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CARROT

The carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) is a root vegetable, typically orange in color. At the same time, varieties are violet, purple, red, white, and yellow.

They are a domesticated version of Daucus carota, a wild carrot, native to Europe and Southwest Asia. The plant was possibly originating in Persia and was initially grown for leaves and seeds.

The taproot is the most widely-eaten part of the plant, although the stems and leaves are also eaten. For its increasingly enhanced, more palatable, less woody-textured taproot, the domestic carrot has been bred specifically.

How To Grow Carrots

Growing carrots, and any root vegetable, can be a bit of a risk as you can’t see how big they are before you pick them. Also, seasoned gardeners can run into can problems with long, sweet carrots. Quite sometimes, carrots will fail with roots that are bland, odd-shaped, pretty tough. But with the loose dirt, some cold weather, and lots of water, you can’t grow delicious, crunchy carrots.

Carrots are part of the family of Apiaceae or Umbelliferae, along with dill and fennel. You can see the similarities in the flowers and leaves. Carrots are renowned for their orange roots, but in fact, they come in many different colors.

The carrot leaves are dissected finely, with fern-like compound stems. The leaves are also edible, but they note they contain furocoumarins, which can induce allergic reactions to the skin. Flowers of carrot have five petals and sepals and are raised in compound umbels. Many roots are around one inch in diameter and about 12 inches in length ranging from one inch to across.

Start planting carrots two or three weeks before the last frost, as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring.
Carrots require soil, which is loose and well-drained. Rocks and clumps divide and distort the carrot roots. The best condition is to grow carrots in raised-beds of loose dirt.
Plant carrot seeds directly into the soil 2-4 weeks before the last frost date in the spring.
Moisten the soil to enable seeds to remain and not blow away. Before you sow your carrot seeds, you could also combine them with sand. Cover the seeds with 1/4 “of quality soil or compost, then gently water them.
Protect young seedlings by pulling weeds by hand. Both to avoid deformed roots and to prevent underground competition.
While the roots grow underground, the carrot tops need full sun to give the carrots enough shade to grow rapidly and produce their sugars.
The carrots must have plenty of room.
Water the carrots every week with a total of 1 inch of water. Mulching and using compost helps to retain water and to keep the soil cooler.
If the soil is not high in organic matter, additional feeding is needed around two weeks after the tops of the carrots emerge. Very balanced fertilizer for vegetables will provide incredible benefits to the carrots. Do not use excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizer as they are produced with their roots.
When it comes to harvesting the carrots depends on the variety you cultivate but the average is around 50 to 75 days from planting.
Carrot Tip: All through the season, you could progressively plant carrots every few weeks. You can get better luck growing carrots in colder climates in the fall, through the winter..

Carrot Nutrition Information

Chopped Raw Carrots, 1 cup (128 grams)

Name	Amount	Unit

Water

113

Protein

1.19

Total lipid (fat)

0.307

Carbohydrate

12.3

Fiber, total dietary

3.58

Sugars

6.07

Vitamin C

7.55

Choline

11.3

Name	Amount	Unit

Calcium, Ca

42.2

Magnesium, Mg

15.4

Phosphorus, P

44.8

Potassium, K

410

Sodium, Na

88.3

Energy (calories)

52.5

kcal

Carotene, beta

10600

µg

Zinc, Zn

0.307

Iron, Fe

0.384

source

Garden Vegetables & Fruits Plant Preferences Profile

Specific Plant Growing Requirements and Information

Common Name

Carrot

Plant Type

Biennial Plant

Sun Exposure

Carrots grow best in full sun but tolerate some shade

Time Till Harvest

Carrots are grown from seed and can take up to four months (120 days) to mature, but most hybrids mature within 70 to 80 days under the right conditions

Scientific Name

Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Full Grown Size

Height – 12 inches, Width – 8-10 inches, Root Depth 6-8 inches

Soil Type

Ideal soil is deep, loose and well-drained, sandy or loamy, with a pH of 6.3 to 6.8

Hardiness Zones

3- 8b

Carrot Detailed Growing Information

Carrots Seeds

Carrots are planted directly in the garden, rather than transplanted and damaging the roots. Carrot seeds can germinate up to 15 days. Maintain the moist soil until the seedlings emerge.

