- Carrot Growing Guide | Fundamentals of Bed Preparation, Spacing, Weeding & Watering - Part 1
- Carrot Growing Guide | Season Extension to Lengthen Your Carrot Harvest - Part 2
- Carrot Growing Guide | Carrot Harvesting, Handling & Storage - Part 3
- Carrot Growing Guide | Common Carrot Pests & Diseases - Part 4
- Colored Carrot Varieties | Visual Comparison Chart (PDF)
- Carrots | Key Growing Information
- Early, Main Crop & Storage Carrot Varieties | Photo Comparison Chart (PDF)
- Pelleted Carrots | Key Growing Information
- Video: How to Grow Carrots • From Seed to Harvest
- Video: 'Glow Stix Sunrise Mix' Carrots | Exclusively from Johnny's Selected Seeds
- Classic Storage Crops | Post-Harvest Handling & Storage Guidelines
- Winter Growing Guide | Part 6: Recommended Crops & Varieties
- Choosing Carrots: A Guide to Varieties You Will Dig
- Webinar Slide Deck | Choosing Carrots: A Guide to Varieties You Will Dig | PDF
- Choosing Carrots: A Guide to Varieties You Will Dig
- Webinar Slide Deck | Flower Seed Starting Fundamentals | PDF
Video: How to Grow Carrots • From Seed to Harvest
Today I'm planting carrots. This is 'Bolero', a wonderful variety with super crisp roots that grow about 7–8 inches long. Carrot seed can be direct-sown anytime from mid-spring through mid-summer, for months of delicious roots.
Sowing Carrots
Plant carrot seed in rows 12–18 inches apart, spacing the seeds about 1 inch apart and about ¼–½ inch deep. and if you over plant, don't worry — you can always thin them to 1–2 inches apart later on, after they sprout, and that can take 1–3 weeks, depending on the soil temperature.
The key to good carrot seed germination is consistent moisture. Make sure to water often, so the soil doesn't crust over or dry out.
Growing Carrots
It's been about 6 weeks since I planted my 'Bolero' carrots here in the garden, and I've got to say they're doing really well.
'Bolero' takes about 75 days to go from seed to harvest, so we're just over that halfway point now. To encourage healthy growth I provide my carrot plants with plenty of moisture, and I remove weeds that pop up, because I don't want the plants having to compete for soil moisture and nutrients.
I thin when the plants are about 3–4 inches tall. To thin, I first pull out any weak or stunted seedlings, and then I thin to 1–2 inches apart, just to make sure they have plenty of room to grow and produce large roots. Don't leave your carrot thinnings on the soil surface, as they may attract carrot rust flies. Instead, bury them inside your compost pile.
Be on the lookout for pests like slugs, which so unkindly removed this section of the carrot row for me last night. I hand pick slugs when I see them, or I use diatomaceous earth to prevent their damage.
Succession Plant
Don't forget to sow more carrot seeds in mid-summer, for a fall and winter harvest.
Harvesting Carrots
I'm sitting here by my carrot patch, and I'm wondering if any of the roots are ready to harvest.
This is 'Bolero,' and it takes about 75 days to go from seed to harvest. It's been 70 days since I seeded, so I think I'm going to pull a few roots and see how they look.
The best way to tell if your carrots are ready to pull, well, is to pull a root or two. You don't have to wait until they reach maturity. You can pull carrots any time they reach the desired size.
Once they're the size I want, I try to harvest the crop within about 3–4 weeks, as they'll be the sweetest and highest quality during this period.
If you leave them in the ground too long, they may crack or become woody. So harvest your carrots promptly.
You may have noticed that I pulled my carrots from the ground, and that's because my soil is quite loose, and it's raised beds. If you have an in-ground garden or your soil is quite clay-ey, you may wish to use a garden fork to gently lift the roots.
Be sure to plant more carrots for fall and winter harvesting, as they taste exceptionally sweet when the weather is cool.
Happy Gardening!