How to Grow Carrots

By Barbara Melera

The carrot is the fourth-most-popular vegetable in the world. Only the potato, wheat, and rice enjoy greater popularity. Carrots are such an important part of the American diet and yet we hardly realize this. They are an essential ingredient in many soups and stews, most gravies, a host of salads, and various side dishes. The vegetable probably originated in the area now occupied by Iran and Afghanistan, but quickly spread to southern Europe.

In the wild, carrots come in many colors, including white, yellow, red, and maroon. Carrots—like their cousins parsley, cumin, chervil, dill, caraway, coriander, fennel, anise, parsnip, and celery—were originally grown for their leaves and seeds which were used as flavorings. With cultivation, the roots grew larger, sweeter and less woody and eventually the root became more popular for culinary purposes than the leaves or seeds.

Cultivated carrots originated in the Afghanistan region and were yellow and purple. From this center of domestication, carrots were grown as a root crop to the east and west of this region, with the incorporation of several characteristics contrasting those two geographic areas. The Eastern carrot spread to central and north Asia and then to Japan. Red carrots are typical of India and also were introduced into Japan. In contrast, Western carrot types were characterized initially by yellow and later by orange root color. This carrot type spread to the

West and now dominates in Europe and America.

The first orange carrot was introduced in the Netherlands in the 1600s, but it was the French who fell in love with the idea of orange carrots. Some say the French fascination with orange carrots was somehow related to the House of Orange, a princely dynasty that derived its name from the medieval principality of Orange in old Provence in southern France. The dynasty was important to The Netherlands because it is that nation’s royal family. Whatever the reason, the famous French seedhouse, Vilmorin-Andrieux, dedicated massive resources during the mid-1800s to developing the sweetest orange carrots on the face of the Earth. Most of the orange carrot varieties that we have today are a result of the Vilmorin breeding programs.

Great Carrots to Grow

The following is a list of the best heirloom carrot cultivars available today.

• Heirloom Carrot ‘Nantes’

The ‘Nantes’ carrot, developed at Vilmorin-Andrieux, was named for the town of Nantes in Brittany. It was developed in the late 1800s and brought to the United States around 1900. Its nearly cylindrical shape, blunt tip, incredible sweetness, lack of a woody core, and beautiful orange color have made this one of the most popular carrots of all time.

The 7 to 8-inch roots store very well and seem to become sweeter with storage. Its sweet flavor and fine-grained flesh make it an excellent choice for juicing. ‘Nantes’ is perhaps the best carrot for containers. From seed to harvest takes approximately 65 days.

• True American Heirloom Carrot

‘Danvers Half Long’

‘Danvers Half Long’ was introduced in 1871. Unlike most of the carrots we have today that can trace their origins to France, the ‘Danvers Half Long’ is a true American heirloom, developed near Danvers, Massachusetts.

This carrot has it all. It grows well in many soil types, is an excellent storer, has very little core, and is generally quite sweet. The 6 to 8-inch, pointed roots take approximately 75 days from seed to full maturity.

• Heirloom Carrot ‘Chantenay’

Chantenay was one of VilmorinAndrieux’s first carrot introductions and was first released to the public in the 1830s and brought to America in the late 1800s. The 7-8 inch long roots make it the largest of the carrots discussed in this article. Like Danvers, the roots taper to a point, which allows them to grow well in heavier soils.

Like ‘Nantes’, this carrot becomes sweeter in storage. The time to maturity is 60–75 days, depending on the climate.

• Heirloom Carrot ‘Thumbelina’

‘Thumbelina’ is a popular, small, round carrot that was developed from a 19thcentury French carrot. The 2-inch round or turnip-shaped roots possess good flavor and are well suited for heavier soils.

‘Thumbelina’ carrots are an excellent choice for children to grow. Their short, round roots make them easy to harvest. From seeding to maturity takes approximately 60 days.

• Purple Carrot ‘Cosmic Purple’

‘Cosmic Purple’ is a striking purple carrot with an orange center. Cosmic’s 5 to 7-inch pointed roots are tender and sweet. From seeding to harvest is approximately 70 days. Flavor becomes sweeter in storage.

