How To Grow Carrots Zone 6 : Carrots

Growing Carrots Year-Round: A Strategy for Success

Growing carrots successfully can be a challenge, but they offer sweet rewards for a job well done.Since this activity will not damage the carrot crop, I prefer to let the caterpillars do their thing and be rewarded with lots of visiting butterflies!Because carrots like deep, loose soil a raised bed or planter can work well.This means that you will have to run your own experiments to see which carrot varieties work best for your climate and soil type.Carrots need warm temperatures in order for the seeds to germinate—around 70 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.However, carrots need cool temperatures for developing sweet, fat roots—around 40 degrees F.To follow this method, you’ll need at lease 4-5 rows of dedicated gardening space.Note: The window for sowing seeds in your garden will vary depending on your growing zone.To get an idea of your unique sowing and growing window, get my downloadable Seedstarting & Planting Worksheet as a free bonus when you purchase my book, The Suburban Micro-Farm: Modern Solutions for Busy People.When I sow my first carrot seeds of the year in March, I know that I have 3-4 months before I will get my first harvest.Remember that carrots are slow to germinate and get growing in the cold spring soil.This means that my first harvest of homegrown carrots won’t be until June orJuly.You can help your carrots along by using row cover or a cold frame to keep the germinating seedlings warm (and growing faster) in those cool months.If you use a season extension method like row cover or a cold frame, be sure to open it on days when the interior temperature is above 70 degrees.Harvest half of the carrots, and mulch the rest well to help insulate them over the winter.This will reduce the chance of the soil freezing solid, so you can continue harvesting right through winter.As an example, here in USDA hardiness zone 6a, I can harvest at least until January using these techniques, and sometimes throughout the entire winter and early spring if it’s mild enough. .

How to Grow and Care for Carrots

Common Name Carrot Botanical Name Daucus carota Family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae Plant Type Vegetable Size 6 to 12 inch root, 1 foot foliage height; 9 inch spread Sun Exposure Full sun to part shade Soil Type Loose, well-draining soil Soil pH Slightly acidic (6.0–6.8) Bloom Time Spring (second growing season) Hardiness Zones 3–10 (biennial grown as an annual) Native Area Europe, Southwestern Asia.Growing carrots in raised beds with fluffy soil is the ideal situation.Correctly spacing carrots is the key to harvesting a healthy crop, but it's not always easy and requires plenty of thinning.Snipping or pinching the seedlings off at the soil line is the best way to avoid hurting the nearby roots.If your soil is not rich in organic matter, supplemental feeding will be necessary about two weeks after the carrot tops emerge.Because they are grown for their roots, don't go overboard with nitrogen fertilizer, which mostly aids foliage growth.Growing carrots (Daucus carota)—or any root vegetable, for that matter—can be a bit of a gamble because you can't see how well they're doing until you harvest.Test to see if the tops of your carrot plants have filled out to the expected diameter by feeling just below the soil line.To be on the safe side, it is wise to loosen the soil slightly before harvesting, making sure not to stab the carrots in the process.They will fork and deform if they meet with the slightest resistance, such as a rock or hard soil in the garden.The shorter finger-types or small round carrots, like 'Paris Market', or other types with roots that grow and mature to two to three inches long, are ideal for containers.To prevent deformed roots, keep the area free of weeds as the carrots are growing.Carrots can be planted from nursery-grown seedlings, but the more common method is to sow seeds directly into the garden as soon as the soil is workable in the spring.Till the soil at least a foot deep to make sure it is light and loose and can drain extremely well.Create shallow furrows in the soil (the long handle of a garden tool will do the job), 1/4 inch deep and one foot apart if you are sowing more than one row of carrots.Keep furrows moist and don't let the soil dry out because it will form a hard crust that is difficult for tiny seedlings to break through.Use tiny snips for this task so you don't pull up nearby developing carrot roots.You might even consider installing a fabric row cover if you live in a very cold climate.The carrot tops will die but the roots will continue gathering their sugar to survive the cold weather.You can foil some pests by rotating where you plant each year, but the easiest method is to grow your carrots under row covers (garden fabric).Nematodes, microscopic worms, can become a problem later in the season, causing badly deformed roots.Even if they don't notice the roots growing below the soil surface, there are plenty of animals that will want to eat the tops of your carrots and a few that will dig deeper.Clean up all debris at the end of the season and move your carrots to a different section of the garden next year because the microorganisms can persist in the soil. .

