The short answer
Carrots are easy if you get two things right. Give them light, stone-free, well-drained soil in full sun (stones and fresh manure make them fork), and sow them thinly, straight into the ground, as moving seedlings spoils the roots. Then cover the crop with insect-proof mesh to keep carrot fly out, water only in dry spells, and start pulling them young, when they are sweetest. Sow a short row every few weeks for a long season.
Carrots at a glance
Carrots take up little space, crop from spring to winter and are largely trouble-free, as long as the soil suits them and carrot fly is kept off.
| Carrots | |
|---|---|
| Sow | March to early July outdoors (February to March for early types under cloches or fleece) |
| Position | Full sun |
| Soil | Light, stone-free, well-drained; not freshly manured |
| Spacing | Sow thinly, thin to 5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3in); rows 15 to 30cm (6 to 12in) apart |
| Harvest | About 12 to 16 weeks after sowing (baby carrots from 4 to 6 weeks) |
| Watch for | Carrot fly |
Soil and site
Carrots want an open, sunny spot and light, free-draining soil. The single biggest cause of forked, misshapen roots is stony or heavy ground, so weed the bed, fork it over, pull out stones and rake it to a fine, crumbly tilth before sowing. Do not grow them in freshly manured ground either, as too much richness also makes the roots fork.
If your soil is stony, shallow or heavy clay, grow short-rooted or round varieties, which cope far better, or grow in containers (see below). Long, tapering varieties are for deep, sandy soil. If you garden no-dig, sow a short-rooted type straight into a fine compost mulch.
Sowing
Always sow carrots where they are to grow: they have a long tap root and resent being transplanted, which leaves them forked. The seed is slow to germinate, so be patient.
- Sow the main crop from April to early July. Early varieties can go in during February or March under cloches or fleece.
- Make a shallow drill about 1cm (half an inch) deep, water along the base, then sow the seed as thinly as you can, aiming for roughly 5 to 8cm between seeds so you barely need to thin later. Space rows 15 to 30cm (6 to 12in) apart.
- Sow a short new row every three to four weeks for a steady supply rather than one big glut.
- If seedlings are still too close, thin them to 5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3in) apart. Overcrowded roots stay small and distorted.
Carrots also grow well in deep pots of peat-free compost, which is often easier than heavy or stony ground. Use a container at least 30cm (12in) deep for maincrops, or a shallower one for round and baby types, and keep it watered.
Beating carrot fly
Carrot fly is the one pest that can ruin a crop: the larvae tunnel into the roots, leaving rusty holes that rot. The good news is it is easy to defeat.
- Cover the crop with insect-proof mesh. RHS research found this the most effective method by far, as the low-flying females simply cannot reach the plants.
- Time it. Carrots sown after mid-May miss the first generation of the fly, and those harvested before late August miss the second.
- Do not bruise the foliage. It is the smell of crushed carrot leaves that draws the fly in, so thin and weed carefully, ideally on a still evening, and firm and water the row afterwards. Replace the mesh straight away.
- Grow a resistant variety such as 'Flyaway', and rotate your crops so you never sow where carrots grew last year.
Watering and care
Carrots are drought resistant and seldom need watering in the ground. In a long dry spell, give them a good soaking about once a fortnight to keep them growing steadily, as a sudden drink after dry weather makes the roots split. Plants in containers dry out faster and need regular watering.
Keep the bed weeded so fast weeds do not crowd the seedlings. Hoe between the rows and hand-weed close to the plants, taking care not to damage the crowns of the roots. Once the carrots are growing strongly, their own foliage shades out most weeds.
Harvesting and storing
Carrots are ready about 12 to 16 weeks after sowing, and baby carrots far sooner. Start pulling them as soon as they are big enough to use, rather than waiting for the biggest roots, as flavour fades in over-mature carrots. On heavy soil, ease them out with a fork so they do not snap.
Maincrop carrots can be left in the ground and lifted through autumn and winter as you need them. Cover the row with straw or cardboard to protect the roots from hard frost. If your soil tends to waterlog over winter, lift the remaining carrots instead and store them somewhere cool in boxes of dry sand or compost.
Varieties to try
Carrots come in early and main-season types, in orange and in purple, white and yellow. These have an RHS Award of Garden Merit, so they are reliable in UK gardens:
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| 'Adelaide' AGM | Early; can be sown February or March under cloches |
| 'Sweet Candle' AGM | Main-season, popular and high-yielding |
| 'Sugarsnax 54' AGM | Deliciously sweet; good as baby carrots or full size |
| 'Flyaway' AGM | Main-season, with some resistance to carrot fly |
| 'Deep Purple' AGM | Main-season, with deep purple roots |
Carrots are a classic crop to work into a crop rotation, and knowing how far apart to space them helps: see vegetable plant spacing. For where carrots fit in the plot overall, see planning a vegetable garden.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my carrots forked and misshapen?
Usually stony or heavy soil, or ground that is too rich. Carrots push a single tap root down, so stones, lumps and fresh manure make them fork or split. Remove stones and rake the bed fine before sowing, avoid freshly manured ground, and on difficult soil grow short-rooted or round varieties, or use deep containers.
How do I stop carrot fly?
Cover the crop with insect-proof mesh, which RHS research found is the most effective method. It also helps to sow after mid-May and harvest before late August to dodge the two generations of the fly, to avoid bruising the foliage when thinning or weeding, to grow a resistant variety like 'Flyaway', and to rotate crops.
Can I grow carrots in pots?
Yes, and it is often easier than heavy or stony soil. Use a deep container, at least 30cm (12in) for maincrop carrots, filled with peat-free compost, or a shallower pot for round and baby types. Sow thinly, keep it watered, and it is easier to net against carrot fly too.
Do I need to thin carrots?
Sow the seed as thinly as you can and you will barely need to. If seedlings are still crowded, thin them to about 5 to 7.5cm apart, as overcrowding gives small, distorted roots. Thin carefully on a still evening and water afterwards, because disturbed foliage attracts carrot fly.
How long do carrots take to grow?
Baby carrots can be pulled in four to six weeks, while full-size roots take about 12 to 16 weeks. Sow a short row every three to four weeks from spring to midsummer for a long, steady supply.
How we checked this2 sourcesView sourcesHide
Our guides draw on expert bodies like the RHS and Garden Organic, plus experienced growers, read at source. We check every guide against those sources on the date shown, and where advice differs between them, we say so. Garden Plans is published by Limely.
- AuthorityHow to grow carrots, Royal Horticultural Society. Checked 22 Oct 2026.
- AuthorityHow to grow carrots, Gardeners' World. Checked 22 Oct 2026.
