Planting Carrots
Carrots is a cool season vegetable in the Apiaceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
You can sow Carrots directly into the garden 2–4 weeks before your last frost.
For a fall crop, sow 10–12 weeks before your first fall frost so plants mature as the weather cools.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Carrots room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 3 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 12 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 4 |
| Planting depth | 0.25 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Days to Maturity
Carrots reaches maturity in 70–80 days from sowing.
For a continuous harvest, sow a new batch every 21 days. Use the succession planting scheduler →
Carrots is ready to harvest after about 75 days. Harvest before summer heat or, for fall crops, before a hard freeze, to keep quality high.
Conditions and Care
As a cool-season vegetable, Carrots does its best growing in the cooler weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. It is half-hardy — it withstands light frost but should be protected from a hard freeze.
Carrots needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 0.25 inches deep — small seed is sown shallow and barely covered, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Carrots belongs to the Apiaceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Because it matures relatively quickly, Carrots rewards succession sowing: small, repeated plantings keep a steady supply coming rather than one short glut.
Companion Plants
Pairing Carrots with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Grows well with: Lettuce (Loose-leaf), Tomato, Onion, Radish
Keep away from: Dill