Likewise, keep carpet red (6)
I believe the answer is:
tomato
'red' is the definition.
(I know that tomato is a type of red)
'likewise keep carpet' is the wordplay.
'likewise' becomes 'too' (too can mean likewise or as well).
'keep' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'carpet' becomes 'mat' (a mat is a floor covering).
'too' enclosing 'mat' is 'TOMATO'.
(Other definitions for tomato that I've seen before include "It used to be call a love-apple" , "Red fruit eaten as veg" , "A motto, oddly, for this fruit" , "Pulpy edible fruit" , "It's also known as a love apple" .)