Even if you have a black thumb, you CAN grow carrots! In this post, we will teach you how to not kill carrots. Learn all about the basics that will help you become a successful carrot gardener, including which varieties are available, how to plant, harvest, and all you need to know about preservation and storage.

Let’s Talk About Carrots (and Some Other Random Garden Goodness)

Before I start talking about carrots, I want to take moment and reflect on this past week. I have two cucumber plants in my garden. I went out to water the other day and came in with 12 cucumbers. I was a little overwhelmed… what is a girl suppose to do with so many cucumbers?

I finally decided to send them to work with my hubby to hand out like candy, but as they sat on the counter, I was suddenly struck with the realization that I made food. Well, to be fair, Mother Nature did most of the work, but I planted the seed and took care of the those little plants and now I am feeding people. As in, full on giving people life sustaining nourishment from something that wouldn’t have existed without me.

Let’s just add that to my checklist of the many many reason why gardening is just so awesome. And I don’t think I have ever used the word awesome in a more appropriate sense of the word than this.

I’ve mentioned it before, but I often choose the blog post topics based off what I need to learn. There are plenty of things that I need to learn this week- such as am I following the right steps for growing eggplant? Is my rosemary suppose to flower like this, ‘cause it didn’t last year? And should my thyme really look like that?

Regardless of the dozens of gardening questions swirling around my head right now, I am focusing this week’s blog post on carrots. Why? Well, I took some pretty sweet pictures and am eager to post them!

But, seriously, who doesn’t love some carrots in their garden? They are relatively easy to grow, they take up little garden space, and kids and adults love them. Plus there are some really cool carrot varieties that you probably won’t be finding in the supermarket.

Choosing the Best Variety for Your Garden

There are five main categories of carrots: Nantes, Imperator, Danvers, Chantenay, and Mini.

Nantes carrot varieties are the easiest to grow and are super popular among home gardeners. They are about 6-7 inches long and come in a rainbow of colors. Well, maybe not the actual rainbow, but you can find them in purple, white, and shades of yellow and orange. If you have rocky soil, choose a variety from this category- they’ll do better.

Imperator carrot varieties that you are probably the most familiar with. They can grow to be about a foot long and because of this, they need about a foot of light, sandy, soil to grow in.

Danvers carrot varieties are similar to Imperator carrots in shape, but tend to be skinnier. They also grow better in poor soil.

Chantenay carrot varieties are short (about 6 inches) and stout with a larger crown than end.

Mini carrot varieties are just as their name implies- they are tiny. Some are radish shaped. Others known (and sold) as baby carrots. These carrots do well in rocky or heavy soil.

How to Successfully Grow Carrots (aka How Not to Kill Carrots)

Growing carrots is relatively easy and requires little room to get a good yield. What carrots don’t require in square foot real estate, they need in depth. For nice, straight carrots, dig down 12-18 inches and make sure that the soil is fine- no rocks, roots, soil clumps, etc to impeded a carrots growth. If you are growing a a garden box, you should be ok giving everything a good till with your shovel.

Carrots prefer cool weather, so they will do best with early spring planting or in a fall garden. You can plant carrots 2-3 weeks before the last frost and 10-12 weeks before the first frost. Plant 16 per square foot or 3-4 inches apart (with one foot between rows) in a traditional garden. Carrots can also be grown in containers.

I like to place my seeds on the top of the soil and then cover lightly with a fine soil or sand. Most people recommend planting seeds close together as carrots are not the most consistent germinators- but be sure the thin the seedlings once they start growing.

Plant in full sun, but they can handle a little bit of shade. And I never thought I would say this- but go easy on the fertilizer… too much will cause your carrots to grow legs!

How Do I Know When My Carrots Are Ready to Harvest?

Carrots can be pulled when they are finger sized, but you can let them get bigger as well. To check carrot size, brush a little bit of soil off of the top of the carrot to see how wide it is. When they are as big as you would like them to be, give ‘em a pull!

Carrot Preservation and Storage

Once you have pulled your carrot, be sure to trim the green leaves off of the carrot close to the top of the carrot with a pair of scissors. If you don’t, your carrots will quickly become rubbery. And, please, don’t ask me how I know… Be sure to keep your little orange (or yellow or purple) friends in the fridge.

In my opinion, carrots are best eaten fresh, but they can also be easily frozen. My dad and stepmom have a massive garden and they always freeze their carrots in perfectly portioned packs that can easily be used throughout the winter.

Freezing carrots is super easy. Remove the greens and wash the carrots. You can peel the carrots if you want, but you don’t need to. Cut the carrots in the size or shape that you want. Blanch the carrots for 3 minutes.

Not sure how to blanch? Prep your carrots, then add to boiling water for 3 minutes. Transfer the carrots to ice water as soon as the 3 minutes are up.

As soon as they are blanched, freeze in a food safe container.

Fast Carrots Facts

Crop Rotation Group: Root Plants

Planting Method: Direct Sow

Structural Support: None Needed

Number per Square Foot: 16

Days to Harvest: 50-75 days

Well, folks, that’s how you grow carrots. See, gardening doesn’t have to be scary. I would now like to take a minute to tell you all about the best place ever to get the support you need to win at gardening. And you don’t even need to leave your seat.

Just head over to Facebook (c’mon, you know you want to!) and search for Black Thumb Garden Club with Lauresa and Mariah. We have the best (and I mean, the best) group of fellow gardeners from all walks of life and all gardening abilities asking questions, offering free advice, and supporting each other. We want you! We need you! Come join us!