Carrot

Daucus carota var. sativa

A cool-season root that demands loose soil and patience at germination — always direct-sown, never transplanted, and sweeter on the far side of a fall frost.

At a glance

Sun: Full sun
Water: Moderate
Soil pH: 6–7
Days to maturity: 65–100; from sowing; Clemson says 65–75 days, Utah State 70–100 depending on variety and season
Spacing: 2–4 in; thinned, in rows 12–18 in apart
Germination soil: 55–75°F

Hardiness

A biennial grown as an annual in every US zone. Semi-hardy: tops withstand light frost (the roots tolerate more), but hard freezes end the season. Spring and fall crops suit most of the country.

Sun

Full sun — at least 6 hours of direct light a day; 8–10 hours preferred (UMD).

Water

About 1 inch a week — deeply once a week on heavier soil, twice on sand. Ease off near harvest to prevent cracking; overwatering causes hairy, forked roots (Utah State).

Planting calendar

Timed to your own frost dates — look up yours by ZIP on the home page.

Direct sow — Always direct-sow — never start in pots (UMN). Sow 2–3 weeks before the last frost, very shallow: ⅛–½ inch (sources range from Clemson's ⅛ in under sifted cover to UMD's ¼–½ in). For a fall crop, sow 10–12 weeks before the first fall frost.

Carrots are unusual among garden vegetables: the work is all up front, in the soil and the sowing, and nearly every disappointment is decided before the seedling clears the surface.

The three-week wait

Carrot seed can take 14–21 days to come up (Utah State), and it must stay moist the whole time. A crusted soil surface blocks the frail seedlings entirely — Utah State's old trick is sowing a few radishes in the row to crack the crust (and mark the row while you wait). Mixing the dust-fine seed with sand spreads it more evenly (Clemson).

Forked roots are the soil's fault

Forked, split, or stubby roots come from rocks, clods, compacted ground, or fresh heavy amendments — not bad seed (UMN). Carrots want deep, loose, stone-free loam or sand; on heavy clay, work in compost, dig deep, or grow shorter varieties in raised beds.

Thin without mercy

Crowded carrots stay spindly. Thin to 2–4 inches between plants, snipping rather than yanking so the keepers' roots stay undisturbed (Clemson, UMD).

Sow again, and again

A single sowing matures all at once. Sow a short row every 3–4 weeks from early spring through midsummer (UMN, Utah State), then a fall planting 10–12 weeks before the first frost — fall carrots pulled after light frosts are the sweetest of the year.

Green shoulders

Roots that push up out of the soil turn green and bitter at the crown. Hill an inch of soil over exposed shoulders as they swell (UMD).