How Long Do Carrots Take To Grow?

How long do carrots take to grow? Let’s find out. Carrot is one of those vegetables which is considered to be highly nutritious and beneficial for your health.

This article gives an insight into how long it generally takes for carrots to grow from planting to harvest. The different tips to note about growing carrots and how best to care for the plant are also discussed in this article.

To achieve the best possible result, this article also discusses the best time to plant carrots and when to possibly expect to harvest. How to go about the harvesting stage and a few tips on how to store carrots when they are not being consumed immediately are also discussed here.

How Long Do Carrots Take To Grow?

When carrots are planted outside in the garden or yard, with moderate exposure to the sun, good soil nutrients and proper watering harvesting become very easy. Carrots would in such conditions be ready for harvest between 70 and 80 days after planting.

Where there is a change in the above conditions, the timeline may be altered slightly. Where they are planted indoors and exposed to the ideal temperature, light, and water conditions, carrots should be ready for harvesting between 60 and 80 days.

You may not even need to wait for the above timelines if you have a preference for baby carrots. Your baby carrots should be ready for harvest in about 50 to 60 days after sprouting.

Tips On Growing Carrots – How Long Do Carrots Take To Grow?

If you are desirous of achieving the best possible results, you should take note of the following when growing carrots:

• Soil Preparation: you may decide to plant your carrots just about anywhere. You may decide to plant them in the ground without making beds, or in raised beds, or even on the patio in tubs. The soil should however be stone-free and well-dug, with exposure to sunlight.
• Planting Carrots: after preparing the soil, the carrot seeds can then be planted. The carrot seeds should be soaked for several hours or throughout the night in warm water. This aids the germination process. The seeds should be sown ¼ to ½ inch deep and 1 inch apart in rows spaced between 12 to 24 inches apart.
• Watering the Plant: carrots require a good amount of water to grow even at a very early stage. As such, water should be provided regularly to the plant. It is for this reason that it is necessary for the soil to be well-drained.
• Care for Carrots: When the seedlings reach about 2 inches tall, they should be spaced about two inches apart. When weeds begin to appear, ensure to pull them out early enough so they don’t disturb the carrots. Apply low nitrogen-rich fertilizers about 6 weeks after planting.

• Sowing Carrots: Carrot seeds can be sown from very early spring right through August. The vegetable can be harvested about all year round. Most varieties get sown between April and July, while early cultivars may be sown as early as February.
• Carrot Disease Prevention: Carrot flies are notorious for damaging the roots of carrots. To prevent this insect from wreaking havoc, cover the ground with garden fleece or with a row cover.
• Harvesting Carrots: When it is about time to harvest the carrots, you would know from the size of the top of the root poking out of the soil. When it appears matured, you can harvest the vegetable. The smaller ones are easy to pull out directly from the soil, while chunkier ones will require some digging from the ground.
• Storing: Where the carrots are not being consumed immediately, they should be stored in cold temperatures a little above zero degrees. You can also store in sand or sawdust, or simply by leaving the harvested carrots under heaped soil in the garden.

Recommended Varieties Of Carrots

Carrots have a wide array of varieties from which you can pick if you are interested in growing the plant. These different varieties come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some of the recommended varieties are:

• Danvers: This is a classic heirloom variety, usually about 6 to 8 inches long. It usually tapers at the end and has a rich, dark orange color. It has the ability to thrive in heavy soil.
• Bolero: This variety is usually about 7 to 8 inches long and slightly tapered. It has the ability to resist most leaf pests and blights.

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• Little Finger: Just like the name suggests, this is a small Nantes type of carrot which is only about 4 inches long and about 1 inch thick. It is a good variety to plant in pots or containers.
• Nantes: This is an exceptionally sweet variety, of about 6 to 7 inches long. It has a crisp texture and is easily recognized.

Nutritional Benefits Of Consuming Carrots

The nutritional benefits of consuming carrots are numerous. Carrot contains water, protein, calories, carbs, sugar, fiber, and little traces of fat. Below are some of the major nutritional benefits:

• Lowers the Risk of Cancer: antioxidants that carrot contains help a great deal to fight harmful free radicals in your body. These radicals can easily make you less likely to have cancer. Carotenoids and Anthocyanins are the two main types of antioxidants in carrots.
• Heart Health: just the way the antioxidants in carrots help reduce the risk of cancer, they are also very beneficial to the heart. Carrot also contains potassium which helps keep your blood pressure in check, while the fiber content helps with weight and lowers risks of diseases.
• Boost Your Immune System: carrots contain a substantial quantity of Vitamin C, and this helps your body build antibodies. This ultimately helps to defend your immune system. Vitamin C also helps your body to take in and use iron, which helps prevent infections.
• Help Control Diabetes: people who have been diagnosed with diabetes are advised to consume more starchy vegetables such as carrots. The fiber in carrots helps to keep blood sugar levels under control and the Vitamin A and beta-carotene it contains helps with diabetes.

Conclusion – How Long Do Carrots Take To Grow?

As you have seen from the above, carrots are one of the vegetables that anyone can recommend for you. Its benefits are huge and as such, it is highly desirable.

This article gives you a guide to planting, growing, and caring for carrots. It also gives you an idea of how long it will take to grow carrots and when you are likely to harvest after planting.

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