Germination temperature
Optimum soil temperature 27 °C (80 °F); good range 7-29 °C (45-85 °F), minimum about 4 °C (40 °F).
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Carrots need a deep, loose, stone-free soil and a shallow, evenly moist seedbed. Sow them directly where they will grow, thin early and keep watering steady for straight, sweet roots.
Optimum soil temperature 27 °C (80 °F); good range 7-29 °C (45-85 °F), minimum about 4 °C (40 °F).
About 1 cm (0.4 in); 0.6-1.3 cm (1/4-1/2 in) is the extension range.
Slow: up to two weeks, often uneven.
Seed is covered; grow in full sun.
None needed.
Direct sow only. Transplanted carrots fork.
Carrot seed is tiny. Mix it with dry sand before sowing (TNAU uses one part seed to four parts sand) so it falls thinly along the row.
Not needed. The seed absorbs water readily; poor emergence is almost always a dry or crusted seedbed.
Not needed. Carrot germinates without any cold treatment.
Not needed. Keeping the sown row evenly moist matters far more than pre-soaking.
Carrot seed can germinate from about 4 °C (40 °F), does well between 7 and 29 °C (45-85 °F) and fastest near 27 °C (80 °F); 35 °C (95 °F) is the upper limit. Roots colour best at 15-20 °C (59-68 °F), which is why TNAU sows on the plains in August and in the hills at 1,000-1,500 m from July to February.
About 1 cm (0.4 in). In early spring sow 0.6-1.3 cm (1/4-1/2 in) deep; later sowings in drier, warmer soil can go 1.3-2 cm (1/2-3/4 in).
Deep, loose loam free of stones and clods, pH 6.0-7.0. On heavy soil grow short or round varieties, or sow on raised beds or ridges.
Keep the top layer moist every day until seedlings are up. Heavy rain or watering can crust the surface and stop emergence; a clear film over the row keeps it moist and warm, but remove it as soon as seedlings appear.
No light is needed under the soil cover. Choose an open, sunny bed.
Up to about two weeks, and emergence is often uneven. Some growers sow a few radish seeds in the row to mark it.
Do not transplant carrots. Sow in rows 15-30 cm (6-12 in) apart in gardens; TNAU uses ridges 30 cm (12 in) apart on the plains and 1 m wide raised beds in the hills.
Thin when seedlings are 2.5-5 cm (1-2 in) tall to 5-7.5 cm (2-3 in) apart for main-crop roots. Cut surplus seedlings at soil level instead of pulling them, so the remaining roots are not disturbed.
Weed carefully while the seedlings are small; they compete poorly. About 40-50 days after sowing, draw soil up over the shoulders of the roots to keep them from turning green.
Cause: a dry or crusted seedbed. Fix: sow shallowly, water lightly every day, and cover the row with a clear film that is removed as soon as seedlings appear.
Cause: stones, clods, nematodes, transplanting or crowding. Fix: prepare a deep, fine bed, sow direct and thin on time. In Indian fields TNAU applies neem cake at 1 t/ha at sowing against root-knot nematodes.
Cause: carrot fly larvae. Fix: cover the crop with fine insect-proof mesh from sowing and replace it after every weeding.
Cause: root tops exposed to sun. Fix: hill soil over the shoulders as roots swell; cut away green parts before eating.
Cause: big swings in soil moisture, especially heavy watering after a dry spell. Fix: water steadily and ease off near harvest.
For the Indian plains TNAU lists Pusa Kesar, India Gold and Half Long Danvers; for the hills Ooty-1, Early Nantes and New Korda.
Work well-rotted manure and a balanced NPK fertilizer into the bed before sowing. TNAU adds a second balanced dose 45 days after sowing.
Sow small batches every three to four weeks for a continuous supply.
Garden varieties are ready in about 60-70 days; field crops in Tamil Nadu take 100-120 days. Lift with a fork on heavy soil to avoid snapping roots.
Sow carrots directly into deep, loose soil for straight, sweet roots.
Usually the surface dried out or crusted. Carrot takes up to two weeks to emerge, so the top centimetre must stay moist the whole time.
No. Moving the seedlings disturbs the taproot and leads to forked or stunted carrots. Always sow direct.
On the plains in August for the cool season; in the hills at 1,000-1,500 m from July to February, and all year above 1,500 m where irrigation is assured.