How To Grow Carrots

Some catalogs don’t describe how to plant carrots by type, but will point out which cultivars do better in heavy or poor soil.They will take 1 to 3 weeks to sprout (they germinate more slowly in cold soil than in warm), so you can always mix in a few quick-growing radish seeds to mark the rows.Cover with ¼ to ½ inch of screened compost, potting mix, or sand—a little more in warm, dry areas—to make it easier for the delicate seedlings to emerge.Water gently to avoid washing seeds away; keep the soil continuously moist for best germination.As the seedlings develop, gradually apply mulch to maintain an even moisture level and reduce weed problems.However, if the soil dries out completely between waterings, gradually remoisten the bed over a period of days; a sudden drenching may cause the roots to split.Carrots’ feeder roots are easily damaged, so hand pull any weeds that push through the mulch, or cut them off just below the soil surface.Parsleyworms are green caterpillars with black stripes, white or yellow dots, and little orange horns.Instead, transfer them to carrot-family weeds such as Queen Anne’s lace, and watch for chrysalises to form, and later, beautiful butterflies!Nematodes, microscopic wormlike animals, make little knots along roots that result in stunted carrots.Dig your winter storage crop before the first frost on a day when the soil is moist but the air is dry.To save harvested carrots for winter use, prepare them by twisting off the tops and removing excess soil, but don’t wash them.Or store your fall carrot crop right in the garden by mulching the bed with several inches of dry leaves or straw.This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. .

How to Grow Carrots – Mother Earth News

Sweet, delicate carrots that can’t be found in supermarkets are among a home gardener’s greatest culinary rewards.Find out how to grow several varieties such as nantes, chantenay, imperator, miniature and danvers in your garden at home.To reduce surface evaporation during the germination period, cover newly seeded soil with boards or old blankets for five to six days.To reduce surface evaporation during the germination period, cover newly seeded soil with boards or old blankets for five to six days.Reduce weed competition by sowing carrot seeds in shallow furrows filled with weed-free potting soil.Among fertilizers, carrots favor compost or vermicompost worked into the soil prior to planting; they respond to abundant phosphorous and potassium more than to high nitrogen levels.Among fertilizers, carrots favor compost or vermicompost worked into the soil prior to planting; they respond to abundant phosphorous and potassium more than to high nitrogen levels.Thinning the blossoms helps the plants channel energy to the biggest seed-bearing umbels (flower clusters springing from the same point).Thinning the blossoms helps the plants channel energy to the biggest seed-bearing umbels (flower clusters springing from the same point).To eat carrots year round, grow fast-maturing varieties in spring, and make summer sowings for a season-stretching fall crop.To eat carrots year round, grow fast-maturing varieties in spring, and make summer sowings for a season-stretching fall crop.Instead, grow carrots in compost-enriched soil far from grapes and nut or fruit trees, which often host the parasitic bacteria.Hairy or misshapen roots can be caused by excessive nitrogen or aster yellows disease.They have straight, cylindrical roots 5 to 7 inches long; sweet flavor and crisp texture; limited storage potential.Grow in loose, sandy soil or in raised beds enriched with plenty of organic matter, but no fresh manure.Conical roots with broad shoulders and rounded tips; rich, sweet flavor and good storage potential.Round, cylindrical or tapered shallow roots less than 5 inches long; crisp texture and frequently quite sweet when mature; limited storage potential.Long, tapered roots with stocky shoulders and strong tops; slightly fibrous texture.Thick-rooted cylindrical shape, often with yellowish core; widely used in processing, good for juicing and sturdy roots store well, too.Pull or dig spring-sown carrots when roots reach mature size and show rich color.Remove tops to prevent moisture loss, rinse clean, and store in a refrigerator or cold root cellar.Grate raw carrots into muffins, cakes or pancakes to provide moisture and extra vitamin A.Contributing editor Barbara Pleasant gardens in southwest Virginia, where she grows vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and a few lucky chickens. .

