How to Grow Carrots in Containers for a Delicious Harvest Almost Anywhere

Growing vegetables in containers can be a great option if you have limited space in in your garden beds. You can even grow carrots in pots, and place them in a beautiful, full-sun location on your patio or deck. In fact, these root vegetables are well-suited to container life, and can flourish into an abundant crop—provided you give them the proper care. Here's how the experts say to do it.

Varieties to Grow

Theoretically, you can grow any carrot that you want in a container, provided you choose the right size pot. For example, if your container has plenty of depth, then you should be fine planting these varieties:

• Mokum
• Yellowstone
• Yaya

However, if you're working with a shallow container that doesn't have the necessary depth for long carrots, then you should opt for a shorter variety:

• Thumbelina
• Paris Market

Container Size

Choose a container that's deep enough for the variety of carrot you want to grow (see above). Grow bags can be a good choice for carrots; you can even use a five-gallon bucket, which guarantees plenty of depth.

A good rule of thumb is to choose a container that's twice as deep as the length of the mature carrot. So if you're growing a variety that's expected to mature to 8 inches long, then opt for a container that's at least 16 inches deep.

Next, choose a quality potting soil amended with compost. The soil needs to be light and soft so that the growing carrots have a good place to grow and expand. 

How and When to Plant 

Carrot seeds are tiny, and they're very slow to germinate. These factors make it easy to lose confidence when planting them, but don't worry! You won't get it wrong. Plant the seeds in your container according to the directions on the seed packet; try to plant them 1/4 inch deep and about 1 to 2 inches apart.

Organic gardener Sumyati Kashyapi says one common mistake is planting the seeds too densely, and not thinning properly after germination. The thinning process is what allows the carrots to achieve their full, mature size without crowding. 

Since you're planting carrots in a container, you have a bit more flexibility in terms of timing, although carrots are generally planted in early spring (even before your last frost date). You can also plant a second crop in late summer for a fall harvest. 

Care Instructions

Carrots can be slow to get going, but once they're on their way, they just need the basics. "I sometimes sprinkle a bit of dampened potting mix in the row, then plant the carrot seeds into that to give them a bit of a head start," says gardening podcast host Kathy Jentz.

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Sun

Carrots thrive in full sun—6 to 8 hours a day—so keep your containers out on a south-facing deck or balcony with little shade.

Water 

Consistency is important when watering carrots. "Regular watering is essential for proper growth," says Kashyapi. This will help avoid root splits and reduce plant stress. Appropriate watering can increase the flavor, too.

Soil

As with many container-grown vegetables, it's often advisable to use a standard potting mix as a soil base, then amend it with quality compost. This should give you an excellent growing medium that's light, soft, and ideal for growing healthy carrots.

Fertilizer

If you fertilize carrots, then you should try to add some phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), which encourages root growth and sugar production. However, don't add too much nitrogen (N), as it can cause lush green top growth, says Kashyapi. Ultimately, this will be detrimental to the carrots.

Pests

Carrots are sometimes bothered by pests. Some chew holes in the carrot itself; others dine on the greens.

"Pests include carrot rust fly and cutworms," says Jentz, noting that there are also other, non-insect pests that can cause trouble for carrots. "On the mammal side of things, rabbits (not just Bugs Bunny!) and voles also love to chew on carrots," she adds.

Harvesting 

Your seed packet will give an indication of how many days it will take for your carrots to reach maturity—generally between 60 to 80 days.

As that date nears, begin to watch for the shoulders of the carrot to appear at the surface of the soil. You can pull a carrot or two to check the size; if they seem too small, wait a bit longer before harvesting the rest.