Eating Garden

How to Grow Carrots

Daucus carota subsp. sativus

A root crop that asks for little except loose, stone free ground and patience while it germinates.

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At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Takes some care

    3 of 5 · More shovels, more care

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

    6 to 8 hours a day

  • Water

    Average thirst

  • First harvest

    70 to 80 days

    from sowing

  • Plant spacing

    2 to 4 in apart

More about this plant

Carrots are sown where they will grow and never moved: the taproot starts early and transplanting ruins it. Expect up to three weeks before anything appears, keep the surface damp that whole time, and resist feeding the bed.

  • Grows for one season.
  • Can grow in raised beds, the open ground.
  • A good one to grow together with children.

Which kind of carrot should I grow?

  • Nantes

    Blunt tipped and sweet, and forgiving in most soils.

  • Danvers

    Tapered roots that cope with heavier ground.

  • Chantenay

    Short and wide, the reliable choice for shallow beds and containers.

Make it your plan

Add your location for local planting datesAdd place

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What are you starting with?
Where will it grow?

Your plan, starting Nov 10, 2026

Estimated harvest: Jan 19, 2027 – Jan 29, 2027. Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Estimated first harvest

Jan 19, 2027 – Jan 29, 2027

Counted from sowing. Variety, plant age, weather, and care can change this estimate.

The shoulder showing at soil level is about the width of a thumb. You can lift them any time they reach a usable size.

Cool weather and light, loose ground. Roots often sweeten after a light frost.

First, gather a few things

  • Carrot seeds
  • A growing spot with 2 to 4 in between plants
  • A prepared garden bed
  • A watering can or hose

Get ready

Do these before you put the plant or seeds in place.

  1. Start here

    1. Prepare a fine, stone free bed

    Rake out lumps and stones to a spade's depth. Every obstacle in the way becomes a forked carrot.

Start or plant it

Follow the steps for the way you chose to start.

  1. 1. Sow straight into the ground

    A quarter to half an inch deep. Never start carrots in pots: the taproot begins early and transplanting misdirects it permanently.

Water

Check the soil first. Heat, rain, and pots can change how often this plant needs water.

  1. 1. Check before you water

    Push a finger about 1 inch into the soil. Water when it feels dry there.

  2. 2. Water the roots

    Water slowly at the base until the soil feels moist a few inches down. For a pot, water until a little runs out of the drainage holes.

    About an inch a week: one deep watering on heavy soil, twice on sandy soil. Keep the surface damp until the seedlings appear, which can take three weeks.

Need help judging moisture? Read how to check the soil and water the roots.

If the plant looks unhappy

  • Too dry

    Roots stay short and taste woody or bitter.

    If the soil is dry, water deeply and check it again tomorrow.

  • Too wet

    Roots split lengthwise after a sudden soaking.

    If the soil is wet, wait before watering again and check that excess water can drain away.

While it grows

Check on your plant and do these jobs as they come up.

  1. 1. Thin to two to four inches apart

    Once the seedlings are three to four inches tall. Do it on a still evening and water afterwards: the smell of bruised leaves attracts carrot rust fly.

  2. 2. Cover against carrot rust fly

    Fine mesh from the day you sow is the only reliable protection.

  3. 3. Sow again three weeks laterOptional

    Two or three sowings spread the harvest instead of giving you everything at once.

Looking after it

  • FeedingRarely needs feedingUsually none. Excess nitrogen gives leaves instead of roots.
  • NitrogenToo much nitrogen gives leaves instead of food
  • ThinningThin seedlings to 3 in apartCrowded seedlings stay small. Pull the weaker ones and keep the strongest.
  • MulchThree to four inches of weed free straw or herbicide free grass clippings keeps weeds down and the shoulders from greening.

Pick and store it

Use the plant's signs of readiness, then harvest gently.

  1. 1. Check if it is ready

    The shoulder showing at soil level is about the width of a thumb. You can lift them any time they reach a usable size.

