How to Plant Carrots [For Your Biggest Harvest Ever]
Carrots took me a while to get the hang of. While they’re not as hard to grow as, say celery, they’re also not as easy to grow as, say zucchini.
Planting carrots at the right time in the right soil conditions, with the right amount of moisture, and spacing is key.
I’ve written up this detailed guide so that you can learn from my mistakes and grow the biggest, sweetest carrots you’ve ever grown this year.
How to Plant Carrots TL;DR
Plant carrots in soils that are 40F to 85F.
If planting in thicker soils, try using a Nantes or Chantenay variety. They will perform better.
Carrots do best in 6 or more hours of full sun, but will grow in shade (they just might be smaller).
Space carrot rows 7” apart and thin carrots so they are 1-2” apart.
Loosen soil if growing in the ground and your soil is thick and rocky.
Sow seeds 1/4” deep and gently water them so they don’t wash away.
Cover them with a board to help retain moisture.
Thin once they are 1-3” tall.
When to Plant Carrot Seeds
In parts of the South, you can plant carrot seeds all year long although most people will tell you that carrots grown in the heat often taste less sweet than those grown in cooler temperatures.
In most states you can plant carrot seeds both in the spring and the fall for two harvests, making carrots an excellent addition to most gardens.
And if you’re in the far north, many grow carrots exclusively in late spring and the summer months.
If you want a complete state-by-state carrot planting guide with subregions, check out my blog on when to plant carrots.
Temperature for Growing Carrots
The internet always told me that carrot seeds will germinate at temperatures from 40 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. I prefer to plant my carrot seeds when the soil is at least 55 to 85 Fahrenheit because they germinate so much faster.
If you plant carrots in cooler soil, it can take nearly a month for them to germinate and sprout. But when I plant carrot seeds in warmer soil, I’ve seen them sprout as quickly as 4 days. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to wait.
If you don’t have a soil thermometer, I highly recommend one. Here’s the soil thermometer I use.
Carrots do not like heat, so you want to plan at least 75 days from sprout to maturity in temperatures between 40F and 85F.
Carrots can withstand a light frost between 28F and 32F so if you need to plant carrots before you last frost, you might be able to get away with it.
Alternatively, I’ve grown carrots in 90-degree heat as well, in partial shade. If you didn’t get your carrots in the ground soon enough or your growing window is short, you can try using a shade net like mine.
How Long Do Carrot Seeds Take to Germinate
I’ve had carrots germinate as quickly as 4 days in soil that was 65 to 85 Fahrenheit. When I plant winter carrots (I’m in SoCal so our winters rarely get below freezing), it can take 20 to 30 days.
Determine the Type of Carrots to Plant
Once you know when to plant carrots, the next step is to figure out what types of carrots you want to eat this year.
If you live in an area with short growing seasons, choosing varieties such as Little Finger, Danvers 126, Tonda di Parigi, or even the Red Cored Chantenay may be best. All of these carrots require less time to reach maturity, sometimes reaching maturity between 57 and 65 days.
Also, consider what you would like to use your carrots for. Nantes carrots are the best for juicing. Most people prefer Imperator varieties like the Tendersweet for snacking. And Chantenay carrots like the Shin Kuroda are great for canning and freezing.
For a complete guide on carrot types and their best uses, as well as which carrots grow best in warmer climates, check out my article about Types of Carrots.
Can You Plant Different Varieties of Carrots Together
Yes, you can plant different varieties of carrots together in the same row or raised bed. I have rows of 20 carrots (after thinning) and I often mix two types in each row.
Currently, I have some Little Fingers for snacking in the same row as my Tonda di Parigi which I will use in soups.
You can also grow different colors together for a multi-colored harvest.
Where to Plant Carrots
Carrots can grow in the ground, in raised beds, and even in containers. To determine which is best for you, consider these 4 things:
Soil
Sunlight and Temperature
Water
Space
Soil
All carrots grow great in sandy loam that is loose, well-draining, and rich in organic matter. Carrots prefer a pH between 6 and 7. So what does that mean for selecting a growing location?
If you’re growing carrots in a raised bed or pot with Organic Garden Soil, you’ll be fine growing any carrot variety.
I prefer the Happy Frog blend by Fox Farms here in California because it has everything your seedlings need to grow, but it’s not overfilled with a ton of nutrients.
I like this because depending on what I’m growing, it allows me to add my own soil amendments depending on the vegetable I’m growing and I’ve never had it burn my plants.
The pH of Happy Frog is also slightly lower than other soils I’ve tried, ranging between 6.3 and 6.7, which is perfect for carrots.
You can also grow directly in the ground; however, if your soil is like mine, a thick clay with lots of rocks, not all carrots perform well. Imperator carrots with pointy ends will fork and twist in this type of soil.
