How To Grow Carrots In Containers This Spring

If you’ve never tasted a carrot fresh from the garden, you’ve missed out on a treat. Carrots are considered in a cool-weather vegetable. In Southern USDA hardiness zones, you can take advantage of cool early spring temperatures and grow a second crop in the fall. If you don’t have space in your garden, there are varieties of carrots that can be grown in containers to deliver that fresh taste. Just be sure you pick a deep, deep container or a shorter carrot variety. I feel confident you can successfully grow carrots in a container during cool weather. I’m rooting for you!

The Basics of Growing Carrots

Carrots are a root crop, best grown from seeds. You will not find seedlings at the garden center because they do not transplant well. Carrot seeds prefer soil temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees F. to germinate in 14 to 21 days.

In most of the South, you can plant them outside in early spring (February to April) and again in the fall. Once planted, carrots prefer full sun and consistent moisture to develop properly. The carrot variety determines when they will be ready to harvest. Most varieties mature in about 50 to 75 days from seed. You can find the harvest time information on the seed packet.

How to Grow Carrots In A Container

Select a Container

The container should be 12 to 24 inches in diameter and at least 12 inches deep. A deeper container is necessary if you choose to grow longer carrot varieties. Be sure the container has multiple drainage holes because container-grown carrots require more water than garden-grown, but won’t thrive in mushy soil.

The container should be placed in an area where it receives at least 6 hours of sunlight. If you’re late getting carrots started, provide some afternoon shade so the soil doesn’t get overly heated.

Planting Carrot Seeds

Fill the container with good potting soil recommended for vegetables. Carrot seeds are tiny and should not be sown more than 1/4-inch deep. Keep the seeds at least 2 inches from the edges of the container and 3 to 5 inches apart. Lightly cover them with potting soil and water the soil as gently as possible. Keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds germinate, about two weeks later.

Thinning Carrot Plants

Because the seeds are so tiny, it is nearly impossible to space them perfectly. Allow the seedlings to grow until they are one inch tall. Then, thin them out so they are 3 to 5 inches apart to reduce competition for nutrients, moisture, and light.

Caring For And Harvesting Carrots

Carrots don’t require fertilization after the seedlings are established, but they do need water, so keep the soil evenly moist. Underwatering will result in the carrots tasting bitter. Overwatering, however, can cause rot.

Carrots should be allowed to mature for the best flavor and sweetness. If the top of the carrot is visible and around 1 inch in width, it is usually mature. When ready to harvest, give the top of the root a slight twist and pull it from the soil. Remove the green carrot top immediately for the best-tasting carrot root.

The Best Carrot Varieties For Containers

Shorter, finger-sized (two to three inches long) or small round varieties are best for growing in containers. The shorter carrots will mature more quickly and grow straighter in a container.

• ‘Adelaide’: Growing only 3 to 4 inches long, it can be harvested in around 50 days.
• ‘Little Finger’: A bright orange, Nantes-type carrot with a small core and a sweet flavor. The shoulders are 1 inch in diameter, and the length is 4 inches.
• ‘Red Cored Chantenay’: A thicker carrot with wide shoulders, the root reaches about 5 inches.
• ‘Atlas’: One of the miniature carrots, it has small, spherical, orange roots 1 to 2 inches long.
• ‘Paris Market’: Small, round, heirloom, orange-red carrots, typically 1–2 inches in diameter, with an extremely sweet, crisp flavor.
• ‘Thumbelina’: One of the best varieties for shallow containers, the roots are small, round, and about 1 to 2 inches in diameter.