How to grow carrots

When growing carrots the ideal soil is well drained and rich in organic matter. It is best to dig the soil over deeply and apply a layer of manure two months before setting the carrots in the ground. Carrots are notoriously hard to transplant and therefore should be grown directly from seed in the garden. The time to sow the carrot seeds is mainly dependent on the climate you live in and the variety of carrots you are wishing to grow. Here in the UK I find the best time to sow the carrot seeds is during the months of April and May when there is little chance of frost and the weather is starting to warm up.

Prepare the soil by digging the patch deeply and removing any large stones, weeds and break up the soil as much as possible to avoid the roots becoming misshaped due to hard objects in the soil. Sow the seed approximately 0.5 inches deep. If you are growing the seeds in rows, separate the rows at 8 inches apart.

When the carrots have sprouted, thin them out so the plants are approximately 3-4 inches apart to avoid overcrowding. While the carrots are growing it is best to keep the soil moderately moist. Over watering can lead to the plants not producing a good root, whereas not watering enough can lead to the root becoming woody.

The time to harvest the carrots is when the top of the root is approximately an inch in diameter which usually takes 5-6 months after sowing the seed. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the carrot the better the taste.