When Is It Best to Harvest Carrots?

The greenest and darkest tops indicate the biggest carrots.

Carrots mature and are ready for harvest approximately two months after planting. Some gardeners prefer to pull carrots earlier to obtain tiny, tender vegetables. A small crown or head appears at the soil line as the carrot matures. Harvest only the amount of carrots you will use. The rest can remain in the ground for some time. If covered with heavy organic mulch, carrots can be harvested in winter.

Plant Early

Plant carrots in rows for easy weeding.

Plant carrots as early in the spring as the ground can be worked. For a continual supply of fresh and tasty carrots all summer long, plant in rows, seeding a new row every two weeks. Carrot seeds are extremely tiny; close to 2,000 seeds can fit in a teaspoon. Carrots prefer a sunny location with crumbly, nutrient-rich soil that has a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Before planting, amend the soil with a heavy application of well-aged herbivore manure, such as that from a cow, sheep, lama, goat or horse.

Water Generously

Carrots grow best in well-drained moist soil, although they can survive in soggy soil or standing water. Like most vegetables, carrots require about 1 inch of water a week. Keep carrots weed free through light cultivation or mulching. Harvest carrots when the crowns are formed above the soil and foliage is deep green. Most carrots are pulled when the crown is about 3/4 inch wide. Carrots left in the soil continue to grow.

Varieties

Long carrots are the easiest to peel.

There are dozens of varieties of carrots. Seeds may be purchased online, from mail-order catalogs or at home and garden supply stores. Carrots are divided by length: long, medium and short. The shorter varieties grow best in tight clay soils. Short or "golf ball" carrots such as the Thumbelina can be planted in containers. The longest carrot varieties flourish in loamy, well-drained soils. Fast-maturing varieties such as Amsterdam or Nantes are ready for harvest six weeks after planting. The Juwarot variety of carrot contains almost twice the carotene of any other carrot.

Color

Temperatures below 60 and above 70 degrees Fahrenheit affect the optimum color of carrots. Too much water reduces carrot color. Carrots harvested in late spring and early summer have a more attractive color than those harvested in the autumn or winter. Carrots are used in snacks, soups, stews and salads. The World Carrot Museum reports that the average person eats 13 pounds of carrots a year.

References

• World Carrot Museum: Cultivation of the Carrot
• International Seed Saving Institute: Seed Saving Instructions for Beginners
• University of Minnesota Extension; Growing Carrots and Other Root Vegetables in the Home Garden; Vincent A. Fritz; 2011

Resources

• Veggie Harvest: Carrot Growing and Harvest Information