How to Grow Carrots With Cucumbers

Choose a large site for cucumber and carrot planting. Low-growing carrots grow well in compact, partially shaded locations and thrive in the spaces between larger plants like cucumbers. Prepare a plot that gets full sunshine all day, quick drainage and good air movement.

Prepare the garden for carrot planting two to three weeks before the last frost. Carrots tolerate frost and do best with cool, moist starts and growing seasons. Start your process when nighttime temperatures reach 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Till the soil of the plot to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. Pull out any rocks, which harm carrot root growth, and incorporate 3 to 4 inches of rich organic compost. The compost adds nutrition for cucumber growth and moisture retention for carrot growth. Turn 8-16-16 or 5-10-10 fertilizer into the top 4 inches of soil for vitamins and minerals.

Plant carrot seeds 1/4-inch deep every 1 to 2 inches in the row. Leave 12 to 18 inches between multiple rows. Mulch the soil with 1 inch of organic mulch for moisture retention and water the plot with 2 inches of water every week.

Plant cucumber seedlings when frost lifts and temperatures warm to 65 degrees F. Cucumbers cannot tolerate any frost or cold temperatures. Plant the cucumbers in rows between the carrot rows, allowing 2 to 3 feet between plants in the row. Leave two to three rows of carrots between multiple cucumber rows -- this allows each cucumber row 4 feet of space for growth and enough room for a vegetable cage for each plant. Ideal planting should follow the same pattern: row of cucumbers, three rows of carrots, row of cucumbers, etc.

Spread new mulch over the garden and put the cucumbers on the carrot watering schedule.

Harvest carrots when they reach 4 to 5 inches in length. Pull up one to two carrots every week to measure their length, and pull up the entire harvest when they reach your target size. Maintain cucumbers through summertime with additional feedings at blossoming for late-summer harvests.