iGrowVeg

Growing Carrots

Carrot Harvest

This guide shows you how to grow your own carrots from seed in a raised bed. Carrots can also be grown in a container.

What month do I sow?:

Early Varieties sow Mid February to June to harvest in June to August.
Summer Maincrop Varieties sow March to August and harvest July to September,
Autumn Varieties sow March and August for harvest in June to November.

Varieties:

Container: Parmex (globe shaped), Early Nantes’ or ‘Chantenay’.
Early Varieties: Nantes 2, Amsterdam Forcing, Napoli F1 and Paris Market.
Maincrop Summer Varieties: James Scarlet Intermediate, Resistafly, Flyaway, Chantenay.
Autumn Varieties: Autumn King 2, Cortina F1, Flankee, Rothchild.

What growing conditions do carrots like?:
Carrots like well drained soil with no stones (as the carrots will grow forked) and no manure (this will burn the taproot).

Instructions:

Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 1.5cm or half inch deep.
Sow thinly so they have enough room to establish.
Then keep moist.
When the seedlings have two or more leaves thin them to 5-8cm apart, then water well to flatten soil removed from thinnings. Always thin seedlings at the end of the day and when it is dry. Then water straight after to remove the scent of carrot to carrot flies.
Repeat sowings fortnightly for more crops.
Water well until established.

Tips on Growing:
Use enviromesh or fine netting to prevent carrot fly or grow a carrotfly resistant variety (resistafly or flyaway). Also grow spring onions or chives either side of your carrots to throw the carrot fly off the scent.

Approx No of Weeks til Harvest: 12 – 20 weeks.

How to Harvest:
Pull the carrots out of the ground using the feathery leaves. Use straight away or refridgerate for summer varieties. For autumn varieties store in sand or crushed/shredded newspaper.

Completed Project Picture: