Carrot ‘Jerada’ F1 (Daucus carota)

Jerada is a ‘Dutch’ type bunching carrot, valued for its crisp, sweet, uniform roots and strong upright tops. A reliable performer in Australian conditions, it stands up well to heat and can be ready to harvest in as little as 80 days in summer.

When to sow: Late winter to early autumn

Where to sow: Direct in prepared garden bed

Depth to sow: 1/2cm

Aspect: Full sun or as sunny a spot as possible.

Soil: Prepared, well drained, fertilised soil. Add lime if soil is too acid.

Spacing: Between plants thin to 2-5cm

Between rows 30cm

Directions: The trick to growing carrots is to buy good seed, plant it thinly in a shallow drill, cover with a thin layer of fine soil and do not let the seed dry out, not even once. An early planting causes no problems in this regard, as the soil will generally be moist enough, but once warm dry weather comes along, and this can be October in central Victoria, water the seed drill just about every day until the carrots have germinated. Always use a fine rose because the seeds can easily be washed out. If seed is planted thinly enough then no thinning is needed. Just pull the carrots as required.