Planting carrot in a short growing season is possible, even better when early frost is coming before harvest time.
It is the time of the year again, harvest the last batch of carrots. I garden in zone 4A. So that is the last frost around May 23rd, and the first frost is around September 12.
Some years, the first frost came early, some years came a little later. This year has been a great summer, lots of sunshine, and not much snow in around the first frost.
Best Time To Harvest Carrots
Depending on what variety you grow, the carrot will be ready when the root resembles a baby carrot. From this point, you can harvest carrots anytime.
If you want to have a full size of carrots also depending on the variety you grow, you can wait until the first frost comes. The snow and light frost make carrots sweeter and crispier.
Because of carrots tolerate light frost, I usually harvest the last batch of carrot in November. Once I dig them up, then I will start the storage process.
Related: 10 Best Tips For Growing Carrots
Leave these carrots in the ground until frost, you will know the reason when you dig them up. #gardeningtips #growingcarrots Click To TweetHow To Store Unwashed Carrots
If you like to keep the fresh dug carrot in storage, I recommend to shake off the dirt first and let it dry up. Cut off the green to make the carrot crisp last longer. Keep the unwashed carrot in the cellar or any cold place. If there is no cellar, then you can put the carrots covered with sand on the bucket or box. I usually keep it in the cold part of the basement.
How To Store Washed Carrots
I got a lot of carrot from my 3 ft by 4 ft garden box. Most of the times, I just washed them up, and share it with family members and friends. Before I wash them up, cut the green top off first, wash let it dry on a kitchen towel, then put on the ziplock bag to keep the moisture on carrots.
Put the bag of carrots in the coldest part of the fridge. I always keep them on the vegetable drawers. These washed carrots usually last until the next three months.
Companion Planting for Carrots
Planting carrot is simple, as long as the ground is workable with plenty of compost or manure and keep the soil moist. It can grow on plant pot too if there isn’t enough space for a garden.
Carrot is one of the best vegetables for interplanting with other plants. Carrots grow well for companion planting with tomatoes. Plant carrots with onion family to prevent carrot flies infestation.
More gardening tips for your vegetable garden
With the number of crops we got from our raised garden box, gardening in short growing season is possible. That’s why I love free food.
Loved your post
Thank you 😊
ICK! I will eat just about anything; but I HATE carrots! My great niece can not grow enough of them, probably because she knows how much I hate them. She is taking over my mother’s garden (her great grandmother’s garden) just like I did when I was that age. (I planted nasturtiums everywhere, probably because my Pa considers them to be weeds.)
Luckily, my little one love carrots, she actually will just eat carrots from garden, same with strawberries, but I still think I got too much carrot this season 😊, and I had never get any luck planting nasturtium considering this is one of the easiest plant to grow, idk
Don’t waste your space on nasturtiums. It is a bad habit. I know. I still grow them.
Carrots are a better habit. I just can’t stand them. Fortunately, too many should be easily shared with neighbors, and of course they last a long time. I never canned carrots straight, but I have canned pickled carrots . . . and then gave them away.
I only blanch the food then freeze it, but not all , canning food doesn’t work for us.
After many times failed to try planting nasturtium, then I just dont bother about it anymore, there are still so many herb and flower easy to grow and more manageable.
Well, yes. If you got the nasturtiums to do well, you would not want to pull them up to make room for more useful plants.
Agreed, but sometime the low maintenance plant thing does sounds better, doesn’t it ?🙂
I need to start composting! How do you make time for a garden? I would love to have one!
I start planting seed in February indoor, but mostly direct seeding in April, it is actually not much work other than weeding or watering three days a week, I found it therapeutic when I see plant keep growing, kids love to help me garden too.
Wow! Lots of carrots!- I have never been able to grow carrots, I keep trying though!
Please keep trying, it is easy, just sprinkle the seeds on the ground, my little secret is use warm water for the first watering session after sow the seeds, and keep the ground moist. Do you use the planter or straight on the ground?
I’ve got a planter – maybe my mistake is planting them too deep, I have never sprinkled the seeds so I’ll try that. Thanks for the warm water tip!
Not too deep please, just cover the seeds with little soil, about quarter of inch, alternatively sprinkle the soil over seeds