When to Plant Carrot in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide

Sow September to March. Right now in September you can sow.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Carrot guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Carrot

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Carrots are Australia's most popular root vegetable and one of the most widely grown home garden crops. They demand loose, well-prepared soil and patience with germination but reward growers with sweet, crunchy roots. Direct sowing is essential. Carrots do not transplant. With the right variety selection, carrots can be grown in every Australian climate zone.

Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
D D D - - - - - D D D D

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

Want a nudge when it is Carrot sowing time in Canberra?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cold / Highland zone right now, Carrot included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 11.2°C (optimal range: 7–30°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.

How to Grow Carrot in Cold / Highland Australia

When to Plant

October to January only. Very short window. Start early with cloches. Paris Market (round) matures fastest at 60 days.

Soil
Deep, loose, sandy loam free of stones and clods. The single most important factor for straight carrots is soil preparation. Dig to at least 30cm and remove all rocks. Heavy clay must be heavily amended with coarse sand and compost, or use raised beds. Do NOT add fresh manure. Causes forked, hairy, split roots.
pH Range
6.0-6.8
Sunlight
Full sun (6+ hours). Tolerates light afternoon shade in hot climates, which can actually improve root quality.
Spacing
5cm apart, 25cm between rows
Watering
Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Inconsistent watering causes cracking and splitting. Water deeply 2-3 times per week. Reduce watering slightly in the last 2 weeks before harvest to concent

Companion plants: Spring Onion, Leek, Rosemary, Sage, Chive, Lettuce

Avoid planting near: Dill, Parsnip, Celery (shares diseases), Fennel

Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Carrot

Recommended Varieties

  • Nantes (Scarlet Nantes)
  • Amsterdam Forcing
  • Chantenay Red Core
  • Paris Market

Key Challenges

  • Very short growing season
  • Cold soil
  • Heavy rainfall in highlands causing rot

Pro Tips

  • Canberra/Tablelands: start October with cloches, last sowing by mid-January
  • Paris Market matures in 60 days. Your fastest option for short seasons
  • Carrots left in ground through cold highland winter store beautifully, harvest as needed

Harvesting Carrot

When ready: Shoulder of carrot visible at soil surface, typically 2-3cm diameter for standard varieties. Foliage is still green and vigorous. Pull one test root to check size and colour development.

How to harvest: Loosen soil alongside row with garden fork before pulling. Grasp foliage close to crown and pull gently with a twist. In heavy soils, always fork first to avoid snapping roots. Twist off tops immediately after harvest.

Worth growing?

A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 115 plants, about $26 worth at today’s Aldi, Coles, IGA and Woolworths prices, checked today.

That is roughly 14 kg at $1.90 a kilo.

Draw your carrot bed → No account needed.

Common Carrot Pests in Cold / Highland Zones

Carrot Rust Fly, risk: MODERATE (score: 54/100)

Organic prevention: Crop rotation. Avoid sowing near established carrot/parsley/celery crops. Remove all crop residues. Monitor with yellow sticky traps. AUSVEG maintains an incursion management plan for this exotic pest

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

What carrot costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the cold and highland zone this September: Sweet Corn, Beetroot, Chilli Peppers and Snow Peas.

The pest most likely to find your carrot: Wireworms.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $1.90/kg (12-month range: $1.49–$2.90)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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Common Questions About Carrot

When do you plant carrot in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does carrot grow all year round in Canberra?

No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.