Carrot Companion Plants | The Home Tome

The carrot is a delicate plant. It, therefore, needs the proximity of companion plants to produce healthy tubers.

Root crops require proper handling because of the pests that could affect them in the soil. The soil contains varieties of organisms that can be detrimental to root crops. Companion planting is the best way to reduce this risk.

Carrot is best grown during spring and summer. This edible vegetable can be eaten raw in salads or cooked with different meals. It is nutritious and provides the body with essential vitamins. The best way to protect this crop is by planting it with different herbs, vegetables, or flowers.

Some of the best companions for carrots are from the vegetables and herb list, these excellent companion plants are rosemary, chives, legumes, thyme, leeks, tomatoes, radish, brassicas, nasturtiums, and onions. It is not a good idea to grow carrots with plants like potatoes, dill, celery, and parsnips.

What this does is give it a good yield by keeping pests at bay. It also improves the flavor of your carrot and helps it retain its vitamins. It is one of the best vegetables to have in the garden as it is versatile and delicious when eaten too. Some plants will encourage carrot growth.

10 Best Carrot Companion Plants

These are the best companion plants to grow near carrots to boost yield and have a healthy harvest.

1. Onions

Onions affect a few plants negatively but benefit more plants positively. Carrots are one of the vegetables that enjoy being close to this vegetable plant. Many plants benefit from onion protection. Onions help repel pests from carrots. Carrot is plagued with carrot flies and aphids.

Onions play a huge role in inviting beneficial insects like predators that will feed on these pests. It can be grown with its cousins; chives or garlic to encourage stronger protection.

2. Chives

Chives belong to the family of allium. Vegetables in this family release strong scents that deter dangerous pests like aphids. These pests are responsible for the poor harvest of other vegetable crops like carrots. To get rid of these pests, situate some chives plants close to a carrot. It also gives carrots some space to grow and a flavor boost.

3. Leek

Leek is a perfect companion for carrots. It deters carrot’s enemy- carrot flies and moths. Your carrot tubers will produce good yields when grown with leeks.

4. Legumes

What is a garden without cover crops? Legumes help you cut costs on fertilizers. Growing them in your garden boosts its fertility and provides its companion with enough nutrients. Carrot which is a nutrient-loving crop will benefit from the proximity of beans, peas.

These legumes fix nitrogen in the soil and boost fertility which is what the carrot plant needs to grow well.

5. Rosemary

Rosemary Companion Plants — Image: Envato Elements

If you are thinking of an herb to plant in your garden, you can’t go wrong planting rosemary. This flowering herb releases a scent that keeps pests at bay. It keeps aphids far away from your carrot vegetable.

6. Nasturtium

This is a sacrificial plant that repels varieties of pests. It is best to have this flower in your garden if you don’t want the disturbance of pests. It acts as a trap crop to protect carrots when you plant them in the garden. It also invites beneficial insects to your garden.

7. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are recognized for their susceptibility to pests and fungal diseases but none of these will affect carrots. Tomatoes can act as a shade for carrots which will require some time. Instead of covering your carrot plant with plastic, grow carrots near it for a better yield.

8. Radish

Radish can play the role of loosening up the soil. Tilling the soil to achieve looseness is one of the requirements for planting carrots. The roots of carrots need this to travel into the soil effortlessly. Radish helps the roots travel deep into the soil without stress.

best companion plants for radishes — Image: Envato Elements

9. Brassicas

Carrots and brassicas are plagued with some pests but growing carrots close to your cabbages or kales will protect them from pests. It masks the scent of your brassicas from dangerous pests. Consider growing them together for some cabbage protection.

10. Thyme

Thyme is barely absent on the list of companion plants. It is one of the best herbs to have in your garden. It is versatile.

It will repel carrot flies from your crop and at the same time give it a flavor boost. The strong scent of thyme will prevent pests like psyllids from coming close to your carrot. It can also be used for culinary dishes after your carrot has been harvested.

What Not To Grow With Carrots

Some plants reek of bad luck. They are so described because they could invite pests or diseases to your carrot vegetable.

For carrot to come out with a good yield, it must go through the process of companion planting. Some plants will help your carrot vegetable yield good fruits while some will hinder it.

1. Dill

Dill is a good companion plant to other vegetables and herbs. It will stunt the growth of your dill herb if grown with it. It releases some toxic compounds that can hinder your carrot Vegetable. Poor hybrids can be produced when carrot cross-pollinates with dill. Carrots can also invite parasitic insects to destroy dill.

