Carrots are an easy-to-grow staple in most gardens with well-drained, moderately fertile soils and a sunny location.

They add a nice, fresh addition to salads, vegetable trays, and side dishes.

Carrots can also be pressure canned, dehydrated, and stored in a root cellar for long-term use as well. Plus, carrots are a powerhouse of nutrients!

Easy Steps on How to Grow Carrots

WE WILL COVER:

1. Soils
2. Sunlight
3. Temperature
4. Pelleted Seeds and Seed Tape
5. Planting instructions
6. Cold Hardiness
7. Days to Germinate
8. Thinning
9. Days to Maturity
10. Harvesting
11. Storage Tips
12. Plus, a few fresh Garden Carrot recipes

Quick Note on: Vitamins & Minerals in Carrots

Find Your Zone: FREE USDA Hardiness Zone Planting Guide

1. SOILS:

• All Carrots need well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8 (adjust to higher pH with wood ash or garden limestone)
• Use moist loamy soil, but avoid waterlogged conditions. You can use garden beds, raised beds, containers, or pots. Ensure your containers have at least 15 inches of soil so carrots have enough space for their roots to grow deep.
• Apply Organic All-Purpose Fertilizer if necessary

Depending on your geographic location, soils vary tremendously and need different soil amendments.It is easy to find out how to test your soil with this inexpensive soil tester from Amazon.

2. SUNLIGHT:

Carrots love full sun but can tolerate a little bit of shade; 6+ hours of full sunshine should be enough for a healthy crop.

3. TEMPERATURE:

Carrots prefer moderate to warmer temperatures, with soil temperature being above 45 degrees. Plant late spring to mid-summer for early, main crop, and storage carrots. Sow your fall plantings approximately 2 1/2 to 3 months before scheduled frosts for your area.

4. PLANTING:

Plant carrots in early spring when the soil can be worked and temperatures begin to warm. They will not germinate well in cold weather.

Special Note: Carrot seeds are tiny, and they look just like every other speck of dirt.

Apply organic all-purpose fertilizer, if necessary.

Consider pelleted carrots seeds or DIY carrot seed tape to help with planting. 

Planting Carrots: helpful tips

If you’re not using pelleted seeds or seed tape, try this simple trick:

Dust your carrot seeds with flour right before planting. The flour helps you see the seeds better and keeps them spaced out properly. This method saves you time by reducing the need to thin out tiny seedlings later!

Planting Carrots: Simple Tips

1. If you’re not using pelleted seeds or seed tape, try this easy trick:
2. Before planting, dust your carrot seeds with flour. The flour makes the seeds easier to see and helps you space them correctly.
3. This tip can save you a lot of time by reducing the need to thin out small seedlings!
4. Keep soil surface moist. Dry and windy-type weather can drastically reduce carrot seed germination.

French watering cans are awesome and especially useful.

FOR COMPANION PLANTING:

Carrots LOVE beans, leeks, lettuces, onions, peas, radishes, and tomatoes, BUT carrots DO NOT LIKE brassicas (broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts).

♦Please Note: add this information to your Gardening Journal.

5. COLD HARDINESS:  

Carrots can handle some cool weather, but avoid long periods of cold and wet conditions because the seeds won’t sprout.

6. DAYS TO GERMINATE:  

Carrots usually take about 15 to 21 days to germinate. Be patient, as they take a while to grow.

7. THINNING:  

If your carrots are planted too close together, you need to thin them out. Thinning gives each carrot more space to grow larger. Thin the seedlings in crowded spots first, then wait to thin again when the carrots reach finger size. This way, you’ll have fresh carrots and space for bigger ones to grow.

8. EASY-TO-GROW VARIETIES:

• Carrots

9. DAYS to MATURITY

Early carrots are ready to harvest in about 45 days when they are fingerling size.

Carrots mature at different rates based on their type—early, main crop, or storage. Most can be harvested in around 45 days or more.

Thin out your main crop and storage carrot beds if you want early tender fingerlings. If you prefer larger carrots, wait longer before harvesting.

10. HOW to HARVEST: 

• Begin harvesting your carrots as soon as the carrots are large enough.
• Soil should be somewhat moist. It is difficult to pull carrots from dry ground.
• Practice good thinning techniques.
• Carefully pull the tops of the carrots and ease them out of the ground.
• If the ground is difficult, then slide a dandelion fork down alongside and gently lift to loosen carrots.
• Be careful to not disturb the neighboring carrots.
• Wash off dirt, then eat or store.

11. STORING CARROTS:

• Wash and store for fresh eating.
• Store in a breathable package. 
• Refrigerator Crisper Drawer
• How to Store Baby Carrots in Your Refrigerator
• Or, quickly blanch and put in freezer bags, containers, or jars for freezing.
• If you live in more temperate zones, consider leaving your carrots in the ground.

To keep carrots in the ground, mound soil around them and cover with straw, leaves, or hay. This will protect them from freezing and frost.

In Wyoming, we can’t do this because frost goes down 4 to 5 feet each winter. But in milder areas, it’s a great way to store carrots!

12. RECIPE IDEAS for CARROTS:

Fresh Carrot Recipes

Fresh Carrot Salad

Frozen Carrot Recipes

Do Not Forget to:

• Simple Eating Fresh!
• Adding to Healthy Garden Salads
• Carrots are beautiful garnishes and work very well on vegetable trays!

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