Growing Carrots in Australia

Growing carrots in Australia is easy when you have the correct knowledge. Carrots are one of the few root crops that can be eaten raw or cooked!

When to plant carrots

The best time to plant carrots in Australia is spring, autumn and winter. Try to avoid cold and hot extremes unless you’re willing to give your carrots that little extra TLC.

How & where to plant

Whilst you can purchase carrots as seedlings from garden centres, in truth, they do not respond well to transplanting, so it is best to plant in biodegradable pots for seedlings first (remembering to break the bottoms when planting out) or directly into the garden soil. There are varieties of carrot seeds available that mature at different times and by staggering your planting times, you can have carrots on hand almost year-round.  Follow the directions on the seed packet carefully and be sure not to plant too deep as they will not germinate. Carrots store well in the ground and it’s better to have too many than not enough, so plant several packets if you have room for them. Carrots dislike high nitrogen fertilisers and often grow best in soil that has been ‘used’ by other vegetables the previous season without further feeding.   ‘Baby’ carrot varieties grow well in pots of Searles Herb & Vegetable Premium Specialty Mix, as can several blunt-rooted varieties. 

Vegetable Health & Care

Good drainage is important in preventing rot-related diseases, so build up garden beds and mix in plenty of river sand if you need to improve drainage. Crop rotation can be very helpful in preventing soil-borne diseases. Keep moist, but don’t overwater as this can lead to root rot. Thin young seedlings and weed between carrots frequently. For extra sweet and healthy carrots, try an application of SeaMax® Seaweed every fortnight.

If aphids are a problem, spray with Searles Bug Beater Natural Pyrethrum Spray or hose off. Rotting may result from bacteria and can be overcome by crop rotation. Soil-borne pests such as weevils can be discouraged with companion planting.

Companions

Beans, cucumber, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, radish and tomato.

Harvesting

To harvest, ease them out of the ground with a trowel to avoid snapping the root and twist off foliage before storing.