Carrots, Taproot – Spring Harvest

 

Plant carrots and other taproots in fall to aerate soil over winter. The main reason for aerating is to alleviate soil compaction.

The four general types of carrots are:

• Chantenay carrots–shorter, broad with a blunt, rounded tip.
• Danvers carrots– longer with a conical shape, tapering to a point.
• Imperator carrots– high sugar content, long and slender roots, tapering to a pointed tip.
• Nantes carrots– sparse foliage, cylindrical, short with a blunt tip, brittle, high in sugar.

Carrots are grown from seed and can take up to four months (120 days) to mature, in full sun or some shade, 60 to 70 °F, in soil high in potash. Rich or rocky soils should be avoided, to prevent the roots becoming hairy and/or mis-shaped.