How to Grow & Culture Carrots

Till or turn the garden soil to a depth of 8 to 9 inches as soon as the soil warms in the spring. Fertilize the soil based on soil test results. Add about an inch of compost on the garden surface and work it in. Rake the garden smooth, breaking up any clumps.

Mark the row or rows for carrots using a trowel to create a furrow about half an inch deep. Space carrot rows 12 to 18 inches apart.

Plant carrot seeds in the furrow, about three per inch, and cover them with fine soil. Fertilize carrots right after seeding with a 5-10-10 fertilizer. Mix and apply the fertilizer according to package directions.

Thin young carrots when they are about 1 inch tall so that you have no more than one plant per inch for larger carrot varieties, or two plants per inch if you plan to harvest the carrots when they are young.

Water carrots so they receive about an inch of water a week, taking rainfall into account.

Keep weeds down with a hoe or knife blade cultivator and by hand pulling near the plants. Avoid deep cultivation, which could damage carrot roots.

Fertilize carrots when the carrot tops are about 4 inches tall and again when they are 8 inches tall.

Harvest carrots when they reach at least half an inch in diameter, but only dig the ones you plan to use immediately. Leave the rest of the carrots in the garden to continue growing and harvest them as you want to use them. Carrots reach full maturity in 60 to 80 days after planting. Harvest any remaining carrots after you have had a killing frost.