Carrot Sprouts [Identifying and Using in the Kitchen]
If you’re here, you’re probably wondering one of two things.
How do I tell if this is a carrot sprout, a weed, grass, or something else?
Can I eat carrot sprouts and if so, what should I use them for?
I’ll answer all those and more in this article.
Carrot Sprouts TL;DR
Carrot sprouts have a slender green shoot with two seed leaves that are small and somewhat rounded.
By rubbing the carrot sprouts with your fingers it releases a fragrance that smells like carrots.
Carrot sprouts are loaded with nutrients and are a great addition to a salad or smoothie; and they taste just like carrots but more subtle.
Harvest carrot sprouts during your first carrot thinning and enjoy!
What Do Carrot Sprouts Look Like
When I first started gardening, I struggled to tell if carrot sprouts were indeed carrots or grass, or weeds, or some volunteer plant. Over time I learned that carrots have a rather distinct look in their early growth stages.
When the carrot sprout emerges it has a slender green shoot with two seed leaves. Technically those seed leaves are called cotyledons, but we’re on a first-name basis, so I call them seed leaves.
The sprouts will only be a few inches high. They’re small.
Those first two leaves are small and somewhat rounded. These are not true carrot leaves, but they will help provide the nutrients an early carrot plant needs.
Depending on the variety of carrots, they can be bluish-green. And remember, these seed leaves don’t look at all like the carrot leaves you’d expect to see on a mature plant.
True carrot leaves have a feathery, fern-like appearance and look similar to parsley, which makes sense because carrots and parsley are related to one another.
Depending on the climate and temperature, true leaves usually appear anywhere from two to three weeks in my experience.
One neat trick I like to do when planting carrots is to intercrop a radish at the front of each carrot row. Radishes grow much faster than carrots and they help mark the row.
This way when the carrot sprouts so popping up, I can tell if they’re in the row. If they’re in the row, I know they’re most likely carrot sprouts and not something else.
Radishes are a great companion plant for carrots in the garden and they pair well in many recipes so it’s a win-win.
Carrot Sprout Pictures
I just planted my fall carrots after a summer hiatus, so I’ll be sure to take some pictures over the next two weeks and add them here soon.
These sprouted after 7 days in 70°-75°F soil temperatures.
When Do Carrots Sprout
If you’re wondering how long it takes for a carrot seed to germinate and sprout, the answer is it depends a lot on the weather.
I’ve had carrots sprout as fast as 4 days when I planted them at the end of summer when my soil temperatures are 80° to 85°F.
When my soil temperatures were between 70°F and 78°F it usually takes about 7 or 8 days for my carrots to sprout.
I’ve also had carrots take up to 28 days in colder weather for my carrots to sprout.
How Do Carrot Sprouts Look Different From Grass
Perhaps the most common plant that is confused with carrot sprouts is grass. They do look sort of the same.
But grass has narrow blades; whereas the carrot sprouts are more broad.
Grass stems are also close to the ground and carrot stems extend upward.
Grass will form in clusters usually; whereas carrots will be in rows if you planted them that way. I always plant carrots in rows, but if you broadcast sow, this may not be a good indicator.
The best way I’ve found to tell if a sprout is a carrot or something else is to rub it with your fingers. This will release the scent which should smell like a real carrot. Carrot sprouts smell like carrots. Grass smells like, well, grass.
Below you can see both my carrot sprouts and some grass sprouts.
Carrot Sprout
Grass Sprout
Carrot Sprout Development
Germination
The sprout emerges as a tiny green part that breaks through the soil.
Seed Leaves
The shoot emerges with two tiny seed leaves. In the last carrot sprout image, you can see these two leaves called cotyledons.
True Leaves
Within a few weeks of sprouting, true leaves set in which look like ferns and have a feathery appearance similar to parsley.
Can You Eat Carrot Sprouts
Heck yeah, you can! And they are delicious. Most people have heard of bean sprouts, but everyone is surprised when I mention carrot sprouts as part of a meal.
I like to toss them into a salad and smoothies. I’ve even used them to garnish dishes when I’m cooking a nice meal for my wife.
What do Carrot Sprouts Taste Like
They taste just like a carrot but more subtle than the root you’re probably used to eating.
Carrot Sprout Nutrients
Carrot sprouts are loaded with good stuff. They are very high in carotenes which the body converts to Vitamin A. They have Vitamin K which promotes bone health and helps with blood clotting.
They are a great source of fiber and can help lower cholesterol and control blood sugar.
Carrot microgreens also have lutein, zeaxanthin, antioxidants, and several amino acids. (Microgreens World)
Now you see why I add them to my smoothies.
Should I Harvest Carrot Sprouts or Let Them Form Carrots
You should do both. When thinning carrots, I like to thin them two times. I thin them once when the carrot sprouts are a couple of inches tall so that there is a thumb’s length in between each carrot.
These are the carrot sprouts I eat and enjoy. And this ensures my other carrots have room to grow and develop.
You can then thin them again a month later and eat baby carrots when you make more space between each carrot.
This is the best way I’ve found to maximize carrot production and enjoy carrots as soon as the first month after planting.
Can You Buy Carrots Sprouts
If you’re like me, you may get addicted to carrot sprouts once you’ve tried them. I’ve never seen them in a grocery store and I’ve shopped at some exotic grocers over the years both here in the States and when I lived overseas.
You can buy carrot microgreens online, however, I haven’t worked up the courage to try them yet, but if you do, leave me a comment and let me know where you got them from and your experience.
Carrot Sprouts Recommended Reading
How to Thin Carrots for Carrot Sprouts and Baby Carrots
