How to Grow Carrot

Daucus carota subsp. sativus

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

At a glance

Difficulty
Takes some care
Sunlight
Full sun
6 to 8 hours of sun 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.

Optional local dates

Planting dates where you live

The growing guide above works anywhere. This section adds local frost dates when we have them.

Optional local dates

Get planting dates for where you live

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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.

Step by step

Prepare a fine, stone free bedRake out lumps and stones to a spade's depth. Every obstacle in the way becomes a forked carrot.
Sow straight into the groundA quarter to half an inch deep. Never start carrots in pots: the taproot begins early and transplanting misdirects it permanently.
Keep the surface dampSeeds can take three weeks to germinate, and the top inch must not dry out in that time. This is the step most people give up on.
Thin to two to four inches apartOnce 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.
Cover against carrot rust flyFine mesh from the day you sow is the only reliable protection.
Water deeply once a weekAbout an inch, twice a week on sandy soil. Irregular water is what splits roots.
Sow again three weeks laterTwo or three sowings spread the harvest instead of giving you everything at once.
Lift when the shoulders are thumb wideWater the day before, loosen with a fork, then pull.

Common mistakes

Adding manure or rich compostCarrots want poor, loose ground. Rich soil gives forked, hairy roots and a lot of leaf.
Giving up during germinationThree weeks of bare soil is normal. Keep it damp and wait.
Starting them in potsThe taproot is already growing. Moving it leaves you with a stunted or forked carrot.
Thinning in the middle of the dayThe scent of the leaves carries, and carrot rust fly follows it. Thin in the evening and water afterwards.

Water

Average thirst

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.

Too dry
About right
Too wet

If it goes dryCopes with a short dry spellRoots stay short and taste woody or bitter.
If it stays wetDislikes sitting wetRoots split lengthwise after a sudden soaking.

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.

Harvest

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

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

What to expect1 to 2 lb per foot of rowA rough guide. A good year and a bad year can differ by half.
Keeping itKeeps 21 to 180 daysCut 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.

Common problems

Carrot rust fly
Can ruin the crop
The main reason a carrot crop is ruined.
What to look for: Rusty brown tunnels through the root when you pull one.
What to do & prevention
Prevention: Cover the bed with fine mesh from sowing. Sow after early summer to miss the first generation.
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.
Slugs and snails
A nuisance
What to look for: Ragged holes in leaves and silvery trails in the morning.
What to do & prevention
Prevention: Water in the morning so the ground is drier at night. Clear hiding places near the bed.
What to do: Go out after dark with a torch and collect them. Beer traps work in a small bed.
Damping off
Cosmetic, the crop is still fine
What to look for: A thin, dark, pinched stem right at the surface, and a seedling lying flat.
What to do & prevention
Prevention: Use clean trays and fresh compost, do not sow too thickly, and give seedlings air movement.
What to do: There is no saving an affected seedling. Remove it, let the surface dry a little, and sow again.

Is this right for you?

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.

Soil

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.

The year at a glance

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.

Sow outdoors
8 to 12 weeks before your first fall frost
Sow outdoors
from 3 weeks before your last spring frost to 3 weeks after
Growing
about 7 weeks of growing
Picking
10 to 16 weeks after your last spring frost

Questions people ask

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.

Common varieties

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.

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
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
Harvest: University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Harvest and storage
Common problems: University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11 · Root maggots, cutworms and aster yellows
Step by step: University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11
Questions people ask: University of Minnesota Extension, Growing carrots and parsnips in home gardens · checked 2026-09-11

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