Vegetables/Easy
Carrots
Daucus carota
Carrots want one thing above all else: loose, stone-free soil. Every rock, clump or clod they meet turns into a fork or a twist. If your ground is heavy, grow them in a raised bed or a deep container of sieved compost mixed with sharp sand.
Sow directly where they are to grow — carrots hate root disturbance. Thin ruthlessly to 5 cm apart or the roots will stay pencil-thin. To dodge the carrot fly, cover the bed with fine mesh from sowing to harvest.
Year at a glance
Common problems
Forked or twisted roots
Stones in the soil or fresh manure. Grow in sieved compost in a raised bed or container.
Rust-brown tunnels through the roots
Carrot fly larvae. Cover the bed with insect mesh 60 cm tall from sowing.
Tops flopping and yellowing
Overwatering or crowded thinning. Space to 5 cm and let the top of the soil dry between waterings.
Full guide: Yellow Leaves →Questions, answered
How long do carrots take to grow?+
Around 10–14 weeks from sowing to a mature root, though baby carrots can be pulled from 8 weeks.
Why are my carrots so small?+
You did not thin the seedlings, or the soil is too compacted. Thin to 5 cm apart and grow in loose, deep soil.
Can I grow carrots in pots?+
Yes — use a 30 cm deep pot filled with loose compost, and choose short varieties like Paris Market or Chantenay.