Carrots

General Information

Scientific Name:

Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Common Names:

Carrot, garden carrot

Plant Family:

Apiaceae

Vegetable Type:

Cool season root vegetable

Popular Varieties:

Nantes, Danvers, Imperator, Chantenay, Parisian

Know Before You Grow

Growing Zones:

3 to 10

Crops per Year:

1 to 2, sometimes more in milder climates with succession planting.

Plants Per Person:

5 to 10 feet of row per person. If storing or preserving, plant 10 to 15 feet of row per person.

Frost Hardy:

Yes. Carrots tolerate light frost and often taste sweeter after cool weather.

Heat Tolerant:

Poor to moderate. They do not love high heat, especially during germination and root development

Stratification:

No

Scarification:

No

Resistances:

No

Rotation Schedule

Schedule:

3 year rotation

Follow ->:

beans, peas, lettuce, onions, garlic, other crops that leave the soil reasonably loose and clean.

<-Following:

bassicas, beans, peas, corn, cucurbits

Starting from Seed

When:

Direct Sow Only.

Garden Bed Prep

Soil:

Loose, fine stone-free, well-draining soil

pH:

6.0 to 6.8

Soil Depth:

8 to 12 inches

Trellis:

No

Fertilizer:

Work in finished compost lightly, and only if needed. Use a balanced low to moderate fertilizer. Do Not Use Fresh Manure. Do not overdo the nitrogen.

Transplanting

When:

Direct Sow Only

Direct Sowing

When:

Sow in cool weather at least 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost for spring harvest. For a fall crop, sow in very late summer, if your climate isn’t too hot for germination.

Depth:

1/4 inch

Spacing:

Sow seed thinly in rows, then thin later. The seeds are too tiny for proper spacing. When the carrots emerge, carefully thin them to 2 to 3 inches apart.

Water:

Water after planting lightly. Keep the soil moist, without making it soggy.

Light:

Full sun

Soil Temperature:

55°F to 75°F

# in Sq. Ft. Planting:

16 carrots per square foot for standard carrots.
9 per square foot for larger storage carrots.
up to 25 per square foot for baby carrots.

Growing Care

Soil pH:

6.0 to 6.8

Fertilizer/Feed:

None other than bed prep before planting.

Days to Maturity:

55 to 80, depending on variety

Water:

Keep the soil evenly moist until well established. Then, give the carrots a good soaking a couple of times per week. Watering should be consistent and about the same amount each time.

Pruning:

None other than weeding

Mulching:

Light mulching only after the plants are well established.

Pollination:

Since carrots are usually grown for the root (what we call the carrot), and not for seed, pollination does not play a part in the growth of the root.

Companions & Antagonists

Plant Family:

Antagonists:

onions

dill

garlic

fennel

leeks

parsnips

chives

other close relatives if pest pressure is a concern.

Attracts & Repels

Attracts:

Repels:

Beneficial wasps

none

hoverflies

none

lacewings

none

other beneficial insects

none

Pests & Disease

Pests:

Disease:

carrot rust fly

leaf blights

aphids

damping off

flea beetles

root rot

cutworms

aster yellows

wireworms

cavity spot

nematodes

Other

Seed Saving

When:

Carrots are actually biennial…so if you don’t harvest your carrots during the year they are planted, you can over-winter them, or you can store and replant them (overwintering is best). During the second year, let them flower, then harvest the dry seed heads.

Method:

The paper bag method is preferred.

Storage:

Store in a cool, dry place

Harvest Time

When:

When they’ve reached the desired or expected size.

How:

Loosen soil if needed, then gently pull by the tops near the crown. If you have heavier soil, use a fork, but be very careful! You do not want to snap the top off, leaving the carrot underground and you don’t want to damage the carrots with the fork.

Curing:

None. Get your carrots out of the heat and off hot soil as soon as possible.

Storing:

Trim tops, store in a cool, dark place.

Preservation Methods:

Freezing, drying, canning

Troubleshooting

Forked or misshapen roots:

Usually rocky soil, clods, fresh manure, rough compost, or root disturbance

Short stubby roots:

Heavy soil, shallow soil, or compacted soil.

Poor germination:

Usually seed bed dried out, soil too hot or seed too old.

Roots crack or split:

Often caused by uneven watering or leaving roots too long after a growth surge.

Tiny roots and huge tops:

Too much nitrogen or crowding

Yellow or weak tops:

Could be poor fertility, water stress or root trouble.

Roots taste bitter or poor quality:

Heat stress, old age, or poor growing conditions

Hairy Roots:

Can be from overly rich soil, un-decomposed organic matter or root stress.

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