Carrot
Crisp, sweet, and astonishingly versatile, the humble carrot rewards patient gardeners with a rainbow of roots worth pulling.
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From Wild Umbel to Kitchen Staple
Carrots trace their roots - literally - to the wild Daucus carota native to Central Asia and the Middle East. Early cultivated forms were purple or yellow; the familiar orange carrot was refined by Dutch growers in the 17th century. Today dozens of varieties span colors from deep purple to pale white, in shapes from stubby Chantenay types to long, elegant Imperator.
A member of the Apiaceae family alongside parsley, dill, and fennel, the carrot stores energy in its taproot during its first growing season. In a second season it would bolt and flower, producing those lacy white umbels that give the family its character. For home gardeners the goal is always that first season harvest, when sugars are at their peak and the root is at its tender, crisp best.
Planting & care
Carrots demand loose, deep, stone-free soil worked to at least 12 inches. Heavy clay or compacted ground causes forking and stunted roots - raised beds with sandy loam are ideal. Sow seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before your last frost date, or again in late summer for a fall crop. Press seeds just 1/4 inch deep, thin seedlings to 2-3 inches apart once they reach 2 inches tall, and keep the seed bed consistently moist until germination, which can take 14-21 days.
Once established, water deeply and evenly to prevent cracking and to encourage roots to chase moisture downward. Side-dress with a low-nitrogen, phosphorus-rich fertilizer at planting - excess nitrogen pushes leafy tops at the expense of the root. Keep beds weeded, especially early on, as carrots are slow to shade out competition. A light mulch helps retain soil moisture and regulate temperature. Harvest when shoulders are visible at the soil surface and tops are 1/2 inch in diameter, or leave them for frost to convert starches to sugar for sweeter flavor.
Cold Makes Them Sweeter
A few hard frosts before harvest trigger carrots to convert stored starches into sugars - a natural antifreeze response. Leaving carrots in the ground through light frosts, or even storing them in a cold garage, produces noticeably sweeter roots. Many gardeners deliberately time a fall planting so roots mature just as temperatures dip, calling this the best carrot of the season.
How much sun does Carrot need?
Carrot grows best in full sun.
How often should you water Carrot?
Give it about 1 in per week.
When is Carrot ready to harvest?
Carrot is usually ready in 70-80 days from seed.