  2. 2. Pick it

    Water the day before, or lift after rain. Loosen with a fork a few inches away, then pull, so the root does not snap.

  3. 3. Keep it fresh

    Cut the tops off straight away, or they keep drawing moisture out of the root. Then a bag in the fridge; a cool cellar keeps them for months.

You might pick about 1 to 2 lb per foot of row. Weather, variety, and care can change this amount.

More picking tips

  1. 1. Lift when the shoulders are thumb wide

    Water the day before, loosen with a fork, then pull.

Common problems

  • Carrot rust fly

    Can ruin the crop

    Look for: Rusty brown tunnels through the root when you pull one.

    What to do: There is no cure once the roots are tunnelled. Lift the crop and do not grow carrots in that spot next year.

    The main reason a carrot crop is ruined.

    How to prevent it next time

    Prevention: Cover the bed with fine mesh from sowing. Sow after early summer to miss the first generation.

  • Slugs and snails

    A nuisance

    Look for: Ragged holes in leaves and silvery trails in the morning.

    What to do: Go out after dark with a torch and collect them. Beer traps work in a small bed.

    How to prevent it next time

    Prevention: Water in the morning so the ground is drier at night. Clear hiding places near the bed.

  • Damping off

    Cosmetic, the crop is still fine

    Look for: A thin, dark, pinched stem right at the surface, and a seedling lying flat.

    What to do: There is no saving an affected seedling. Remove it, let the surface dry a little, and sow again.

    How to prevent it next time

    Prevention: Use clean trays and fresh compost, do not sow too thickly, and give seedlings air movement.

Common mistakes

  • Adding manure or rich compost

    Carrots want poor, loose ground. Rich soil gives forked, hairy roots and a lot of leaf.

  • Giving up during germination

    Three weeks of bare soil is normal. Keep it damp and wait.

  • Starting them in pots

    The taproot is already growing. Moving it leaves you with a stunted or forked carrot.

  • Thinning in the middle of the day

    The scent of the leaves carries, and carrot rust fly follows it. Thin in the evening and water afterwards.

Companion plants for carrots

Some of this is measured in trials and some is long-standing garden practice. Each note below says which it is.

Good together

Extension programs recommend this pairing:

  • RadishRadishes and carrots can be sown side by side to save space in the bed.Recommended by extension programs
  • OnionDeep-rooted carrots fit among shallow-rooted onions without shading them, though the idea that onion scent hides carrots from carrot fly is only a claim.Recommended by extension programs
  • LettuceDeep-rooted carrots and shallow-rooted lettuce draw on different soil layers, so they can share a bed.Recommended by extension programs
How to choose companion plants

Questions about carrots

Tap a question to see the answer.

Will carrots grow where I live?

Cool weather and light, loose ground. Roots often sweeten after a light frost.

  • LightFull sunAbout 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day.
  • ShadeCopes with a little shade
  • SeasonA cool season cropUsually grown in spring or fall.
  • TemperatureHappiest at 55 to 75 °FIt can survive 20 to 85 °F.
  • FrostSurvives a light frost
  • HeatStruggles in heat
  • AirNo strong preference
  • Hardiness zonesZones 3a to 10bZones describe winter cold only. They do not say when to plant.

What soil is best for carrots?

  • Soil pH6.0 to 7.0A cheap test kit from a garden centre will tell you yours.
  • Soil it likesSandy, Loam
  • DrainageNeeds fast drainage
  • RichnessHappy in poor ground

Do not add fresh manure. Rich ground gives forked, hairy roots and a mass of leaves.

Rake the bed fine and take out stones and lumps: every obstacle becomes a forked carrot. Heavier clay works if it drains and is not compacted.

Before changing your soil, learn how to test soil acidity and understand the result.

When and how deep do I plant carrots?

