How to Grow Carrots (Video)
Join homesteader Stacy Lyn Harris as she walks you through, step-by-step, how to grow carrots in your homestead vegetable garden!
How to Grow Carrots: A Step-by-Step Guide
Carrots are one of the most rewarding crops you can grow on your homestead. Packed with vitamin A and flavor, these versatile root vegetables are easy to grow in raised beds, containers, or traditional garden rows—making them perfect for both beginners and seasoned growers alike.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to grow carrots from seed to harvest, troubleshoot common carrot-growing issues, and share tips for growing flavorful, healthy carrots year after year. Whether you’re growing a winter crop or starting fresh in spring, this post will give you everything you need to cultivate a bountiful carrot harvest right in your backyard.
Why Carrots Belong in Your Homestead Garden
Carrots are the number one source of vitamin A in all of the world. I just love a good carrot but sometimes they can get a little turpentine-flavored. That comes from the vitamin A in the carrot. When the weather is too hot the vitamin A seems to come out and you’re tasting that turpenoid flavor.
Carrots also store well, they can be preserved in multiple ways, and they come in a rainbow of heirloom varieties that add both nutrition and visual appeal to your meals.
Best of all? Carrots are a low-maintenance, high-yield crop that thrive with just a little attention and the right soil conditions.
When to Plant Carrots
Carrots grow best in cooler weather, so timing is important. On most southern homesteads, you’ll have two main planting windows:
- Early Spring: Sow in March for a late spring/early summer harvest.
- Late Summer/Early Fall: Sow in September for a late fall to early winter harvest.
Hot temperatures can bring out a strong, turpentine-like taste in carrots due to the concentration of terpenes (natural compounds that give carrots their aroma and flavor). Cooler weather keeps those terpenes in check, resulting in sweeter, more tender carrots.
I like the winter one better for growing carrots because they seem to do a lot better here in the south. In Atlanta I think March as a better time, it just kind of depends. But whatever you’re doing, wherever you are, you can grow carrots. They’re really, really easy to grow.
Steps to Take For a Successful Carrot Crop
Let’s get to the meat of the matter: I’m gonna take you from beginning to end, from ordering your seeds all the way to harvesting your vegetable. It’s really, really simple.
Carrots are one of those vegetables that you have to plant by seed but it’s easy so don’t lose heart.
Choosing the Best Carrot Varieties & Seeds
The first thing to do is order seeds. I like to order from Southern Exposure, Baker Creek (which is rareseeds.com) and Seed Exchange so there is a variety of online sources where you can find great heirloom varieties.
Most people think of carrots as that orange cylinder-shaped vegetable, but really they come in a multitude of colors. You’ve got your red ones, you’ve got purple, white, and orange so there are a variety of colors.
Here are a few homestead favorites:
- Chantenay Red Core: A classic orange carrot with a stout shape.
- Purple Dragon: A stunning purple-skinned variety with a sweet, spicy flavor and orange interior.
- Cosmic Purple: Deep purple on the outside with a bright yellow-orange core.
- Danvers 126: Danvers carrots are a hardy, all-purpose variety perfect for storage and juicing.
Look for organic and heirloom seeds from trusted suppliers like:
Preparing Your Garden Bed for Carrots
The next thing you’ll need to do is to prepare your raised garden bed.
Carrots are root crops, so soil preparation is essential. For straight, healthy roots, you need deep, well-drained, loose soil free from rocks and clumps.
I have a 4’x4’ spot right here. You’ll need a good compost and sandy loam soil for the drainage. The compost is really going to be great for helping to facilitate the nitrogen not to take over the root system or the roots of your carrot which is the carrot itself. It will split the carrot in half and you don’t want that to happen to your carrots that you’ve been waiting so long to harvest.
The next thing that you’ll need to do when you get your seeds is just plant them in rows. I like to plant them in two rows. It’s easier, especially in big patches. Plant them in two rows, about two inches apart. Once those rows are planted, give yourself 18 inches or so and plant another two rows staggering them, planting them about every two inches apart. Really it only takes about a quarter of an ounce to do about a hundred feet and this right here is only a sixteen square foot bed. I’ll probably get about 100 carrot plants out of that.
How to Plant Carrot Seeds
Home-grown carrots must be direct-sown. They don’t transplant well because disturbing the roots early on can lead to stunted or misshapen carrots.
Step-by-Step Planting Instructions:
- Loosen the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches.
- Rake the surface smooth and remove rocks or clumps.
- Plant seeds in rows, spacing seeds about 1–2 inches apart.
- Plant two rows together, spaced just 2 inches apart, then leave 18 inches before planting another pair of rows.
- Cover lightly with no more than ¼ inch of fine soil and gently water.
Keep the soil moist during germination—it can take up to 2 weeks for carrot seeds to sprout, so don’t give up! Consider using a light row cover or boards to retain moisture during this time.
Pro Tip:
Mix carrot seeds with a bit of sand to help distribute them more evenly. Carrot seedlings are tiny, and this method prevents overcrowding.
Thinning and Watering
Once your seedlings are about 2 inches tall, thin carrots to 2 inches apart to give roots space to grow.
Keep the soil moist but not soggy as uneven watering can cause them to crack or split.
Mulching with straw or shredded leaves helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Harvesting Carrots
You’ll begin to pull your harvest up about 60 to 80 days after you plant your seeds. I like to do 60 days for some recipes while others I don’t mind waiting until they’re a little bit larger. But if you get them too large they may become a little bit woody and the flavor won’t be quite as good.
When it’s harvest season you just pull these beauties up. Some carrots may be a little bit smaller but they are incredible, especially the purple color with the orange. But it’s as simple as pulling them right up out of the ground.
To harvest:
- Loosen the soil around the carrot with a garden fork.
- Gently pull the carrot from the base of the green tops.
- Twist off the greens after harvesting to prevent them from drawing moisture from the root.
Carrots can be left in the ground even after they mature—as long as the soil isn’t frozen, they store well in the garden.
Storing and Preserving Carrots
Once harvested, carrots can be:
- Stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- Packed in damp sand or sawdust in a cool cellar.
- Pressure canned, fermented, or flash frozen for long-term storage.
Final Thoughts: Growing Carrots
Carrots are an ideal addition to your homestead garden. They’re nutrient-dense, space-efficient, and fun to grow. With a little preparation and patience, you’ll enjoy a harvest of sweet, crunchy, fresh carrots in no time.
Originally written by Stacy Lyn Harris in 2017. Updated by Homesteaders of America in 2025.
