How to Grow Carrots

Planting Carrots

Grow carrots by sprinkling seeds directly over soil, leaving about 4 cm of space between them. Carrot seeds are tiny, and so they need to be sown shallowly. Cover with a sprinkling of soil and pat down slightly, so the seeds do not get dislodged and washed deeper into the soil when you water them.

To eliminate the guesswork in selecting the right size containers for your plants, we’ve put together a list of commonly grown herbs, veggies, fruit and flowers along with the minimum pot sizes required by each.

Starting a container garden? Grab my free guide on choosing the best sized pots for each veggie, fruit, and herb in your container garden – Veggie Garden Potting Guide

Since carrots take a long time to sprout, usually 14-21 days, the trick is to keep the top-most layer of soil damp during this period. Water the area with the gentlest stream possible, and keep it constantly moist until the seeds sprout.

 

Watering Carrots

Keep well watered. Water when the top 1″ of soil is dry to the touch.

 

Where Can I Grow It?

Grow carrots outdoors in deep containers. As a root vegetable, carrots need plenty of space for their roots to develop. If you don’t have space for this, an alternative is to grow the small round ‘Paris Market’ carrots. These can be grown in shallower pots because of their round instead of elongated shape.

 

Carrot Growing Tips

Make sure the soil you use is loose and drains well. If soil is too tightly packed, growth may be stunted and roots may fork instead of growing straight.

Carrots can be harvested at any size, but see your seed packet to determine how long before they are ready for harvest.

 

Companion Planting

Carrots get along with many vegetables and herbs commonly found in the urban garden. Grow carrots together with any of the following for beneficial effects: tomatoes, beans, green onions, leeks, chives, garlic, lettuce, parsley, peppers, rosemary, and sage. Many of the herbs such as rosemary, sage, and chives are beneficial to carrots because they repel carrot flies. Chives are also said to improve the flavor of carrots when planted in close proximity.

Avoid planting carrots along with dill or cilantro, as both of these herbs secrete substances from their roots that are harmful to carrots.