Crop guide
Growing carrots
Growing carrots means matching type, timing, and spacing on the cited sheets and recording the bed. There is no single national planting date.
Growing guidance is general information. Timing, spacing, and care depend on cultivar, weather, soil, and local conditions. Check the sources and adjust the plan for your garden.
Steps (range, not a promise)
- 01Know the type on the cited sheet. Size notes stay source-specific.
- 02Direct seed on the cited sheet’s timing. Regional dates stay on their own cards.
- 03Use in-row and between-row spacing from one cited source. Thin on that sheet’s cue.
- 04Log the bed so next season is not a guess.
Illustrative photograph — types, timing, and spacing stay on the cited sheets.
The season, on your ground
Save this bed — freeWhen to plantCareWhen to harvestGarden pests
What the sources say — at a glance
One source per card. Facts are not averaged.
Clemson HGIC 1305 (South Carolina)
Cool-season 60–65 °F. Germ 55–75 °F; none above 95 °F. Rows 12–18 in; seed ¼ in apart. Thin to 2–3 in at 1–2 in tall.
Details and limits (3)
Types
Clemson HGIC 1305 (South Carolina): carrots (Daucus carota) are cool-season plants that grow best at average temperatures between 60 and 65 °F. The optimum soil temperature for seed germination is 55 to 75 °F. Seeds will not germinate above 95 °F. Type and temperature notes on their sheet — not a cultivar mill.
Spacing
Clemson HGIC 1305 (South Carolina): plant carrots in rows 12 to 18 inches apart with a quarter-inch between the seeds. Thin the carrots to 2 to 3 inches between plants when they are 1 to 2 inches tall. Spacing on their sheet — not a BioArva average.
Limit
South Carolina HGIC 1305. Temperatures and spacing stay on this sheet. Not fertilizer and not a cultivar mill.
Maryland Extension (Maryland)
Five types: Chantenay, Imperator, Danvers, Nantes, miniature/Oxheart. Semi-hardy. Soil ≥45 °F. Spring and fall. Cover ¼–½ in; thin 1–2 in.
Details and limits (4)
Types
Maryland Extension (Maryland): five main types — Chantenay, Imperator, Danvers, Nantes, and miniature or Oxheart. Type notes on their sheet — not a cultivar mill.
Timing
Maryland Extension (Maryland): semi-hardy. Direct seed when the soil temperature has reached at least 45 °F. Best planted in the spring and fall. For a fall crop, plant 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost. Days to maturity 65 to 75 from seed. Maryland’s attributed hardiness wording — not a planting-safety promise. Timing on their sheet — not a national plant date.
Spacing
Maryland Extension (Maryland): cover seed with ¼ to ½ inch of soil. For the most efficient use of garden space, plant in wide rows and thin to 1 to 2 inches apart. Spacing on their sheet — not a BioArva average.
Limit
Maryland carrot garden page. Types, timing, and spacing stay on this sheet. Not fertilizer.
UMN Extension (Minnesota)
Direct seed only; never pots. Minnesota from April 15. Germ up to 3 weeks. Thin at 3–4 in tall to 2–4 in apart.
Details and limits (3)
Timing
UMN Extension (Minnesota): always plant seeds directly into the garden. Never start them in pots. In Minnesota, start planting carrots beginning April 15. The seeds may take as long as three weeks to germinate. Minnesota timing — not a national plant date.
Spacing
UMN Extension (Minnesota): when the largest seedlings are three to four inches tall, thin so the remaining plants are about two to four inches apart. Leave wider spacing for varieties that will be larger at maturity. Spacing on their sheet — not a BioArva average.
Limit
Minnesota carrot sheet. April 15 and thinning stay Minnesota-specific. Not fertilizer.
Illinois Extension (Illinois)
Hardy cool-season biennial. As soon as soil can be worked; sandy earlier. Early ¼–½ in, ≤2–3 seeds/in. Later ½–¾ in. Rows 12–18 in.
Details and limits (3)
Timing
Illinois Extension (Illinois): carrot is a hardy, cool-season biennial grown for the thickened root in its first season. Usually planted with other frost-tolerant vegetables as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. They may be planted earlier in gardens with sandy soil. Illinois timing — not a national plant date.
Spacing
Illinois Extension (Illinois): plant seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep (no more than two or three seeds per inch) in early spring. Later sowings 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep when the soil is dryer and warmer. Space rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Spacing on their sheet — not a BioArva average.
Limit
Illinois carrot page. Worked-soil timing and depth stay Illinois. Not fertilizer.
Make it yours
Save the bed in the Field Book so next season is not a guess.
Sources differ
When do you plant carrots?
Compare timing on the cited sheets. Maryland: soil at least 45 °F; spring and fall; fall 10 to 12 weeks before first frost. Minnesota: beginning April 15 on that sheet. Illinois: as soon as the soil can be worked; sandy earlier. Clemson lists germ 55 to 75 °F. Not a national plant date.
How far apart do you plant carrots?
The sheets do not agree on one grid. Clemson: rows 12 to 18 inches; seed a quarter-inch apart; thin to 2 to 3 inches. Maryland: wide rows; thin to 1 to 2 inches. Minnesota: thin to 2 to 4 inches. Illinois: rows 12 to 18 inches; no more than two or three seeds per inch.
What to record in the Field Book
Save the bed with the crop and the date. You may add a photo and notes. Compare entries you have recorded with each other — not with a diagnosis from this page. If you want an identification, bring the record to local Extension.
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When a partner is listed, it will be outbound and disclosed. Nothing to buy here. Fertilizer, soils, and pesticides stay off this slot.
How we know — methodology. Ranges and assertions are cited per source, not blended.