Gardening: A guide to growing carrots on the Prairies

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When we think of carrots, traditionally, we think of the orange root we love to eat fresh from the garden. Although purple carrots are now popular with gardeners, they’re not new. Our first carrots, which originated in Afghanistan, were skinny, stringy, multi-branched and dark purple.

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By the Greek and Roman eras, they were somewhat larger, but still purple. Roman soldiers were said to have boiled carrots in broth to release the sexual inhibitions of female captives. This belief was echoed by the British botanist, Nicolas Culpeper who remarked in his 1653 Herbal: “the seeds being taken in wine … helpeth conception.”

Carrots arrived in England, via Italy and the Netherlands, by the 1400s. By then, yellow types had become more popular. By the 1500s, orange carrots had appeared. All of our contemporary types were derived from the “Long Orange Dutch” carrots developed by 1721. The Dutch were then the leading carrot breeders whose selections were orange, fleshy and flavourful.

There are three main types of carrots that we grow in our garden today: Danvers, Imperator or Nantes. Danvers carrots are the shorter, triangular shaped carrot that have a relatively short growing season. Danvers carrots can easily become oversized and woody in texture if left too long in the garden.

Imperator carrots have long, tapered roots. They grow the full season without much change in texture or flavour. Imperators are best known for their long-term storage, not their flavour, which tends to be bland.

Nantes carrots are my favourite (‘Ya Ya’, ‘Bolero’, ‘Scarlet Nantes’). Nantes carrot roots are medium length and cylindrical in shape with a rounded, blunt tip. The crisp, juicy, sweet flavour of a Nantes carrot is hard to beat. High water content in the Nantes carrots makes them excellent juicers but not ideal for shipping long distances.

Sow carrot seed directly into the soil by mid-late May. Cool soil temperatures can delay carrot seed germination. A loose loam or sandy-loam soil is recommended to ensure roots can expand downward without impediment.

For heavier soils, consider growing carrots on a raised bed. Twisted and forked carrots usually result when the soil is too hard or the space between carrots is limited. Plant seed approximately 1 cm deep. Ideal carrot spacing is 1.5-2 cm between plants and 30-50 cm between rows. Carrots can be thinned early in the season or throughout the season as you harvest.

Many gardeners have problems with carrot seed germination. More often than not, the soil is too dry for seed to germinate, or the seed has germinated but the dry soil has formed a hard crust at the surface which the tender carrot seedlings cannot break through. Keep the soil surface moist during germination. Some gardeners have been known to cover their newly seeded carrot rows with a layer or two of newspaper or a light board to help conserve the surface soil moisture. These coverings must be monitored and removed as soon as seeds germinate to allow emerging seedlings to grow.

Carrots are sensitive to weed competition throughout the growing season, especially at the seedling stage. Be sure to control weeds at all stages of carrot growth.

Consistent watering early in the season will promote shoot growth and help in the development of deep, straight taproots. Actively growing carrots prefer 2.5 cm moisture per week in well-drained soils. Excessive soil moisture will promote root rot.

Carrots can be harvested at any time. Young carrots are very tender but the best flavour takes time to develop. Oversized and over-mature carrots are prone to splitting and generally taste woody and dry. Mature carrots with tops intact can be left in the soil as long as the soil remains unfrozen (-1˚C or warmer). A light frost can help sweeten carrots and improve their storage quality.

Ideal storage conditions for carrots are 0˚C, 95-100 per cent humidity. Remove tops and excess soil before storage. If you must wash carrots before storage, wash gently: new wounds will encourage bacterial rots. Do not store apples in the same location as carrots. Ethylene from apples will cause bitter flavours in carrots.

Do carrots help you see in the dark? Vitamins found in carrots such as beta-carotene do promote overall eye health. Converted to vitamin A, it’s an important nutrient for eye health. During the 1940 Blitzkrieg of England, the Luftwaffe often struck at night. The German bombers were repelled in part because of the development of a new, secret radar technology. But to keep that under wraps, another reason was provided for their success: carrots. In fact, it was the new radar that allowed RAF pilots to “see in the dark” — not carrots.

Retired from the University of Saskatchewan, Sara’s most recent book is Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens with Bob Bors. She’s been hosting garden tours for over 20 years — to Great Britain, Ireland, Europe, Turkey and Iceland. Join her for a tour of French gardens this September [Contact Ruth at 1-888-778-2378, worldwideecotours.com]

Jackie Bantle is a horticulturist living on an acreage north of Saskatoon.

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society. Reach the society by email at saskperennial@hotmail.com or visit their website at saskperennial.ca. You can find them on Facebook at facebook.com/saskperennial. The Spring Plant Exchange will be held on Sunday, May 29. The plant exchange will start around two o’clock for more information please see the website. These are “member only” events, but memberships are available at the door for $10.00.