Scientific Name: Daucus carota
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
Carrots are a very easy-to-grow root crop that prefers cool temperatures to thrive well. You can easily grow carrots in your home garden in winter or spring. There are different varieties available that differ in color, texture, and flavor. Different colors like orange, purple, red, white, etc. Carrots are very healthy and consumed raw as well as cooked in curries and made into pickles. They are a good source of carotene, vitamin A, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants that help to improve your eyesight and immunity system.
In this article, I will tell you how to grow carrots at home easily from the sowing to the harvesting stage.
Table of Contents
Propagation Methods
The most common and ideal method of propagating carrots is using seeds. But also you can regrow carrot leaves by cutting the top portion of the carrot along with green leaves at your home to get the seeds.
Growing Season
As a cool-season crop carrots grow best in winter or in the early spring season. In warmer condition, the growth is affected adversely and the quality decrease as well.
Climate Requirement
Growing carrots at home require ideal climatic condition for better crop growth and yield. The color development, growth, and root development of carrots are adversely affected by temperature. The ideal temperature for growing carrots is 15°C to 20°C. As a cool-season crop carrots can survive in partial shade conditions but 3-4 hours of direct sunlight is always good for the crop.
Soil Preparation
Carrots need well-drained deep, loose, loamy soil for better growth and root development. In heavy soil, the root can’t expand ideally which makes the development very slow and also reduce the yield as well. During soil preparation, you should mix compost, manure, or any other organic fertilizers for increasing the soil nutrient level.
Sowing
Carrots seeds should sow in lines with proper spacing of about 1.5 to 2 inches. And also the row-to-row spacing must be 8 to 10 inches for proper root development. The germination process of carrots is very slow and takes almost 10 to 15 days for seedlings appearances. Growing carrots using the transplanting method is not an ideal choice.
Water Requirement
Carrots need sufficient moisture in the soil throughout the growing period. As per the requirement of the crop weekly watering can be ideal. You can use mulching to conserve soil moisture and keep the soil temperature low. Avoid over-watering to maintain the root quality.
Fertilizer Requirement
After applying organic manure for increasing soil nutrients during soil preparation carrots also need to be fertilized with recommended fertilizers for better growth and yield. Since, carrot is a root crop so it doesn’t require much nitrogen fertilizer as it mostly helps to improve foliage growth.
Insect Pests and Diseases
There are not many serious insect pests or diseases in carrots. Some common and important pests are carrot weevils, six spotted leaf hoppers, and carrot rust flies which damage carrots the most. Carrot rust fly larvae destroy carrots by feeding on the roots. Some diseases like leaf spots and blight can be controlled by recommended medicine.
Harvesting
It takes almost 60 to 80 days from sowing to grow big enough for harvesting. You can pull out the crop by hand to avoid any root damage. Watering before harvesting is ideal for loosening the surface soil and making the work easy. Also, you can use ideal garden tools to dig out the soil and harvest the crop without any damage. The harvested roots should be washed properly before being used for consumption purposes.
FAQs
How long does a carrot take to grow?
The growing period depends on the variety that you have chosen to grow. But mostly it takes between 60 to 80 days from sowing to getting ready for harvesting.
What is good fertilizer for carrots?
As a root crop carrot doesn’t require much nitrogen fertilizers. So an ideal fertilizer can be where the potassium and phosphate concentration is high because they help in better root development.
Why are my carrots not growing big?
Mostly this problem happens due to growing carrots in heavy soil where the root can’t grow to its full potential. Always prefer sandy loam soil where the carrots can grow vigorously.
Can I grow a carrot from a carrot top?
You can only regrow the carrot leaves using the top portion of the carrot. When you cut the carrot from the top then the growing point of the root is removed so a new carrot root can’t grow like that.
Does one carrot seed produce one carrot?
Yes, one carrot seed produces one carrot plant as well carrot root.