How to grow carrots the simple way with good yields 2024
Kelvin Wairimu 
Carrots are known for their vast health benefits, which include cholesterol balance and weight loss, and to some extent, they are associated with helping reduce cancer risk.
Carrots are consumed either as blended juice or as vegetables, and their demand has grown, making them almost a necessity in every meal.
Is carrot farming profitable in Kenya?
The increased demand for carrots has increased prices in the past five years. Improved seed varieties that don’t crack on maturity and have high yields have raised the returns in carrot farming.
Carrots are not heavy feeders and are rarely affected by diseases like other crops. This makes their cost of production minimal, leaving farmers with a good margin.
Which carrot grows best in Kenya?
The most common varieties in the market are Nantes from royal seeds or East African seeds. They are sweet, have good market colour, and have a long shelf life. They are also heavy per piece. Read Also: The best kale varieties.
How to grow carrots?
After selecting the best variety to plant, prepare the land for planting. Carrots do well in average fertile soils. The soil must be deeply ploughed and free of stones and hard pads, which allows the carrots to grow well and strongly.
Sowing is done in shallow trenches, at least 20-40cm apart. The seeds should be covered with loose soil and watered regularly in hot weather.
The use of compost or organic manures is not recommended, as they often cause unattractive, hairy roots with a coarser texture and decreased marketable yield.
Mixing seed with sand in a ratio of 1:5 helps achieve even distribution. After germination, thin the plants to achieve 2.5cm between them.
Farmers are usually reluctant to thin out plants, so attention must be given to ensuring that the correct seeding rate is used at planting. A seed rate of 2-2.5 kg per acre is recommended.
The best month to plant carrots.
Carrots should be planted at the onset of rain for uniform growth, although they still do well on irrigated farms. March and April are the most preferred months.
Fertilizer application in carrots
After germination, 21-28 days, topdressing can be done with DAP OR NPK 17.17.17 45 days after sowing.
Manual weeding should always be done, though chemical weeding also works well. Many weeds grow rapidly and vigorously and are efficient competitors for available nutrients, water, and sunlight. Spraying with fungicides helps to control powdery mildew.
Root-knot nematodes are tiny “eelworms” that live in the soil and become plant parasites when they use carrot roots as their nurseries. Nematodes enter carrots through the root tip, and this injury causes the root to fork, sometimes in several directions.
To avoid infesting new fields with plant-parasitic nematodes, clean equipment and tools thoroughly with water and prevent the movement of infested soil. To control the infestation, just pull up affected carrots and dispose of them.
Watering should be done regularly. Insufficient soil moisture results in a longer and thinner root, while very wet conditions have the opposite effect and give rise to a lighter colour.
How long do carrots take to grow?
Harvesting is done 90-120 days after sowing, depending on the agroecology (temperature) of the growing area. Carrots are harvested when they have reached a diameter of 20 mm or more, still young and tender.
Where carrots have grown poorly or in very dense stands, the criteria for lifting should not be size but maturity and quality. Due to market demand or other factors, carrots can be harvested earlier.
What is the cost per acre? What are the profit margins? You can request a full cost analysis of carrot farming per acre HERE.
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