When to Plant Carrots [26 States, 30 Regions]
Carrots are best planted in the fall or spring in most places. They can tolerate temperatures as low as 32F so a light freeze won’t kill them. Some varieties like the Shin Kuroda can also tolerate heat up to 95F but they don’t like it and the heat can make them taste woody.
So sowing your carrot seeds at the right time is critical if you want those fresh, juicy, super sweet carrots on your kitchen table tonight.
This week I thought it would be fun to tour carrot gardens across the country so I took to forums, social media, and my contacts to compile this master list of when to plant carrots in as many states as I could find gardeners.
I hope this resource is helpful!
Carrot Germination Temperatures
If you want to know when to plant carrots, here’s my advice. I’ve germinated carrot seeds in temperatures as low as 55 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The colder it is in that range, the longer it will take to germinate. In the winter it can take nearly a month (22 days) to germinate. Keep in mind, I’m in Southern California, so our winter is mild.
But boy in the heat, I’ve had carrots germinate as fast as 4 days when it was around 85 degrees. I do think excessive heat slows down the germination period as well, but I’m not an expert - just a hunch based on my experience.
So if you want to plant carrots, plant them when the temperature is between 55 and 85 and you’ll be fine. If you can plant them when the temperature is 65 to 85, they’ll germinate super fast.
Just be sure that if you live somewhere with extreme heat (like 95F) or where it gets very cold (30F or less) you plan for at least 75 days of optimal growing temperature (40F to 85F). You can mitigate heat and grow carrots in the summer, but they’re big babies and you’ll need to give them quite a bit of extra attention.
With that being said, here’s a state-by-state guide on when to plant carrots in your garden.
Carrot Planting Chart (26 States)
You can download this free reference chart to see when carrots are planted across 26 states.
When to Plant Carrots in Alabama
North Alabama
In the northern part of Alabama, plant carrots as early as late March once the threat of frost is gone.
For fall harvests, plant carrots anytime in mid-July through August.
Central Alabama
Plant carrots in March as soon as your nighttime temperatures are consistently above 40F. This usually happens in early March.
You can also plant carrots at the end of July through the middle of September for a second late-fall harvest.
South Alabama
In the southern part of the state, you can sow carrot seeds in your garden as early as late February once the nighttime temperature is over 40F.
You can then plant your fall carrots from August through the end of September.
When to Plant Carrots in Arkansas
You can plant spring and fall carrots in Arkansas, although the fall planting window is short.
For spring carrots, plant in mid-February to early April once temperatures are consistently above 40F.
For fall carrots, plant in late August once daytime temperatures are closer to 85F. Keep in mind that you’ll need around 75 days for the carrots to mature before the frost kicks in. So you’ll want to make sure your carrots are in the ground for a November harvest.
When to Plant Carrots in California
Northern California
In the northern part of the state, you can plant carrots from late January through May and again in late July through mid-August.
Southern California
Technically, you can plant carrots year-round in California. I’m doing an experiment right now to see if I can harvest a row of carrots every week out of the year by using only a 3x6ft raised bed.
Until I’m done with the challenge, I’ll rely on what others have told me who have tried growing carrots in the summer. They often don’t taste as good as when they’re grown in the fall, spring, and winter.
In Southern California, many people take a summer hiatus, planting carrots anytime between mid-September and early April.
When to Plant Carrots in Colorado
Northern Colorado
In many parts of the state, it can frost even in May. Because of this, it’s recommended to start carrot seeds indoors using a heat mat and growing lamp in April and then transplant them in late May.
Southwest Colorado
This part of the state has the best growing season for carrots. You can direct sow seeds outdoors in May, possibly even April once you have consistent nighttime temperatures of 40F.
When to Plant Carrots in Florida
North and Central Florida
Florida is similar to California and other places in the South where you could technically grow carrots all year. In the northern and central parts of the state most people plant carrots from August to March and take a summer hiatus.
You can grow carrots in the summer but they may not taste as good and you may have to have more interventions to help them grow.
South Florida
In the southern part of the state, most people plant carrot seeds from September to March with a summer hiatus that extends a bit longer.
When to Plant Carrots in Georgia
North Georgia
In the northern part of the state, you can plant carrots in March and again in late August.
Central Georgia
In the central belt, from Columbus through Macon to Augusta, carrots are planted in February for a spring harvest and again in September for a fall harvest.
South Georgia
The further south you go, the earlier you want to plant your spring crop and the later you want to plant your fall crop of carrots. In most southern regions of the state, you can plant carrots in early February and again in October.
When to Plant Carrots in Illinois
In Illinois, you can plant carrots in the spring from late March to early May once temperatures are above 40F.
You can also plant a fall crop of carrots from mid-July to early September and harvest them before winter frosts hit.
When to Plant Carrots in Indiana
Indiana is very similar to Illinois; however, Purdue suggests only planting carrots in March and April and then again in August or September.
