Hydroponic carrots are an easy root vegetable to grow. They thrive in hydroponic drip systems. Hydroponics uses up to 99% less water than traditional gardening and you’ll have higher yields in a shorter amount of time. Hydroponic carrots can be grown in small spaces so you don’t need a large plot of land to enjoy a bounty!
Keep on reading to find out how to grow your own deliciously fresh hydroponic carrots.
Can You Grow Carrots Hydroponically?
You can grow carrots hydroponically. They’re a very simple root vegetable to grow and fresh carrots are the perfect way to add a little bit of crunch to your meals!
Hydroponic carrots are perfect if you don’t have much room outdoors or if you’re looking for a beginner hydroponic crop to experiment around with.
While carrot plants also thrive outdoors in traditional gardens- even through frosts- hydroponic gardening is more efficient, uses less water, and provides greater yields.
What Are The Benefits Of Growing Carrots Hydroponically?
Some benefits of growing carrots hydroponically include up to 99% less water usage, higher quality carrots, larger yields, and faster growth.
You also aren’t tied down to needing land. You can grow hydroponic carrots in a hydroponic garden indoors even if you live in a small city apartment.
In addition, you can completely tailor the hydroponic nutrient solution to your carrots’ needs. This is one of the main reasons why hydroponic plants thrive.
Lastly, you’ll have a better handle on pH. Getting soil pH right can be a finicky process, but hydroponic pH is much easier to dial in.
Main Carrot Varieties to grow hydroponically
You can grow plenty of varieties of carrots hydroponically. You may even opt for a colored type of carrot like purple, yellow, or white!
But let’s go over some of the more popular varieties that people are likely to be growing in their hydroponic gardens.
Imperator
Imperator is the most popular carrot variety in North America and is likely what you think of when you think of carrots.
They grow to be very long, reaching around 30 cm. They’re not too thick in diameter. They’re typically sold fresh with some of their green tops still attached.
Nantes
On the other hand, Nantes carrots dominate the market in Europe. They’re quite cylindrical and can grow to be around 25 cm long.
Danvers
Danvers are the thickest variety of the bunch, although they barely reach 25 cm in length. They have a pointed tip. Generally not sold fresh, Danvers are perfect for storage and frozen food.
Chantenay
Chantenay carrots aren’t anything fancy. They have the stereotypical carrot shape with a thick body. They grow to be around 25 cm long.
How Long Does It Take To Grow Carrots Hydroponically?
Hydroponic carrot harvest times vary depending on what variety you’re growing. Generally speaking, carrots tend to be ready for harvest after about two months.
In addition, growth time can be affected by if you’re using the correct nutrient solution and providing optimal light.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that hydroponic methods accelerate growth, so your hydroponic carrots may be ready sooner rather than later!
How Do You Grow Hydroponic Carrots?
The best way to start hydroponic carrots is from seed. Hydroponic carrots germinate quickly and a variety of carrot seeds won’t break the wallet.
Coco coir is a good growing medium, although a perlite-vermiculite mixture often works best for root veggies.
Perlite draws up plenty of oxygen while vermiculite holds in the perfect amount of moisture.
First, fill your container with roughly a foot of your growing medium. This may seem like a lot, but you have to remember that you’re growing a root vegetable!
You can sow your carrots pretty close together, as they don’t need much horizontal room to grow and you can always thin them out later down the road.
When the carrot seeds are germinating, maintain moisture without keeping the grow medium too wet. When carrot tops peek out, it’s time to thin down your carrots and keep the strongest ones.
Carrots typically take around a week to germinate so long as you keep the temperature around 85 degrees F.
Now talk about the rest of the growing process!
Manage Proper Light
If you’re growing hydroponic carrots indoors, definitely use grow lights while sprouting seedlings. Aim for 12-16 hours of light each day with 8-12 hours of darkness to simulate the natural cycle of day and night.
Simply put your grow lights on a timer and you won’t have to worry about remembering the right time to turn them on and off.
Provide The Required Nutrients
It’s best to feed your hydroponic carrot plants a nutrient solution at least once per week. Be sure to sprinkle enough nutrient solution to dampen the upper layer of your growth medium.
Carrots enjoy a pH of around 6.3. You can go as high as 7.5 but it’s not ideal.
The nutrient solution strength should be between 1120-1400 ppm. Feed your germinating carrots and carrot seedlings a weaker solution so as to not overload their systems. Slowly increase to full strength as they grow.
Check out our guide on hydroponic nutrients for some DIY nutrient ideas! ***(LINK)***
Using a Hydroponic Drip System
Hydroponic drip systems are the best hydroponic system for carrots. This is because you can cover your carrots with your medium and then feed them from the top.
Drip systems continuously feed nutrients to the roots with drippers, so the system doesn’t need to keep flooding and draining.
One of the less popular systems, they’re famous for growing root crops and are on the rise. If you’ve heard of hydroponic irrigation systems, this is what people are talking about!
You can automate hydroponic drip systems just like most other hydroponic setups.
Just be sure to flush your drip lines every month to keep them clear up mineral buildup and harmful algae.
Time to Harvest
After about two months, harvest your hydroponic carrot that has the most greens. If it’s a size you’re happy with, or a size comparable with what’s expected of that variety, then keep harvesting other carrots of similar top sizes.
When other carrots reach that size, harvest them too.
Remember that it’s okay to have an earlier harvest! Young carrots are deliciously sweet.
For a continual harvest, don’t plant all your carrots at the same time. This way you won’t have a 20-carrot harvest size and then none the next week!
Conclusion
By using the hydroponic cultivation method, you don’t need an outdoor garden to enjoy this beloved root vegetable. An incredible source of vitamins and minerals, hydroponic carrots are a must-grow for any active gardener at least once. You’ll be astounded at how delicious fresh hydroponic carrots are.
Peruse the rest of our blog to learn about growing other magnificent hydroponic crops!