When to plant

Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

  • Sow outdoors from 3 weeks before your last spring frost to 3 weeks afterAs soon as the soil can be worked. Two or three sowings three weeks apart give a steady supply.
  • Sow outdoors 8 to 12 weeks before your first fall frostFor an autumn crop that sweetens in the cold.
When you can start picking
  • 10 to 16 weeks after your last spring frost
  • Seeds usually sprout in 14 to 21 days.
  • Ready to pick about 70 to 80 days from sowing.
  • Picking lasts about 4 weeks.
  • For a steady supply, sow a few more every 21 days.

What you need

  • How to start itFrom seedYou can sow it straight into the ground.
  • How deep to plant0.25 to 0.5 in
    Planting depth: 0.25 to 0.5 in below the soil surface. Drawing is not to scale.
  • How far apart2 to 4 inLeave 12 to 18 in between rows.
    Leave 2 to 4 in between plants and 12 to 18 in between rows. View from above; drawing is not to scale.
  • How deep the roots go8 to 12 inUseful when picking a pot or planning a raised bed.
    Roots reach 8 to 12 in below the soil surface. Scale in inches; root shape is a guide. The dotted line marks the shallow end of the range.
  • Pot size3 gal or bigger
    Choose a pot that holds 3 gal or more. Shape and plant size are a guide.

What happens to carrots through the year?

Measured from your first fall frost, because seasons differ from garden to garden. In frost-free climates, use trusted local seasonal guidance alongside these relative steps.

  1. Sow outdoors

    8 to 12 weeks before your first fall frost

  2. Sow outdoors

    from 3 weeks before your last spring frost to 3 weeks after

  3. Growing

    about 7 weeks of growing

  4. Picking

    10 to 16 weeks after your last spring frost

How do I give carrots a better start?

Simple ways to help your carrot grow, from the soil up.

  • Start with good soil

    Do not add fresh manure. Rich ground gives forked, hairy roots and a mass of leaves.

  • Give the soil a cover

    Three to four inches of weed free straw or herbicide free grass clippings keeps weeds down and the shoulders from greening.

  • Make room to grow

    Thin seedlings to 3 inches apart.

  • Feed with care

    Usually none. Excess nitrogen gives leaves instead of roots.

Rake the bed fine and take out stones and lumps: every obstacle becomes a forked carrot. Heavier clay works if it drains and is not compacted.

Why are my carrots forked?

Something was in the way, or the ground was too rich. Stones, lumps and fresh manure all make a root split and fork. Rake the bed fine and resist feeding it.

Why has nothing come up?

Probably patience. Carrot seed can take three weeks to germinate and the surface must stay damp that whole time. One dry day in the second week is enough to lose the sowing.

Can I grow carrots in a pot?

Yes, if the pot is deep enough for the variety. Short, stubby types such as Chantenay are the reliable choice in containers.

What made rusty tunnels through my carrots?

Carrot rust fly larvae. There is no cure once the roots are tunnelled: cover the bed with fine mesh from sowing next time, and do not grow carrots in the same spot again next year.

Helpful gardening guides

Dig into the next thing you need, from starting a garden to getting watering right.

  • Raised Bed Garden Guide for Beginners

    A raised bed garden guide for beginners: decide whether a bed helps, choose a reachable size, fill it with soil that drains, and keep it watered.

  • Watering Guide

    How to check the soil, water the root area, and avoid rigid schedules that do not fit your garden.

  • Sunlight Guide

    How to count direct sun, match crops to your space, and work with a garden that gets less light.

Starting your first garden? Choose your space and get it ready, then plan local planting times.

Browse all gardening guides

Also filed under: Vegetables

Where this came from

Advice varies with your climate and variety. Check the sources behind each section.

Sources & review dates
Light and weather
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Cool season preference
Planting
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Direct sowing rule and seed spacing
Timing
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Germination time and the three week succession interval
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Master Gardener Program, Time of planting · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, cool-season crops are timed to months averaging 55°F to 75°F.
Soil
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Sandy loam and pH 6 to 7
Water
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · One inch a week, twice weekly on sandy soil
Looking after it
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Thinning distance, mulch depth and nitrogen warning
Common problems
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Root maggots, cutworms and aster yellows
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