When to Plant Carrots in Iowa
In Iowa, you can plant carrots starting in early April and succession sow carrots every couple of weeks up until the beginning of August.
If you are in the northern part of the state you may want to wait until the end of April so excessive frost doesn’t kill them.
When to Plant Carrots in Kansas
Plant carrots in mid-to-late April. It’s ok if you plant them before your last freeze according to Kansas State University because they can tolerate a light freeze.
For fall carrots, plant seeds in late July and early August so they have time to mature before the cold winter weather sets in.
When to Plant Carrots in Kentucky
It’s safe to plant carrots directly in the ground in mid-March. If you’re in Eastern Kentucky, this could be closer to late March.
For a fall crop, you can also plant carrots in July and August. Just keep in mind that as cooler weather sets in, your carrots may take longer to mature meaning they could be in the ground longer than the recommended 65-80 days that most seed packets state.
When to Plant Carrots in Louisiana
This is another Southern State that can technically grow carrots all year round with some mild interventions. But most people sow carrot seeds from mid-August through early March, taking a summer hiatus.
When to Plant Carrots in Maine
Coastal Maine
In the coastal areas, most people plant carrots in early May through the end of June.
Central Maine
It’s safe to plant carrots from May through mid-July in the central part of the state.
Northern Maine
In the northern part of the state, sow carrot seeds from late July through early August.
When to Plant Carrots in Massachusetts
Most of Massachusetts is considered to be within USDA zones 5 and 6. When talking with other Massachusetts gardeners, almost all of them followed the same planting schedule regardless of zone.
It’s safe to plant carrots in Massachusetts from mid-April through the beginning of September.
When to Plant Carrots in Michigan
In Michigan, you can plant carrots from mid-April through early July. Most Michigan gardeners will tell you that due to the cooler weather in the spring and fall, carrots can take closer to 100 days to mature so plan accordingly.
When to Plant Carrots in Missouri
North Missouri
In the northern part of the state plant carrots from late March through mid-April for spring crops and again in late July for a fall harvest.
Central Missouri
In the central part of the state plant carrots from mid-March through early- April for spring crops and again in late July for a fall harvest.
South Missouri
In southern Missouri plant carrots anytime in March for spring crops and again from early August to mid-August for a fall crop.
When to Plant Carrots in NC
The best time to plant carrots in North Carolina is in September according to the overwhelming majority of gardeners in that state.
Other gardeners also mentioned that they successfully planted carrots from late February through late April for spring crops.
When to Plant Carrots in Ohio
In Ohio, carrots are planted anytime from early April through July.
When to Plant Carrots in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, most gardeners plant carrots from mid-February through early March.
When to Plant Carrots in Oregon
Coastal Oregon
For coastal regions, plant carrots from January through June.
Western Valleys
In the Portland and western valley areas plant carrots from mid-March through mid-July.
Central and Eastern Mountains
In the higher mountain areas plant carrots from April through June.
Columbia and Snake Valleys
For places like Pendleton and Ontario, plant carrots from mid-March through early July.
When to Plant Carrots in PA
In Pennsylvania, you can grow carrots in the spring from late March through mid-May and again in the fall from early June through mid-August.
When to Plant Carrots in Tennessee
Eastern Tennessee
In the eastern part of the state plant carrots from mid-March through the end of April for spring crops and again in August for fall crops.
Western Tennessee
In the western part of Tennessee, you can plant carrots from early March through the end of April for spring crops and again from mid-August through mid-September for fall crops.
When to Plant Carrots in Texas
North Texas
In the northern part of the state, you can plant carrots from mid-February through mid-March for spring carrots and again from mid-August through early September for fall carrots.
Central Texas
In central Texas plant carrots in mid-January through early March for spring carrots and again from late August to early November for fall carrots.
South Texas
In most parts of south Texas, you can grow carrots all winter long planting anytime from July through February.
When to Plant Carrots in Utah
Most Utah gardeners plant carrots from late March through early May. They will also tell you that germination is often slow, taking 20-30 days sometimes.
When to Plant Carrots in Virginia
For Virginia gardeners, you can plant carrots in the spring from early March through late April and again in the fall from mid-September through late October.
When to Plant Carrots in Wisconsin
Northern Wisconsin
In the northern part of the state, you can plant carrots at the end of April or early May for a spring harvest.
Central and Lake Shore Wisconsin
In the central area of Wisconsin plant carrot seeds in late April for a spring harvest.
Southern Wisconsin
In the southern part of the state, plant carrots around mid-April for a spring harvest and again by August 1st for a fall harvest.
When to Plant Carrots Recommended Reading
5 Types of Carrots to Grow This Year
How to Plant Carrots For the Biggest Harvest Ever
Can You Grow Carrots in the Summer (coming soon)
Intercropping Carrots and Radishes