2. Fennel

It doesn’t go well with many garden plants. It releases chemicals that hinder their growth. It is also susceptible to pests that can come close and eat up your carrot. It can attract the worst pests of carrot vegetables. Keep fennel far away from carrot.

3. Parsnip

Parsnips can infest your carrot with pests. The proximity of parsnips to carrots will do a lot of harm than good. The best thing to do is to keep parsnips away from your garden.

4. Celery

Don’t be deceived into planting carrots with celery because they are both vegetables. These two vegetable plants don’t go well together on the patch. Carrot flies, a major pest of carrot can be attracted by celery to destroy your vegetable root crop.

Potato Companion Plants — Image: Envato Elements

5. Potatoes

Growing two root crops like potatoes and carrots together is calling for competition. Root crops grow well with excessive phosphorus. Planting them together can result in competition for that element.

Carrot Companion Planting Guide

Some plants have specific growing requirements to thrive well. Carrot is a cool-weather crop. It is best to grow them during spring and fall. There are several precautions and guidelines to take note of while attempting to plant carrots.

1. Choosing a site

The soil is one of the most important elements you need in growing carrots. If you go wrong with the soil, you go miss every other thing. Before planting, make sure the soil is broken into a fine texture, free of stumps, stones
Make sure you till the soil to be used
Mix the soil with manure or compost to boost fertility
Prepare beds for your carrot vegetable
Use loamy soil to grow your carrot
Choose a site that is exposed to full sunlight

2. Time to plant

Carrot thrives in the spring and fall seasons. Before growing, ensure the danger of frost has passed.
After 3 weeks interval, plant another set of carrot vegetables for consistent harvest
During Fall, plant carrot seeds in late summer

3. Planting requirements

Dip the carrot seed half an inch deep into the soil
Space them 2-3 inches apart to avoid competition
Water the soil often to keep it a bit moist
Thin the plants carefully when more than 2 carrot plant sprouts. This is to allow other plants to receive sufficient nutrients
Expose the plant to at least 6 hours of sunlight. Provide it with shade one out of five times you expose it to sunlight

4. Care

Provide your carrot plant with a living mulch
Uproot weeds growing around your carrot plant
Apply a fertilizer with high levels of potassium and phosphate after 6 weeks of germination

What is the trick to growing carrots?

Growing carrot is no rocket science if you can get the tricks behind a successful harvest. Note that carrots prefer being grown outdoors and won’t thrive when planted indoors first. Start growing outdoors and space the plants. Wet the soil consistently too. Carrots love a little bit of moisture.

How long do carrots take to grow fully?

It takes only 70-80 to get a freshly harvested carrot tuber. Whilst harvesting, be careful not to hurt the fruit. Pull at it gently or open up the carrot’s soil to avoid destroying it. 1-inch depth of root indicates a carrot tuber ready for harvest.

Do carrots need lots of water?

Carrot requires watering of an inch. Ensure that the water gets into the soil because the roots uptake water for growth. Carrots prefer moistness to wetness so be careful of how you water them

Do carrots need a lot of sunlight?

Most vegetable plants require full sun to grow. 6 hours of exposure to sunlight every day will do.

What month do you plant carrots?

Carrots are to be grown during the spring or fall seasons. This means that October and September are the best months to plant your carrot plant.

How many carrots do you get per plant?

When you plant carrots, thin other plants, a bed should have at least 1-2 plants. One carrot plant can only produce one carrot during the harvesting period.

How do you know when carrots are ready for harvest?

The roots of the carrot are always 1- 1 and a half-inch in diameter during the harvesting period. The carrots spring out of the soil and are bright.

Can you eat second-year carrots?

Second-year carrots are not edible. They are woody, unlike the first year carrots which are very edible and delicious.

Are carrots easy to grow?

Carrots need to undergo some processes to come out well. The soil needs to be tilled, fertilized, and kept moist. When all these guidelines have been duly followed, you will have a successful and stressful plant. Thus, planting carrots is not difficult if you follow the procedures.

Can you grow carrots in pots?

Carrots can grow in pots but don’t contemplate growing them indoors before transplanting them. Carrots do well with transplanting because the roots get affected during this process. Choose a deep pot for the carrot plant because the roots travel deep into the soil. At least 2 inches deep.

Can you replant carrot tops?

When you harvest carrot, take off the top as it can be replanted to yield good fruits.

Conclusion

Planting carrot is not brutal if the planting requirements are followed. Carrot is a vegetable that requires so much care if you won’t be companion planting it. Carrot is highly susceptible to pests thus you must monitor it properly.

It is however best to grow it with other crops to reduce the risk of pest infestation. With that, you will have a healthy harvest of carrot tubers.

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