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
  • Carrot harvest (commons.wikimedia.org - woodleywonderworks - CC BY 2.0)
  • A few seedlings
  • Very young carrot seedlings
  • Young carrot plants

A hardy root vegetable which grows well in deep cool soil.

Carrots take about 3 weeks to show themselves and the first leaves look like grass.

If broadcast sowing, mix with radish seeds which will germinate quickly and indicate the sown area. In hotter or dry areas, water well before seeding then cover with boards to maintain the moisture and cool soil for more successful germination. Check every week or so.

Over fertilised ground will produce split roots. Protect against carrot fly. It is best to put carrots in a different area of the garden each year for four or five years.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Carrot

Steamed or raw carrots are tasty. Cook them in a small amount of water until nearly dry then add a pat of butter and teaspoon of brown sugar to glaze.
They can be added to most casserole-type dishes.
Grate raw carrots and add to salads

Your comments and tips

21 Oct 21, John (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Do you have a recipe for use of kerosene on carrots? Thank you
10 Nov 21, Tony Baker (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
diesel or kerosene in a spray bottle will kill any broadleaf weeds and deter carrot fly. Don't go crazy with it though!
17 Nov 21, Graham (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Years ago (it seems forever) living/working on the hydro dams along the Waitaki River in the South Is. we grew carrots... hoed between the rows to control weeds, and after the carrots had produced their first 2 feathery leaves it was just a light spray with kerosene... That did the job!
05 Sep 21, max guthrie (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Hi I have had lots of trouble growing Carrots here near Arrowtown ( so do all our neighbours ) with Black Rot or Carrot fly I have tried Neim Prills and white sugar but we still get it quite badly do you have any tips. Cheers Max.
22 Sep 21, Tony (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Carrot fly seems to be getting rampant, you can buy resistant seed. One way to prevent them is to spray with diesel/kerosene which not only deters flies but kills weeds! The only sure way is to buy some biomesh insect screen and put it over the carrots as soon as you sow them. Make sure there are no gaps at the bottom though as the fly operate at about ground level.
11 Sep 21, Joss (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi Max, I have been growing carrots in large black plastic pots and have had no trouble with any bugs or nasty things. I sow the seed one by one in separate holes and in a circle around the pot, cover with some sacking and then lay a couple of largish stones to hold the sacking down till they sprout and then uncover them. I hope this helps. Joss Roberts
20 Aug 21, Eden (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Great tips. This is really a piece of helpful information.
14 Apr 19, Rob (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Do carrots need a lot of sun
09 May 19, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Looks like NZ cool/mountain climate zone doesn't work for carrots. Try the aussie cool zone for carrots. Plants need sunlight 6-8 hours generally.
17 Apr 21, Michael (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I find that difficult to believe given that all of the commercial carrot growing in the North Island is done in the volcanic plateau around Ohakune and Rataehi.
Showing 1 - 10 of 23 comments

Short of sterilising the soil (not recommended) you have a number of options. Crop rotation is you first option; by doing this you will be breaking the cycle of these pests. Plant nematode-resistant varieties; this is not so easy as seed will probably only be available from commercial seed companies. Plant marigolds in the season before your carrots: the pungent smelling marigold roots give off a substance that will deter nematodes. In some South-East Asian countries villagers do this to protect their vegetables, linking the gold flower to Buddha who is said to be protecting their crops. Trust this helps/

- John

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