What's the key to successful carrot cultivation?
Written by
Michael Sullivan
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Growing carrots starts with soil that crumbles like used coffee grounds. Heavy clay can bend the roots into crazy shapes. Sandy loam with added compost will lead to ideal planting beds. I've saved crops that could not be established by sifting rocks out from the row to allow carrot roots to deepen.
Planting Windows
- Zones 3-5: Sow 2 weeks after last frost (May-June)
- Zones 6-8: Early spring or 10 weeks before first frost
- Zones 9-10: Fall planting avoids summer heat stress
Storage Solutions
- Refrigeration: 32-40°F in ventilated bags (3-4 weeks)
- Root cellars: Layer in damp sand (6+ months)
- Freezing: Blanch sliced carrots 3 minutes before packing
Thoroughly water carrots once each week; attempts to do light sprinkling will result in shallow rooting. Utilizing drip lines will also prevent the spread of diseases in the leaves caused by water on leaves from overhead watering. I lost a crop of carrots that had aster yellows virus caused by leafhoppers before exercising the recommendation of utilizing row covers. I have been able to keep pests manageable with organic neem sprays.
Harvest when the shoulders reach a three-quarter-inch diameter and twist gently to free them from the earth - if there is resistance allow 7 days to further loosen. Keep them unwashed in a fridge crisper or a container with sand. My neighbor has a root cellar that can keep Imperator carrots crisp until April if the humidity is 90% and the temperature is 35°F.
Read the full article: How to Grow Carrots: Complete Guide for Beginners
