Harvest Type:  Successive or single

 Transplant/Direct Sow:  Direct sow

 When to Plant:  3 weeks before last frost

 Days to Germinate:  14-21 days

 Days to Maturity:  65-90 days

 Planting Depth:  ¼ ” deep

 Germination Temp:  40°F

 Seed Spacing:  1- 1½ ” apart

 Rows:  1’ apart

 Light:  Full sun

 Soil pH:  6.0 - 6.8 pH

 Water:  1” per week

 Soil Temperature:  50-80°F

 Fertilizer:  10-12-12 N-P-K ratio

 Rotation:  Root vegetable.  Rotate annually with heavy feeders.

Harvest Type

Carrots make a wonderful successive crop which means they can be a single harvest crop or a continuous harvest crop. What this means is that you can plant all the seeds at once and harvest the crop when it is done. That method is wonderful if you are planning on preserving your harvest by canning, or freezing the carrots.

Using the successive planting method will allow you to enjoy smaller harvests without the pressure of trying to use a large harvest of carrots at once.  For successive planting, plant 1/4 of the seeds plan to plant, wait two-three weeks and plant the next batch of seeds and so on. The quantity of seeds provided in collections sold by Family Sown are more than sufficient for successive planting. 

Tip:   Plant enough carrot seeds to enjoy for two-three weeks because that's about the time the next harvest will be ready.

 Transplant / Direct Sow

Carrots are a direct sow crop. They are difficult to transplant as their taproot (the carrot) is fragile.

 When to Plant:

The ideal time to plant carrots is generally 3-weeks before the last frost.

Days to germinate

Carrots take between 14-21 days to germinate and sometimes as long as 30 days. There is some variation between cultivars.  Also, weather plays a huge role in germination.

 Days to maturity

The Minimum number of days to harvest is about 65 days. If growing conditions are not ideal, the days-to-harvest can be as long as 85-90 days.

 Tip: Use the days-to-harvest information to plan out how many carrots to plant for successive Sowing. Doing so allows you to have enough carrots on hand to meet your food supply needs, including canning and preserving.

 Planting Depth

Plant carrot seeds at 1/4" deep.

 Tip: To make it easier to plant the seeds at the right depth, take a wooden dowel rod that is about 1" in diameter and about 1'. In one end, insert a screw with a 1/4" wide head. A nail with a wide head will work also. Insert the screw so that only 1/4" of the screw remains outside the dowel. To use, gently tap the dowel with the screw end pointing down, on the surface of the garden soil. A little hole should appear and in that hole, plant one carrot seed. The tool also helps to properly space the seeds.

 Germination Temperature Range

Carrots love cool weather and will germinate when the soil temperature is around 40°F.

 Spacing Between Plants

For carrots to thrive plant seeds 1-1.5" apart and keep the rows about 1' wide.

 Growing conditions

General:  Carrots thrive in Full Sun, with slightly acidic soil (6.0-6.8 pH).  Most vegetables need about 1" of water each week. Carrots are no exception. Water seeds lightly to prevent the top layer of soil from forming a crust. Generally, keep the top few inches of soil moist until they sprout and then water 1-3 times per week when the tops are at least 4" tall. Make sure to water slowly and deeply as the roots need moist soil to grow.

Tip:  Under-watering results in deformed carrots.

Fertilizer:

Low nitrogen and high potassium and phosphorus are the goals for carrots. 0-10-10 N-P-K ratio fertilizer is good for carrots. Start with good soil, avoid fertilizing until the plants are 3-4" tall. Granular fertilizers are a good choice.

 Companion Plants

Plants in the Allium family are wonderful for aiding in pest control for carrots. Plant garlic or onions between the rows. Radishes are also good companion plants and a good way to mark the rows.

 Rotation

Carrots are a crop that does not require nutrient-rich soil. You can plant them in the same spot for two cycles but should move them after that. Rotate with heavy feeders like tomatoes or peppers, mostly for the heavy feeders, not the carrots.

Anticipated yields

Expect about five carrots to make a pound.