in cool weather. Long days induce flowering or seed stalks (bolting) and with warm weather the seed stalk may develop so rapidly that no edible root is formed *************** Days to harvest: Regular radish reach market size in 21 to 28 days. Chinese radish take 50 to 90 days (or more) to mature. ** A regular radish seed can produce a radish from planting to harvest in about 33 days. This crop also likes short day lengths and cooler temps making it an ideal crop to “squeeze” in late in the season, before the first frost. With a first potential frost date of October 15 – you could direct sow radish seeds like Cherry Belle, or French Breakfast (both with about 21 days to harvest from seedlings) on September 7th and reasonably expect to harvest your radishes before the first frost. You could also sow in trays and then plant them out… if real-estate is an issue, or if you need to get the radishes started before your harvest your carrots (timing) ************* Storage and Conditioning the recommended storage temperature is 0 C with a relative humidity of 95% to 100%. Topped radishes packaged in perforated plastic bags will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. Bunched radishes will keep 1 to 2 weeks. ********** Temperature information was gleaned from: ATLANTIC PROVINCES AGRICULTURE SERVICES and amalgamated with information from individual radish varieties such as Cherry Belle. ****** if you don't harvest your radishes on time they will be pithy/mealy

- Celeste Archer

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