How to grow Carrot (Oxheart)

Daucus carota

🥕 Vegetable 🌱 Grown each year

Carrot Oxheart (Daucus carota) is a unique variety known for its broad, heart-shaped root and exceptional sweet, earthy flavour. Ideal for slicing, julienne, soups, stews, stir-fries, or raw in salads. It's packed with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre. Sow thinly to reduce thinning needs and deter carrot-fly. Companion planting with onions can help repel carrot-fly.

At a glance: Sow mid February to mid July, harvest from late May.

When to sow, plant and harvest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Sow outdoors

Harvest

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Growing Carrot (Oxheart): what it needs

Light: Full sun · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Regularly, especially in dry periods. Water at night.
Soil: Deep, fertile, sandy soil, free from stones. Avoid ground manured in the last year to prevent forking. · pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing: 5-7.5cm apart
In pots: Grows well in containers
Feeding: Good, fertile soil is usually sufficient. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers which can promote leafy growth over root development.
Harvest: About 60 days from sowing
Hardiness: USDA zones 3–10
Difficulty: Easy

Step by step

Mid February – mid July · 8 weeks before the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Outdoors
Sow seed very thinly, directly into a drill 1.5cm deep in rows 15cm apart. Lightly cover with fine soil and water carefully with a fine hose. A cloche can help warm soil in early spring as seed can't germinate below 10°C. Can also sow in long pots for baby carrots.
17–21 days after “Sow Seeds Indoors/Greenhouse” · Early March
Check Germination
Seedlings should appear at about 17 days. Keep soil consistently moist.
14 days after “Check Germination” · Mid March
Thin Seedlings
If needed, thin seedlings at night (to deter carrot-fly) to aim for a carrot every 5-7.5cm. Remove thinnings completely to avoid attracting pests.
7 days after “Thin Seedlings” · Late March
Ongoing Care (Watering & Weeding)
Water at night and keep watered in dry periods. Try not to weed during the day as it may attract carrot-fly. Ensure soil remains consistently moist but not waterlogged.
60–120 days after “Ongoing Care (Watering & Weeding)” · Late May – late July
First Harvest
Begin harvesting carrots when they reach desired size. Gently loosen soil around the root before pulling. Harvest regularly to encourage further growth.
On planting day
Final Harvest & Storage
Lift all remaining roots by October. Remove soil from the roots and store in dry sand, ensuring carrots do not touch each other to prevent rotting. Store in a cool, dark place.