When to plant carrots
Carrots are a cool-season crop that tolerates light frost and prefers to grow in cool weather. Keep the seedbed moist for the two or three weeks carrots take to sprout.
- Sow seeds outdoors 3 weeks before to 1 week after the last spring frost.
- For a fall crop, sow 10–12 weeks before the first fall frost.
About 70 days from planting to harvest.
Get exact dates for your garden
Planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | May 24 | — | May 3 – May 31 | — |
| 3b | May 17 | — | Apr 26 – May 24 | Jul 2 – Jul 16 |
| 4a | May 12 | — | Apr 21 – May 19 | Jul 6 – Jul 20 |
| 4b | May 8 | — | Apr 17 – May 15 | Jul 9 – Jul 23 |
| 5a | May 3 | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | Jul 13 – Jul 27 |
| 5b | May 1 | — | Apr 10 – May 8 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| 6a | Apr 29 | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| 6b | Apr 22 | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| 7a | Apr 16 | — | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| 7b | Apr 5 | — | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| 8a | Mar 29 | — | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| 8b | Mar 16 | — | Feb 23 – Mar 23 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| 9a | Mar 3 | — | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
| 9b | Feb 20 | — | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 |
| 10a | Mar 2 | — | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
Zone rows use the median frost dates of all ZIP codes in that zone. Zones measure winter cold, not season length, so two places in the same zone can have frost dates weeks apart — use your ZIP code for real dates.
When to plant carrots in major cities
| City | Median last frost | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Mar 13 | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Portland, OR | Feb 25 | Feb 4 – Mar 4 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 25 | Apr 4 – May 2 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Denver, CO | Apr 30 | Apr 9 – May 7 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Chicago, IL | Apr 10 | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 27 | Apr 6 – May 4 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Columbus, OH | Apr 20 | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Washington, DC | Mar 29 | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Nashville, TN | Apr 1 | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 25 | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Dallas, TX | Mar 2 | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
Growing carrots: quick facts
| Frost tolerance | Half-hardy: tolerates light frost (about 28–32°F) |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | at least 40°F to germinate; 45–85°F is ideal |
| Planting depth | ¼ in |
| Spacing | 2–3 in |
| Germination | 10–21 days |
| Days to harvest | about 70 days from planting |
Typical figures from university extension planting guides. Seed packets give the best numbers for a specific variety.