Romance (F1) Carrot Seed

Scientific name

Daucus carota var. sativus

Soil

Carrots need well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0–6.8. The straightest, smoothest roots come from deep, loose, fertile sandy loams or peat soils that still hold moisture well.

Days to maturity

Counted from direct sowing.

Direct seeding

Sow from early spring to midsummer, 1/4–1/2" deep, with seeds 3/4–1" apart in a 2"-wide band (about 30 seeds per foot) or in single rows 16–24" apart. Raised beds 5–6' on center with 2–3 rows 16–24" apart keep soil compaction to a minimum. Sprinkle the surface to keep it moist and never let a crust form before the seedlings are up, which takes 1–3 weeks depending on temperature and moisture. Thin to 3/4–2" apart if needed, depending on the root size you want. Control weeds early with a tine weeder and shallow hoeing, and cover exposed shoulders with soil to stop them turning green.

Seeding rate

At 30 seeds per foot in rows 24" apart: about 1,000 seeds per 33', 5,000 per 166', 25,000 per 830' and 720,000 per acre.

Insect pests

For carrot rust fly and wireworms, grow in fertile ground, avoid fields that were recently in sod where possible, and keep adult flies off with floating row cover.

Disease

Leaf blights cut both yield and quality. Alternaria blight starts on the oldest leaves as brown-black spots with yellow edges along the leaf margins, and leaflets can shrivel. Cercospora blight starts as small dark spots with yellow margins on younger leaves and stems. Rotate on a 3-year cycle; copper fungicides can be used to prevent or control blights.

Harvest

Dig whenever the roots reach the size you want. Quality usually holds for about 3 weeks (longer in cool fall weather); after that roots may crack or lose flavor and looks. Sowing every 3 weeks keeps a supply of tender carrots coming.

Storage

For winter storage, sow about 100 days before your expected fall frost. Store at 32°F (0°C) and 98% relative humidity.

Carrot types

Amsterdam: small to medium, cylindrical, quick to mature. Nantes: medium length and cylindrical. Imperator (shipping) types: long and tough enough for packing, best in deeply worked soil. Chantenay: broad-shouldered and tapering, good for shallow or heavy soil. Kuroda: thick, tapered roots that can be deeper in color, suited to subtropical winter crops (California, Texas, Florida) or to temperate summer crops where winters drop below 45–50°F (7–13°C). Each variety's type is given in its description.

Sized seed

Sized seed has been graded to a uniform size, which gives more accurate spacing in mechanical seeders and more even emergence. Carrot seed is sized unless the description says otherwise.

Packet

750 seeds.

Seeds per lb.

About 204,000 on average.