How to grow carrots in the UK
What carrots need
Carrots like loose, stone-free soil that has not been freshly manured (fresh manure causes forking). Sandy or well-worked loam is ideal. On heavy clay, choose short or round stump-rooted varieties, or grow in deep containers of sandy compost.
UK month-by-month
| Month | What to do |
|---|---|
| Feb–Mar | Early sowings under cloche in mild areas if soil is not waterlogged. |
| Apr–Jun | Main outdoor sowings every 2–3 weeks for a steady supply. |
| Jul | Final sowings of fast varieties for autumn pulling. |
| Aug–Oct | Harvest; leave some hardy roots in the ground under straw in mild areas, or lift to store. |
| Nov–Jan | Plan next year’s bed; avoid compacted soil. |
Sowing
Sow thinly 1 cm deep in drills 15–30 cm apart. Keep the seed bed moist until germination (often 14–21 days). Thin gradually to 5–8 cm apart — thinning smell attracts carrot fly, so thin in the evening and bury debris, or sow sparsely to avoid thinning.
Carrot fly
Low-flying pests. Use fine insect mesh from sowing, grow on a raised bed above ~60 cm, or choose resistant varieties. Avoid bruising foliage when weeding.
Harvest
Pull when roots reach usable size. Water the row beforehand on dry soil to reduce breakage. Flavour is often best on younger roots; large roots store better if undamaged.