When to Plant Carrots: Spring and Fall Sowing Dates by Frost Date and Zone

Carrots are easy to time once you know two things. They like cool weather, so spring sowings go in early, well before tomatoes. And they are slow and fussy to sprout, so the hard part is keeping the seedbed moist long enough for the seeds to come up, not picking the exact day.

Spring sowing dates by last frost

Our planting calendar gives carrots a direct-sow window from about 4 weeks before your average last spring frost to about 3 weeks after. University of Minnesota Extension says to start planting carrots on April 15 in Minnesota and to make two or three plantings spaced three weeks apart for a steady supply of young carrots. The table spaces three sowings that way:

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says simply to begin planting as soon as the soil can be worked in spring. In central Maryland (last frost around April 15), UMD lists carrots from mid-April through May, then again from mid-June through July for fall.

Carrot and lettuce dates by USDA zone

If you don't know your frost date, here are the same windows counted from the rough average last frost our calendar uses for each zone. Zones are based on winter lows, not frost dates, so treat this as a starting point and check your local average last frost with your county extension office.

In zones 9 and 10 the spring window is short and summers are hot, so carrots and lettuce are mostly grown from fall through winter there (see the fall section below).

Sow them where they will grow

UMN is blunt: always direct seed carrots and never start them in pots. Their long taproot starts growing early, and transplanting damages it and sends it in the wrong direction, which is how you get stubby or forked roots.

Why timing matters: cool weather makes better carrots

Texas A&M says carrots grow best in the cool temperatures of early spring and late fall, with nights around 55°F and days around 75°F ideal, and that high temperatures cause poorly colored, low-quality carrots. That is the main reason not to push spring sowings too late: a carrot sown a month after the frost date may be sizing up in the heat of midsummer. Shorter, rounder varieties finish faster if you are late.

Fall and winter carrots

Carrots are frost-tolerant (Texas A&M), so a fall crop can finish after the first light frosts. Count back from your first fall frost using the days to maturity on your seed packet, then add a couple of weeks because growth slows as days shorten. In central Maryland (first frost around October 25), UMD's fall window of mid-June through July lands about 12 to 19 weeks before frost. Texas A&M says to plant fall carrots in August in most of Texas and any time from July through February in South Texas. Average fall carrot planting dates by Texas gardening region:

In Florida, University of Florida IFAS lists carrot seeds from August through February in North and Central Florida and September through February in South Florida.

Where carrots go in the garden

Carrots share a bed well with lettuce, onions and peas, and should stay away from dill and parsley, their close relatives. See what to plant with carrots for the full list and a bed layout, when to plant lettuce for a crop on almost the same schedule, and succession planting for planning repeat sowings. Beets, radishes and turnips go in at about the same time; see when to plant beets.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant carrots in spring?

From about 4 weeks before your average last frost, as soon as the soil can be worked, until about 3 weeks after. UMN starts April 15 in Minnesota.

Can carrots handle frost?

Yes. Texas A&M lists carrots as frost-tolerant, which is why they can be sown weeks before the last spring frost and grown into fall.

Should I start carrots indoors?

No. UMN says to always direct seed carrots and never start them in pots, because transplanting damages the taproot.

How often should I plant carrots?

UMN suggests two or three plantings spaced three weeks apart for a continuous supply of young carrots.

Why are my carrot seeds not coming up?

They are slow: 14 to 21 days, sometimes 3 weeks. Keep the surface moist, and break up a crust with a light spray or cover seed with vermiculite or sand.

When should I plant carrots for fall?

Count back from your first fall frost with the days to maturity plus a couple of weeks. Texas A&M says August for most of Texas; UMD lists mid-June through July in central Maryland.