
Carrot
- Botanical Name
- Daucus carota var. sativus
- Hardiness
- Annual
- Fruit
- Variety of sizes, colors and shapes
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil
- Moist, loose, well-drained; free from clumps and clods - raised beds are an ideal location
- Planting & Care
- Cultivate the soil, removing clods and clumps where you plan to grow carrots. This allows the roots to penetrate the soil and develop uniformly.
- Carrots germinate in temperatures between 50°F and 85°F in evenly moist soil
- Direct sow in early spring 2 to 3 weeks before last frost at a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, 1/2 inch apart, in rows spaced 12 to 24 inches apart.
- For more even spacing, use pelleted seeds or seed tape. Or mix these fine seeds with sand or fine vermiculite when sowing.
- Thin to 1 to 4 inches apart by snipping seedlings when they are about 1.5 inches tall. Sow seeds for a fall harvest about 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost.
- Mulch or mound soil around the crowns of plants to prevent green and bitter shoulders
- Problems
- Leafhoppers, wireworms, carrot rust worm, aster yellows, leaf spot, soft rot, carrot weevil, slugs
- Varieties
- Purple Haze - 10-12 inches, purple with orange core, All-America Selections winner
- Little Finger - 3-5 inches long, golden orange, very sweet
- Gold Pak - 8 inches, good for juicing
- Orlando Gold - rich in carotene
- Thumbelina - golf ball sized roots, great for containers or indoor gardening, AAS winner
Related Content
Article
Article
Article
Article
Categories
Upcoming Appearances
April 27, 2021
Well Loved Wisconsin Garden Plants
Webinar
May 5, 2021
Tomatoes: Maximize Your Harvest & Minimize Insects & Disease
Webinar
May 12, 2021
Top Plants for Rain Gardens, Water Gardens & Shoreline Gardens
+ Those to Avoid
Webinar
May 13, 2021
Planting Your Rain Garden
Webinar
May 16, 2021
Perennials for Challenging
Growing Conditions
Webinar
June 3, 2021
Creative Container Gardening
Webinar
June 9, 2021
Sustainable Lawn & Landscape Care
Webinar
Register today! Plus, watch Melinda's past webinars ON DEMAND
for a limited time.
Learn More