Your best bet is to grow a Nantes or Chantenay carrot in clay and rocky soils because they can power through the hard soil better with their blunt ends and thicker roots.
If you decide to grow carrots in clay or if you’re using a raised bed with older soil, I highly recommend getting it tested at your local university extension or using a home kit. I’ve used several home kits and the one I like best is the Luster Leaf Rapitest.
I discuss all carrot types and soils to grow them in my article 5 Types of Carrots to Grow This Year.
Sunlight
Carrots grow best in full sun, which means at least 6 hours of sunlight.
I’ve tried growing carrots in the shade of other companion plants and they often come out smaller.
If you’re growing carrots in the summer and you’re worried about heat, I have used a 40% shade cloth and my carrots seem to do fine with that. Unlike planting them beneath another plant, the shade cloth doesn’t seem to inhibit my carrots’ growth.
So if you’re worried about the heat, use a shade cloth like mine, don’t plant them beneath another plant.
Water
You’ll need a plan to water your carrots. If you don’t want to water them by hand, you can tap into your water line with a 1/4” drip line and a small bubbler for carrots grown in pots.
For raised beds or carrots grown in the ground, you can run a 1/2” drip line across the surface to automate your watering. I currently use a handful of vortex micro-sprayers that attach to a 1/4” poly tubing and I find these work really well for carrots.
The important thing is to figure all this out and set it up before you plant seeds. One year I made a mistake and it was a pain trying to fix it after the fact.
Space
I prefer to grow carrots in rows, even in my raised bed. The experts will tell you to space rows out 12” from one another. I’ll tell you that in good soil you can space them 7 to 8 inches apart and they will grow just fine.
You’ll eventually thin your carrots out in each row so they are 2” apart from one another. If you grow them too close together, it will stunt their growth.
So plan your space appropriately based on the number of carrots you would like to eat this season.
My family of 4 consumes about a pound of carrots every week. That’s about 5 carrots per week, give or take a couple depending on size. So if I wanted enough carrots for a year I would need 5x52=260 carrots.
In a 3x6 raised bed, I can plant 10 rows of 18 which is 180 carrots.
Given that I (and most people across the country) can plant 2 seasons of carrots in both the spring and fall, that’s plenty of space. If I grew 2 full beds of carrots, that would be 360 carrots for the year.
Select Carrot Companion Plants
The last thing I like to do before preparing the soil and planting is to select companion plants for my carrots.
You don’t have to plant companions with your carrots, but some can be beneficial to deter pests.
My favorite carrot companion plants to help deter carrot pests like rust flies, aphids, and rodents include:
Oregano
Marigolds
Cilantro (when it flowers)
Daffodils
Onions
Keep in mind that certain herbs like oregano can be invasive and take over a garden quickly, so I often plant these in pots near or around my carrots.
Intercropping Carrots
You can also grow other vegetables with your carrots by intercropping them. Some people intercrop other plants in between the rows of carrots and others intercrop within the same row.
For example, I often intercrop radishes in the same row as my carrots. Because carrots take so long to sprout, I often forget where my rows are. Radishes sprout much faster and by planting them in between my carrots, I can more easily keep track of the rows.
Lettuce is also another great option to plant in between your carrot rows as it grows fast and has shallow roots.
Planting Carrots in the Ground
Loosen hard, dry soil
If you’re planting carrots in the ground and your soil is hard, loosen the soil before sowing seeds. If there are any rocks, remove them. While some carrots are more tolerant of hard rocky soils, most will not do well.
You need to have a good foot of loose soil for the carrot root to grow into, otherwise, you may end up with fat, short, stubby carrots.
Add Compost or Fertilizer to the Soil
I always add a healthy amount of compost or dry carrot fertilizer to my soil and mix it into the top 2 inches before planting. This ensures that my seeds have everything they need to develop during early growth stages.
Make a trough 1/4” deep
When growing in the ground, I find that plating in rows rather than scattering is more effective. With your garden spade or hori hori knife, make a small trough in the soil about 1/4” deep.
I prefer the Hori Hori knife because you can see how deep you are digging when using it.
Don’t worry if it’s too deep. Your carrots will still sprout. They might just take longer to do so is all. But ideally, you’ll want to plant seeds 1/4” deep.
Sow seeds using a sand mixture
You can then sprinkle seeds down the trough you just made. Sometimes it’s easier to mix your seeds with some dry sand and then spread the mixture down the row.
You’re going to thin these out later so don’t worry about spacing them as you plant the seeds. Plus carrot sprouts make for a delicious addition to smoothies and salads. Or if you’re trying to impress someone, dress up any plate with them.
Once you’ve put your seeds in the ground, gently cover them back up with soil so they are 1/4” below the top. Do not pack the soil.
Water immediately
Once you’ve sown your seeds, give them some welcome water immediately. You don’t need a ton of water; your seeds are only 1/4” below the surface, so there is no need for deep watering.
