How to grow Carrot

Where to plant

Carrots need full sun and deep, loose, well drained soil, ideally sandy and rich in organic matter. Rocks, clods and compacted soil make roots fork and twist, so dig the bed about a foot deep. In heavy soil, add plenty of compost or grow short varieties. Utah State notes carrots can be sown once the soil reaches 40°F (4°C), grow best below about 75°F (24°C) and turn bitter in summer heat; frosts down to 32°F do not hurt them.

In Florida, carrots are a cool season crop sown from about August or September through early spring, as are crops in the Gulf South, Texas, the desert and Southern California. In the Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic, sow in late winter to spring and again in late summer. Across the North, the Midwest, the Mountain West and Alaska, sow from 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost, and every few weeks until midsummer for fall carrots.

Choosing a variety

Short, stout Chantenay types and blunt Nantes types cope best with heavier soil and pots, while long, tapered Imperator types need deep, sandy ground. Danvers types are adaptable and store well. UF/IFAS lists Imperator, Nantes, Danvers and Chantenay types for Florida, and mini or round carrots suit containers. Colored varieties in purple, yellow and white are grown the same way.

How to plant

1. Loosen the bed about 12 inches (30 cm) deep and remove stones and clods.
2. Sow seed thinly about a quarter inch (6 mm) deep, in rows 10 to 18 inches (25 to 45 cm) apart or across a wide bed.
3. Cover the seed with fine compost or sand rather than soil that crusts, since crusted soil stops the slow seedlings coming through. A few radish seeds in the row mark it and break the crust.
4. Keep the surface constantly moist until seedlings appear, which can take 2 to 3 weeks.
5. Thin to 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) apart when seedlings have 3 to 4 true leaves; eat the thinnings.
6. Sow again every few weeks for a steady supply.

Watering and feeding

Water regularly and evenly, ideally with drip. Utah State notes swings between wet and dry crack the roots, slow growth and cause bitterness, while overwatering gives hairy, forked roots. Mulch between rows once the seedlings are up to hold moisture.

Work compost and a complete fertilizer into the bed before sowing, guided by a soil test, and give a light side dressing of nitrogen about six weeks after the seedlings come up.

Pruning and care through the year

• Weed carefully. Carrots compete poorly with weeds, especially while they are small, and deep hoeing damages the roots.
• Cover exposed shoulders with soil or mulch to stop them turning green and bitter.
• Rotate carrots to a new bed each year to avoid nematodes, wireworms and soil diseases.
• Cover young seedlings with fabric row cover where carrot rust fly is a problem.

Harvesting

Carrots can be pulled as soon as the roots color and size up, and most are mature 70 to 100 days after sowing. Loosen the soil with a fork first, then pull by the tops and twist off the leaves.

Carrots keep 2 to 4 weeks at about 32°F with high humidity, or for months in moist sand in a cool cellar. In cold regions, they can stay in the ground after light frosts, or overwinter under a heavy mulch to be dug as needed. Do not store them with apples or pears, which make them bitter.

Growing in pots

Grow short, round or Chantenay types in a pot at least 12 inches (30 cm) deep filled with a loose potting mix. Sow thinly, thin to 2 to 3 inches apart and keep the mix evenly moist.