Carrots

About

Carrots are a root vegetable which were originally purple, red and white in color. Orange carrots were not developed until much later.

Growing Advice

Soak seeds overnight before planting. Carrots can crack if the ground conditions change between dry and moist, so proper watering is essential if you want uncracked carrots. Many areas can get two growing season with carrots because they are a cool weather root vegetable.

Companion Planting

Pests & Diseases

Snails, beetles, caterpilars and slugs are the most common pests to carrots. Carrot rust fly is a problem in some areas. Wireworms, which are click beetle larvae, can also attack carrots. In the Midwest of the US, carrot fly maggots can be a problem.

Seed Saving

Carrots do not go to seed until the second growing season. You can leave carrots in the ground over the winter in slightly cool climates if you protect with a heavy layer of mulch. Otherwise, keep in a root cellar or basement over winter, covering them with sand or sawdust until ready for replanting. In the following spring, the tops will sprout flowers and then seeds. If you leave carrots to go entirely to seed in the garden, you will want to place bags on the tops to catch the seeds. Carrots can cross-pollinate with other varieties, so keep this in mind if you are wanting pure seeds.

Heirloom Varieties

  • Amarillo
  • Atomic Red
  • Belgium White
  • Berlicum 2
  • Chantenay
  • Chantenay Red Core
  • Cosmic Purple
  • Danvers 126
  • Danvers Half Long
  • Dragon
  • Early Scarlet Horn
  • Gold King
  • Healthmaster
  • Imperator 58
  • Jaune Obtuse du Doubs
  • Kuroda Long 8″
  • Little Finger
  • Long Orange Improved
  • Long Red Surrey
  • Oxheart
  • Muscade
  • Nantes Fancy
  • Paris Market
  • Parisian Rondo
  • Parisienne
  • Red Samurai
  • Royal Chantenay
  • Scarlet Nantes
  • Shin Kuroda 5″
  • Snow White
  • Solar Yellow
  • St. Valery
  • Sweetness II
  • Tendersweet
  • Thumbelina
  • Tonda di Parigi

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