Give them a good soak so the top inch of soil is saturated, but be careful using the hose or a sprinkler that lets out large amounts of water. It’s really easy to shift soil and wash away your carrot seeds.
Gentle soaking is the key. I’ve found a good micro-watering system works best.
Cover the seeds
This was a game-changer for me when I started doing it. Cover the seed with a long 2x4 piece of wood or anything else that will help keep the soil moist.
You can also mulch, but I found that using a small piece of wood was much more effective. Just check it every 5-10 days and when you see carrot sprouts, remove it.
Label your carrots
Finally, don’t forget to label your carrots. Carrots can take a long time to sprout, especially in cooler temperatures. Put one of these plant labels in front of each row to mark it.
This will also help you determine where you can companion plant later if you want to intercrop other vegetables between your rows.
Track your germination dates
Most seed packets have a maturity date range listed on them. This is commonly the number of days it takes a plant to reach maturity (time to harvest) from when it sprouts.
When I first started gardening, I thought it was from when I planted the seeds. I was wrong. Keep track in a calendar or app so you know when your carrots sprout.
Your future self will thank you when it comes time to harvest them.
Continue to water
If you have clay soil like I do, it’s very easy to see when the soil is dry. If you notice the soil is drying out, water the seeds. It’s important to keep the seeds moist or they won’t germinate correctly.
Again, you don’t have to deep soak them like you would a fruit tree, but keep the top layer of soil (where the seeds are) damp.
Thin the carrots at 1 to 3 inches
Once you see carrot sprouts, you can thin them at any time. I prefer to thin them when the carrot stem and leaves are 1 to 3 inches in height.
However wide your carrots will get is how much space you should have in between each carrot. If your carrots will grow to be 1” in width, then you want at least 1 inch between the carrots, otherwise, you’ll be left with shorter and smaller carrots.
The best way to maximize your carrot production is to actually thin them twice - once when they are 2-4” and again about a month later.
Planting Carrots in Raised Beds or Containers
When planting carrots in raised beds, you can plant them organized in rows or you can broadcast sow. I’ll cover both in this section.
Organized Sowing
If you’re planting in rows, you can follow the same instructions for planting carrots in the ground. The only difference is you won’t have to loosen the soil if you’re using raised bed soil.
Another big difference is that raised bed soil often drains much faster than clay. Clay will retain moisture more so you may find yourself watering your carrot seeds more often in warmer weather to keep them moist.
Broadcast Sowing
Last year I did broadcast sowing in my raised bed. It requires almost no effort up front. You simply scatter the seeds across the area of your raised bed where you want them to grow and then lightly mix around the top part of the soil to cover them.
As you do it, try to sprinkle the seeds around to distribute them as evenly as possible.
It’s easy work up front, and I’m not going to lie, the carrot forest look is pretty cool, but boy is it a lot of work when it comes time to thin your carrots.
Similar to organized sowing, keep the soil moist until the carrots sprout.
Oh, and don’t worry if you don’t thin them out perfectly 1-2 inches apart in all directions around each carrot. The great thing about carrots is that you can thin them at any time during their growth.
So if you miss a few sprouts, you can get them later when they’re already somewhat grown. I’ll write an article on thinning carrots at any time and how to do it soon.
Planting Carrots FAQ
Should I soak carrot seeds before planting?
I’ve never soaked my carrot seeds before planting. I’ve read other people do it. Maybe I’ll experiment this year to find out if it’s really worth it.
Can I transplant carrots?
Technically, you can, but I wouldn’t. Carrots are root vegetables and transplanting them means you risk damaging the root. Only do this if you live somewhere with a short growing season and have no other options.
How much space do carrots need?
Space carrots apart 1-3 inches. I typically only do 1-2 and my carrots grow just fine to full length and width.
If you broadcast sow in a raised bed or container, thin your carrots so there are 1-2 inches around them in all directions.
If you sow in rows, I’ve found that in good soil, you can plant rows of carrots 7 inches apart and it doesn’t impact the carrots’ growth.
Should I plant carrots in mounds?
There is no need to create mounds for your carrots, although I do often move the dirt on top of the carrots if I see them start to expose themselves. If the top of the root is exposed to sunlight it can start to taste woody. And who wants to eat wood?
What nutrients do carrots need to grow?
Carrots require a little bit of nitrogen, a moderate amount of phosphate, and a lot of potash to reach their full potential. This makes sense when you think about it because potash is what encourages plants to grow roots.
One mistake I made during my first year of growing carrots was I used too much nitrogen. This will cause your carrots to also taste like wood.
Should I mulch carrots?
I don’t mulch my carrots, but many people do. I instead use a board to cover them during germination to help keep the soil moist.
Once my carrots have sprouted, I don’t use any mulch. I live in Southern California so we have very mild winters. If you’re worried about a cold winter, mulching can help them survive.