You could plant the carrot seeds with radish seeds, which should sprout first and loosen the soil to keep the soil from crusting over and making it impossible for the seeds to sprout.

Carrot seeds are small, making even planting difficult. Only position them about a fifth of an inch deep. Seed spacing about one inch apart is ideal, but unrealistic. You may end up doing some thinning. Thin all plants within 1.5-inch of each other, until the seedlings exceed 1 to 2 inches in height. The easiest way to avoid destroying the existing roots is to snip or pick the seedlings off at the soil level.

You can use the little carrots in pasta dishes or salads if you decide to thin them again later. Your carrots will be far enough apart after you’ve done thinning that they won’t touch shoulders until mature.

Ideal Soil for Carrots

The perfect soil is rich, soft, well drained, sandy or loamy, with a pH between 6.3 and 6.8.

How to Water Carrots

Freshwater is applied to keep the soil moist as necessary. The plant is gradually thinned to a spacing of 3 to 4 in (8 to 10 cm) after sprouting and weeded to avoid competition under the ground.

How to Feed and Fertilizer Carrots

Since the crop needs low amounts of nitrogen, moderate phosphate, and heavy potash, fertilizer should be applied according to soil condition. Poor or rocky soils should be avoided, as this can make the roots furry and disfigured

Companion Planting For Carrots

Carrots flourish from intensely fragrant companion plants. The pungent smell of onions, leeks, and chives tends to repel the carrot root fly.

Other vegetables that fit well with carrots include cabbage, tomatoes, and radishes, as well as rosemary and sage herbs.

Throughout the company of caraway, coriander, chamomile, marigold, and daisy on the Swan River, carrots will thrive.

These can also be suitable partners for many plants if allowed to bloom. The carrot, like any umbellifer, may draw parasitic wasps, which will kill several pests in the garden and backyard.

How to Harvest Carrots

Once you see their shoulders popping out of the ground and their color appears bright, you should start pulling your carrots up. It would also serve to thin out the carrots and while growing the remaining carrots. Colder weather intensifies the taste of carrots, but wait before the ground begins freezing until you harvest the rest of the carrots.

How to Store Carrots Long-Term

Carrots may be kept in the refrigerator for many months, or in a moist, cold environment in the winter. Unwashed carrots can be stored in a bucket between layers of sand, a 50/50 mixture of shavings of wood and sand, or in the soil for long-term storage. Good temperature range is 32 to 40 ° F (0 to 5 ° C)

Print Recipe

World's Best Carrot Cake

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Best Carrot Cake Ever, Carrot Cake

Servings: 8 People

Author: Betty

Ingredients

1 c Butter
2 c Sugar
3 Eggs
2 t Vanilla
2 c Flour sifted
1 t Salt
2 t Cinnamon
2 t Soda
2 t Nutmeg
1/4 t Cardamom
1 c Walnuts chopped finely
1/2 c Raisins
1/2 c Pineapple crushed and, well-drained
2 c Carrots shredded and packed

Instructions

Cream butter until soft.
Gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy, at least ten minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time until thoroughly blended.
Add vanilla.
In a separate bowl sift flour, salt, cinnamon, soda, nutmeg, and cardamom together several times and set aside.
Add walnuts, pineapple, raisins, and carrots to egg-sugar mixture.
Stir in flour mixture and mix well.
Pour into greased and floured pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour.
Cool completely.
Apply frosting.

Notes

World's Best Carrot Cake Frosting

3 oz Cream cheese
1/2 c Butter
1 1/4 c Powdered sugar
1/4 c Walnuts, chopped
3 T Pineapple (crushed), chopped and well-drained
1/8 t Cardamom

Mix cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until fluffy.
Add pineapple, walnuts, and cardamom.
Blend well and frost the carrot cake.

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