Melinda Myers

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