How to Grow Carrots in Florida

Sandy Florida soil is actually great for carrots, the trick is keeping the seed moist while it slowly germinates.

Carrots are a cool-season root in Florida; sow seed directly from fall into late winter. The loose, sandy soil many Floridians fight with is exactly what carrots like.

When to plant in Florida

Region	Sow (direct)
North Florida	Sep-Feb
Central Florida	Oct-Feb
South Florida	Oct-Jan

Varieties

'Danvers 126' — adaptable, handles heavier ground.
'Nantes' types — sweet, crisp, blunt-tipped.
'Little Finger' — short type for containers and shallow beds.

How to grow them

Sow seed shallowly directly in the bed (carrots hate transplanting), and keep the surface constantly moist for the 1-3 weeks they take to germinate, this is the #1 success factor.
Thin seedlings to 2-3 inches so roots size up.
Work the bed loose and stone-free; rocks and fresh manure cause forking.

Pests & problems

Few serious pests in Florida; root-knot nematodes can deform roots in infested soil. Rotate and add compost.

Harvest

Pull from about 65-75 days when shoulders are an inch across; cool weather sweetens them, so they hold well in the ground through winter.

Source: UF/IFAS Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103).

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