Carrot Seeds

Carrots are among the most rewarding crops you can direct-sow: sweet, crisp roots that store for months and grow across almost all of North America, from Canadian Zone 3 to the US Deep South at Zone 10. The whole secret is in the seedbed — loose, stone-free soil worked 25–30 cm (10–12 inches) deep and kept consistently moist through the slow 10–21 day germination window. Sow 2–4 weeks before your last frost across the northern US and Canada, or as a fall-and-winter crop through the US South and Southwest, then sow a fresh succession every 3 weeks for a continuous supply.

Which carrot to grow comes down to your soil and your plans for the harvest. Sweet, nearly coreless Nantes is the fresh-eating favourite for loose, well-worked beds; broad-shouldered Chantenay muscles through heavy clay and stores for months; and a five-colour rainbow mix turns an ordinary row into orange, purple, yellow, red, and white roots that kids actually want to pull.

Read the how to grow carrots guide →