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 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 2 - 12 inches 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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03 Mar 13, Mkhu (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
What might be a problem when carrots becomes short and seems malformed. What can I do?
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04 Mar 13, Kevin (Australia - temperate climate)
Michu Hi, Seems that your soil is not friable enough to allow the roots to go deep and the forking is due to too much ( probably fresh ) manure.
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29 Dec 12, Rosa (Australia - temperate climate)
Something has been chewing my carrots. I found the culprit to be grey fat grubs about 2cm long. Can someone identify them, and should I be worried about my beetroots?
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04 Jan 13, Mark Logan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
It is most likely the African Black Beetle grub. Not much you can do about them other than digging them up and giving them to the chooks. Your beetroots may take a knock as well as will any potatoes you may have. I have found that they don't like soil in which garlic has been planted so try planting after them.
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04 Nov 12, Lee (Australia - temperate climate)
Are carrots growing above the ground and green toxic like potatoes?
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19 Feb 13, seko (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, you just cut off the green part, everything below is fine.
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31 Oct 12, Barry Brown (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted carrot seedlings ,they're growing very well by all indictions of the tops.They have been in for about 4 weeks now,what fertiliser should I use so that the tops don't grow excessively with smaller carrots down in the soil.?
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01 Nov 12, ray (United Kingdom - cool/temperate climate)
You shouldnt use a fertaliser on your carrots as it will cause it to split so it looks like it has legs, just make sure that they have plenty of water to prevent them from plitting and going woody
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23 Oct 12, peter merriman (Australia - temperate climate)
why put a board over a row of carrots
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08 Mar 14, Alistair George (Australia - temperate climate)
I always use sacking on my carrots, I broadcast the seed rather than in drills that way I never have to thin .Keep the sacking wet until germination
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Showing 231 - 240 of 371 comments
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Hi Brenda, without checking with mixture it’s very hard to diagnose the problem. However I can offer a few maybe’s in the absence of physically looking at everything. Firstly the problem definitely appears to be with the mixture or something you are doing rather than the plants themselves. They are all cool weather crops so temperature is not an issue. If the mixture was “young”, i.e. not fully composted then it could be a simple nutrient “tie up” of the 5 in 1 (presume that’s a fertiliser in this case) by the mixture which means that if you let it be for a while and turn it over a few times it will come good and be suitable for later use. Secondly if the mixture is not inherently well drained you could well be over watering (you said daily). Take a handful of the mixture an hour after watering and give it a good squeeze. If water drips out easily then you are over watering. However, if the mixture handful just falls apart easily when you open your hand then maybe you are not watering enough as you only say watering and not “good watering”. I hope this helps… John Bee, Master Gardener.

- John Bee

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