Carrot Growing Guide: from seed to kitchen

How to Grow Carrots

The essential guide to growing carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) from seed; with notes on germination, cultivation, harvest and even kitchen uses.

Seeds per gram: 600 – 900
Feed requirement: Low (sow after a previously fertilised crop)

Know your carrot types & kitchen uses:

Nantes – cylindrical, blunt-ended roots, very sweet, little core; perfect raw sticks, juicing and quick roasting.
Imperator – long, tapered supermarket shape with crisp texture; great for shredding into salads or glazing whole.
Danvers – classic conical roots that tolerate heavier soils; balanced flavour suits soups, stews and winter storage.
Chantenay – short, broad shoulders tapering quickly; excels in shallow or rocky soil and is superb for roasting or baby-cut snacks.
Mini and coloured heirlooms – rainbow hues or stumpy “Paris Market” balls; add visual punch to crudités and pickles. Also good for shallow or rocky soil.

Germination:

Optimal soil temperature 10 – 24 °C; seed takes 10 – 21 days to emerge.
Work a shallow furrow 6 – 12 mm deep and 20 – 30 cm apart.
Mix seed 1 : 3 with fine, dry compost or sand for even distribution; sprinkle thinly.
Keep the surface constantly moist—lay hessian, shade cloth or planks over the row in hot weather, removing at first sign of green.

Cultivation:

Loosen soil to 25–30 cm; remove stones and clods to prevent forking.
Avoid fresh manure or high‑nitrogen fertiliser; excess N causes leafy tops and misshapen roots.
Where clay lies close to the surface, choose short or stump‑rooted varieties.
Maintain steady moisture; large wet–dry swings lead to cracking and poor flavour.
Thin seedlings to 3 cm apart for baby carrots or 5–8 cm for full‑size roots.
Sow every four weeks from early spring to late summer for continuous harvests.
For in‑ground winter storage, sow a winter‑holding variety between late January and mid‑February.
Hill a little soil over orange crowns in winter beds to protect from rodents and sunlight.

Problems & Pests:

Forked or hairy roots: caused by stones, clods, or excessive nitrogen.
Patchy germination: surface dried out; ensure constant moisture.
Rodent damage in winter: mound soil over crowns or fit mesh guards.
Carrot rust fly (where present): cover beds with insect mesh and rotate crops.

Harvest:

Begin pulling when roots reach usable size; flavour is best when tops just start to lift.
Harvest winter‑stored rows before flower‑stalks form to avoid woody cores.
Use roots fresh, roasted, or juiced; tender carrot tops make a tasty parsley substitute—especially in carrot & orange soup.