🥕 Carrot

Daucus carota subsp. sativus

vegetables root vegetable

☀️ Sun

Full sun (6–8 hours); tolerates light partial shade

💧 Water

Medium; 1 inch per week consistently; inconsistent watering causes splitting and poor flavor; keep soil evenly moist for germination (14–21 days — slow!)

🗺️ Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

🪴 Soil Type

Deep, loose, sandy loam free of stones and clods; rocks cause forked/deformed carrots; NO fresh manure — causes forking and hairy roots

🧪 Soil pH

6.0–7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

💧 Drainage

Well-drained; raised beds ideal for root development

📏 Spacing

Seeds 2–3 inches apart in rows 12–18 inches apart; thin to 2–3 inches between plants when seedlings are 2 inches tall

📅 Days to Maturity

55-80 days (from seed); baby carrots at 30-40 days

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ ["Taproot"🍽️ "Leaves (edible \u2014 use in pesto🍽️ soups🍽️ salads; slightly bitter)"]

🤝 Companions (8)

🤝 Onion/Allium family

Onions repel carrot rust fly — the single most damaging carrot pest; this is one of the most proven companion planting relationships; carrots also deter onion fly to some degree

🤝 Rosemary

Strong aroma repels carrot rust fly; also deters aphids

🤝 Sage

Repels carrot rust fly and flea beetles; aromatic oils mask carrot scent from pests

🤝 Tomato

Tomatoes provide light shade for carrots in hot weather; carrots loosen soil for tomato roots; conflicting: some sources say tomato allelopathy may stunt carrots, but most report net benefit

🤝 Pea

Peas fix nitrogen; carrots break up soil; different root depths, no competition

🤝 Radish

Radishes germinate quickly (3–5 days), marking rows and breaking soil crust for slow-germinating carrots (14–21 days); harvested before carrots need space

🤝 Marigold (French)

Suppresses nematodes; repels carrot rust fly

🤝 Dill

Young dill attracts parasitic wasps, hoverflies, and ladybugs that prey on carrot pests including carrot rust flies and aphids. Keep young dill near carrots but remove before it flowers, as mature dill can inhibit carrot growth.

⚠️ Keep Apart (2)

⚠️ Parsnip

Both Apiaceae share carrot rust fly and parsnip webworm; increases pest pressure

⚠️ Fennel

Allelopathic; carrot family relative — fennel inhibits many plants

💊 Medicinal Uses

["Extremely high in beta-carotene (vitamin A) \u2014 one carrot exceeds daily requirement", "Contains falcarinol \u2014 a natural pesticide compound being studied for anti-cancer properties", "High fiber; traditionally used for digestive health", "Carrot seed oil used in skincare for its regenerative and antioxidant properties"]

📝 Notes

Carrots are notoriously slow to germinate (14–21 days). Keep soil consistently moist during germination — use burlap or row cover to retain moisture. The 'radish trick' (interplanting with radishes) marks rows and breaks crust. Carrots taste sweeter after frost (cold converts starches to sugars). For heavy clay soils, grow shorter varieties like 'Chantenay' or 'Parisian'. Carrot rust fly is the most devastating pest — the onion/leek interplanting is the best organic control.