Growing Carrots
Crop Nutrition Advice

Everything you need to know about carrot fertilization, best practice, suitable products, field trials and more.

Advice for growing Carrot (Daucus carota)

  • Optimum pH range lies between 5.5 – 7.0.

  • At soil pH <5.5, carrot is susceptible to phosphate, molybdenum and calcium deficiencies.

  • At soil pH > 7,5, deficiencies of boron, copper, iron, manganese, phosphate and zinc are likely to appear.

Carrots harvested in optimum condition

Growing carrots

Nutrient requirements

Estimated nutrient uptake (kg/t):

Early-medium-late
varieties (60 ton/ha)
N
kg/t
P2O5
kg/t
K2O
kg/t
MgO
kg/t
CaO
kg/t
Leaves60211701370
Root8012151818
Total140
33
321
2188
Late and very late varieties
(140 ton/ha)
N
kg/t
P2O5
kg/t
K2O
kg/t
MgO
kg/t
CaO
kg/t
Leaves4099717126
Root110693031756
Total150
78
400
34182

Recommendations for the different nutrients depends on soil fertility. 

Carrot is susceptible for high salt concentrations, especially at seedling stage. 

Fertilization methods

Nitrogen

Using a granular fertilizer, apply before seeding approx. 80 kg/ha of N minus N- mineral in the soil (0-60 cm). The rest could be split over the crop cycle either on weekly basis, via fertigation, or 2-3 applications of conventional granular N based products. 

However, in non-fertigated crops, using Controlled Release Fertilizers allows application of the entire amount of N, before seeding, thus avoiding multiple top-dressings. 

Phosphate

Could be applied entirely at the beginning of crop cycle, before seeding.

Potassium

Knowing that potassium leaches as easily as nitrate, the entire amount that crop needs should be split in 2-3 applications in non-fertigated crop systems or using only once, before seeding, a coated K based product.

In fertigated crops, supplying potassium on weekly basis is strongly recommended. 

Magnesium

Could be applied entirely at the beginning of the crop cycle, before seeding. Nevertheless foliar applications will further improve crop performance. 

Calcium

Could be applied entirely at the beginning of the crop cycle, before seeding. 

Carrot Trials

Carrots with Polysulphate
Saint-Jean-Brévelay, Brittany, France, 2019

24

Yield Increase
Carrots with Agromaster
Neuhofen in Germany , 2022

9

Yield increase
Carrots with Agromaster
Rokitno, Poland, 2023

8

Yield increase

Q&A

Here are some frequently asked questions we received from farmers regarding Growing Carrots

  • Of course all nutrients are important, but potassium and calcium are very important to the (skin) quality of carrot.

  • Although potassium chloride improves carrot’s sugar level in heavy soils it can be applied 1-2 months before seeding while in very light soils, with 1-2 weeks before seeding. Afterwards it is recommended to use potassium sulphate-based products.

  • When the soil content of magnesium is low, always give a base fertilizer with magnesium. Even in rich soils, foliar applications are strongly recommended for improving overall leaf health.

  • Phosphate is always recommended to be applied close to seeding time.

  • Commonly, 3 nitrogen applications are applied to carrot to avoid high salt concentrations and nitrogen losses. The best way however is to use CRFs (controlled release fertilizers); CRFs can be applied, without the risk of high salt concentration and nitrogen, with just one application, before seeding, supplying the entire amount of nitrogen that plant requires.

  • Application of nitrogen through fertigation should be once a week.

Do you have more questions?