13 of the Best Carrot Varieties to Grow at Home

To make the most of its unique hue, eating it raw is recommended because the color fades slightly when cooked.This type was a winner of the All-America Selections award for carrots in 1933, and it remains a favorite to this day.The ‘Imperator 58’ is large and very flavorful, maxing out at around 9 inches, and it is much like the common type that you will find in the store.I warned you that I was a sucker for rainbow veggies, and so of course I am a huge fan of this seed blend.With names like ‘Atomic Red,’ ‘Bambino,’ ‘Cosmic Purple,’ ‘Solar Yellow,’ and ‘Lunar White,’ you know this seed mix is going to be good.‘Little Fingers’ matures earlier than most others, and from sprout to harvest, your roots should be ready to enjoy in only 55 days.This mini root may look small, but it is packed full of sweetness and comes with the added bonus that it can be planted very densely and still produce a large harvest.This veggie thrives with full sun in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9, and does best in sandy, well-drained soil.You can find this variety at True Leaf Market in several package sizes up through 5 pounds.The best thing about this carrot, aside from its unique shape, tender texture, and sweet taste, is that it matures earlier than most other types, ready to harvest in around 60 days.A deep, rich purple color with a sunshine orange center, this root vegetable is an absolute treat for the eyes and the taste buds.Another ‘Imperator’ type cultivar, this homegrown wonder would provide an ideal talking point at a dinner party, or just something to brighten up your plate.‘Purple Dragon’ requires 65-70 days to harvest, with short tops reaching heights of 4-8 inches, and 6-inch roots.A beautiful, rich red color, these long, tapered carrots are deliciously sweet.‘Red’ roots will reach up to 6 inches in length, within 65-80 days after the sprouts start to emerge.If stored correctly, carrot seeds may remain viable for up to four years, so purchase a big package to plan in advance for future harvests or share with the neighbors.This rich, sweet little root is easy to grow, and packed full of vitamins.‘Short ‘n Sweet’ is a ‘Chanetay’ type that produces compact 4-inch roots with about 68 days to harvest.Narrow, pale yellow roots max out at about 7 inches in length, and are ready to harvest as soon as 60 days after they germinate.Someone was lacking some imagination when they named this variety, so it may not come as a surprise to you that this heirloom dating back to the 1930s is both tender and sweet.Another All-America Selections winner that received the honor in 1992, this crunchy heirloom delight doesn’t need peeling – it’s ready to go straight away.This heirloom variety is a ‘Nantes’-type carrot that’s sweet and tender, and quick to mature. .

When to Plant Vegetables in Zone 6

After many years of tweaking planting times and dates, I made a chart of when to sow seeds indoors, transplant and direct sow vegetables into the garden for USDA Planting Zone 6.The organized, dates, numbers, and planning side of gardening isn’t my strong suit.But with so many requests from you all on when exactly to plant for a zone 6 garden, I finally buckled down and got it done.I am in the southeast and have to think about how to combat plant problems like disease and pests naturally.In order to reduce diseases, I plant tomatoes, peppers, corn, squash, and melons at least two weeks past my last frost date, sometimes later.I have plenty of time to wait a few weeks to plant where I live but you may not and will need to start closer to your average last frost date.If you plant under a low tunnel or in a greenhouse you can avoid some of mother nature’s surprises.You can also start plants outdoors with soil blocks or in trays in a greenhouse.Transplant= The day when you will move your soil blocks from indoors to outdoors to plant.Harvest= Harvest time is incredibly variable based on what varieties you grow. .