‘Cosmic Purple’ carrots were developed by geneticist Dr. Philipp Simon at the USDA Agricultural Research Station in Madison, Wisconsin, and introduced in 2005. Purple carrots are native to Central Asia and have been present since ancient times, but many original varieties had unpalatable flavors.

Purple carrots are among the oldest of carrots. Purple carrots range in color from dark violet to reddish purple, with an orange or yellow core. They can often have a peppery flavor. Some varieties contain 20% less sugar than traditional orange carrots and are therefore ideal for those who need to follow a diet low in sugar.

Purple (or almost black) carrots grow mostly in southern Europe and Asia. Their characteristic purple or black color comes from pigments called anthocyanins. These pigments exhibit a reversible change in molecular structure as the pH of solutions change from acidic to basic. This change in structure is characterized by a shift in hue from red to purple to blue.

Many of the pigments in carrots serve to shield plant cells during photosynthesis. Purple carrots possess an entirely different class of pigments from the other carrot colors (anthocyanins) that act as powerful antioxidants. Red carrots derive their color mainly from lycopene, a type of carotene believed to guard against heart disease and some cancers. Yellow carrots accumulate xanthophylls, pigments similar to betacarotene that support good eye health.

Carrot Growing Tips

Carrots can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked. Adding lime to the soil before planting will further sweeten the carrots.

Benjamin Watson in his book, Taylor’s Guide to Heirloom Vegetables, recommends presoaking the seeds the night before planting to hasten germination. Watson also recommends mixing carrot and radish seeds when planting. The radishes will be up and harvested long before the carrots begin to mature, and this helps with thinning.

Carrots should be thinned twice.

First, when the green tops are about 1 inch high, thin the seedlings to a 1inch separation. Use the thinnings for a salad condiment. Second, when the green tops are about 3-inches tall, thin the plants to a 3 inch separation. Use the thinnings as baby carrots. Leave the carrots in the ground until you need them. Carrots can tolerate frost very well, but you do need to get them out of the ground before the soil freezes solid.

Carrots in Containers

Carrots are among the easiest of plants to grow in a container. Your container must be deep enough to allow the carrot roots to fully develop with little misshapening. A container that is 10–12 inches deep is ideal. Start with a good soil mix and add lime to the pots before planting: 1 to 2 cups per size of container. The lime will make the carrots sweeter.

The absolutely best soil mix for containers is 60% crummy (poor quality) backyard soil, 20% peat moss, and 20% dehydrated cow manure or, even better, compost. If you prefer not to use backyard soil, then purchase topsoil (not potting soil, special soil mixes, premium soil). Mix the ingredients together and pour into a pot.

In addition to, presoaking the seed the night before planting may hasten germination. Mixing carrot and radish seed when planting is also recommended.

Sprinkle seeds around the surface of the soil in the container and cover with 1 inch of soil. Pat the soil down firmly. Water generously and keep the soil moist until the sprouts emerge.

In containers, carrots should be thinned twice, just like carrots planted directly in the soil.

Make sure the containers are in full sun and water frequently as soon as the soil surface is dry. You do not need to fertilize because there should be plenty of organic matter in your soil (peat moss and compost/manure).

Frankly, I am surprised that such an important asset of our diet has attracted so little attention. Carrots are an essential part of our diet or should be. They are good for our eyes, our blood pressure, our diabetes, etc. They are also easy to grow and can flourish in containers.

Most of the time, we describe how wonderful it is to consume a vegetable fresh from the garden, but in the case of carrots, we have to reverse this statement. Most carrots actually become sweeter and more flavorful when held in storage for a few weeks or months.

This growing season, if you don’t already grow carrots, try growing some. Like learning about potatoes, learning to grow carrots is an essential part of our horticultural knowledge. o

Barbara Melera is president of Harvesting History (www.harvesting-history.com), a company that sells horticultural and agricultural products, largely of the heirloom variety, along with garden tools and equipment.