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Vegetable
Carrot
Daucus carota subsp. sativus
A favourite root crop that can be sown most of the year in Adelaide, with autumn and spring the easiest. Sow seed directly into fine, stone-free soil and keep the surface moist until seedlings emerge, which can take two weeks. Thin early for straight, sweet roots.
- SunFull sun
- Spacing5 cm apart
- First pick10–14 weeks
- FrostFrost hardy
- HeatCopes with some heat
- Sow depth6 mm
When to plant where you live
Checking your area…
Add carrot to my gardenVarieties (4)
- Chantenay Red CoredShort, stout roots that cope with heavy or shallow soil
- NantesMedium, cylindrical, very sweet; reliable for most soils
- Paris Market (round)Golf-ball roots for pots and clay soils
- Rainbow mixPurple, yellow and white carrots; fun for kids and salads
Neighbours
Grows well with
Keep away from
From seed to plate
Plant
5 cm apart, rows 25 cm, seed 6 mm deep. Full sun.
Water
Keep the soil surface damp until germination.
Feed
No fresh manure; it forks roots.
Pick, from about 10 weeks
Pull when the shoulders show.
Good to know
- Mix fine seed with sand for more even sowing
- Thin to 3 to 5 cm apart in two stages; eat the thinnings
- Sow radish in the same row to mark it and break the crust
Common problems
- Poor germinationkeep seed moist (cover with a board or hessian, check daily), sow shallow
- Forked or hairy rootsavoid fresh manure and stony soil; dig deeply before sowing
- Split rootswater evenly; heavy watering after a dry spell causes splits
- Carrot fly or root damagerotate beds; thin on still evenings and firm soil back
If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.
Guides
Where this information comes from
- Australian seed company regional sowing charts (temperate zone) (germination, low confidence)
- UC Master Gardener Program (UC ANR): soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination (germination, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- ABC Gardening Australia fact sheets (growing, low confidence)
- ABC Gardening Australia plant finder: Carrots (growing, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- Plant Health Australia / AUSVEG: carrot rust fly is an exotic pest not established in Australia (problems, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- Sustainable Gardening Australia: planting guides (sowing window, low confidence)
Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 27 Oct 2026. Version 2.