PREMIER SEEDS DIRECT - Carrot - Rainbow Mix - 1500 Finest Seeds

Product Information

Carrots varieties are decided by the shape and length of their root. Nante variety carrots have medium length roots with a stubby tip. These tend to mature faster than other types and are excellent eaten raw, making them a favorite among home gardeners. Imperator carrots have a small base and slender root which tapers at the tip. Danvers variety carrots are wide at the top and medium in length. These are great for juicing. Chantenay carrots have broad tops and rounded tips. I also recommend amending your soil with compost or worm castings, and then mixing in an organic fertilizer. Work the soil to a fine texture 15-25cm (6-10 in.) deep to allow the carrot roots to grow long and shapely.

Colourful, beautiful and healthy, this easy heirloom carrot recipe can be prepped ahead of time for midweek dinners and special festive holiday meals. What Are Heirloom (AKA Rainbow) Carrots? When I see multi-coloured carrots, it sparks joy. I have no idea why, but it does! Just so pretty, and when roasted, the sweetness of heirloom rainbow carrots are even more elevated. Carrots are a cool-weather crop, best sown direct as soon as the soil is workable in spring, and sown successively every few weeks until midsummer. Heavy soils are one of the few serious problems for carrots, so prepare the soil thoroughly before planting or, if you are in a clay soil area, consider growing in raised beds or containers. Carrots also need moisture to keep their roots from splitting. With these needs met, they are virtually trouble free. INSECT PESTS: Carrot rust flies and wireworms. Provide fertile growing conditions and avoid ground recently in sod if possible. Exclude adult insects with fabric row covers.Honey or rice malt syrup: I used honey as my sweetener in the salad dressing, but you can use rice malt syrup for a vegan option. Variations and Substitutions To match with the roast lamb we were having for dinner, I wanted to create a roast vegetable dish but not too heavy. So when I saw colourful heirloom rainbow carrots, I knew what I was making to match. White or cream coloured carrots – have a milder flavour and are less earthy than the others. They are also considered to be sweeter. Carrot fly is most destructive in May to October, and as such, there is little getting around this pest. Ideally, cover your crops with a mesh to physically exclude the carrot fly, although this isn’t always practicable. When harvesting or thinning seedlings, do so in the evening when carrot fly is not around, and remove the attractant tops far from your crops. Predators have evolved to spot vast swathes (rows) of their favourite monoculture, so sow smaller numbers of carrots in different locations, interplanted with garlic, onions or marigolds to disguise the scent. You may lose some, but others will thrive in their place. This also makes crop rotation (which should be done yearly) a much easier job. Growing a kaleidoscope of carrots is also a great way to engage children in the garden. Kids love to plant the seeds, water the seedlings, and harvest the roots. Who knows, they may even eat their vegetables!

Orange carrots are the standard but there are many delicious varieties that offer roots in shades of red, yellow, white, and purple. What are rainbow carrots? Lunar White (75 days)– This pale colored carrot is out of this world! The pure white roots reach lengths up to 8” long and like White Satin, often have green shoulders. We harvest anytime the carrots are 6” long and enjoy this variety raw and cooked. Lunar White has a mild carrot flavor and is popular with kids. As soon as the soil temperature has reached 40⁰F, carrot seeds can be planted, even if the last estimated frost for your area has not occurred. Carrots are considered a cool-season vegetableand can be grown in either the fall or early spring. Carrots prefer soil temperatures between 55 and 75⁰F, so seeds will germinate much faster under these conditions. Carrots can be grown earlier in the season in hot desert climates. Before sowing carrots, remove any weeds and dig your soil to a fine tilth, breaking up any large lumps. Soil that has been manured within the last year, or manured and rested without growing a previous crop, is not suitable for growing carrots in. Carrots grow best in light, sandy soil they don’t do well in heavy, clay, stony, chalky conditions.When the sprouts have grown to about 1-2” tall, they should be thinned vigorously. Because the seeds are so small, it is common, and almost impossible not to, over-plant and have too many seedlings vying for the same space. Carrots need approximately, depending on variety, 1-3 inches between each plant. If they are not thinned enough, you will end up with tiny, thin carrots that are all top and no root. Carrots are best thinned by carefully snipping the tops off the unwanted ones with a small pair of scissors. This reduces the possibility of damage to the delicate seedlings you are going to keep. Western or Carotene Carrots( Daucus carota subsp. sativus var. sativus) – These carrots are long and tapered in appearance and are usually orange or red in color. Carotene carrots are believed to have come from progeny between crosses of the Eastern yellow carrot, wild carrots, and Mediterranean subspecies. Step 3: Plant the seeds – Make shallow trenches or holes in the soil, then drop the seeds in. Or, sprinkle them over the top, then gently work them down to about 1/4″ deep. When plants first germinate, the two cotyledons (baby leaves) will be grass-like in appearance. The new leaves that emerge after the cotyledons will be more fern-like in appearance. These are considered “true” leaves. Did you know that you can also eat the tops of carrots? Carrot leaves, or greens, are nutrient-dense and delicious. I use them to make a fresh pesto or chop them finely into a chimichurri sauce.

Lunar White: a true gourmet variety, grown in the Middle Ages but hard to find these days. The roots have a very small core, a mild bite, and a lovely texture that is pleasing either raw or cooked. When grown to full size, they reach 8 inches long in about 75 days. Step 2: Determine the spacing – Since they don’t require a ton of space, you can plant your carrot seeds 1″ apart. Or, if you prefer, you can just scatter them in rows, and thin them out later. Combining roasted heirloom carrots and pearl couscous, this is a lighter roast carrot side dish compared to roast potatoes or pumpkin for roast lamb. After the initial consistent watering when the carrots are little seedlings, the plants will do well with less frequent watering. Watering less often with less water encourages longer roots.You’ll notice tunnels in the roots and possibly wilting, stunting, and yellowing of thetop growthof plants. Ultimately, the plant can die from severe infestations. It’s too late to treat your plants once you notice damage, but you can protect your carrots by removing conditions that are favorable for root maggots. Dragon (75 days)– I love the magenta-purple skin and bright orange interiors of Dragon. This is a chantenay-type carrot which means it is a compact variety with broad shoulders that taper to a point. The roots grow 5 to 7” long and have thin, smooth skin which cleans easily – no need to peel! Cosmic Purple: a carrot in a Halloween costume. The skin of these Nantes-type roots is deep violet, but the interior is orange. A gourmet variety, it offers a sweet bite with an aftertaste of spiciness that is most pleasing. If growing to full size, harvest the tapered 7-inch roots in about 70 days. In a large mixing bowl, place pearl couscous, roasted red onions, mint leaves and ½ almonds together. Add ¾ honey Dijon dressing into the bowl and toss well.

When youthink of the modern cultivated carrot plant, what comes to mind? Instantly, images of long, tapered, orange roots with ferny foliage may surface. However, did you know that carrots weren’t originally orange? Or that carrot varieties can actually be shaped differently? Let’s dive into some carrot history to learn more about these staple vegetables. Wild Roots Carrots we know today were once wildly grown and used medicinally. Bambino: a true baby carrot, arrow-shaped and absolutely delicious. The skin is dark orange and very smooth, the flesh sweet and crisp. Very small core. Harvest it at 4 inches or let it reach 6; it matures in about 60 days, but can be harvested even sooner. A basal rosette of leaves forms during the first year, and the plant will remain like this until bolting in the second year when it sends up a flower stalk that can reach up to 3 feet tall. Temperatures must be under 50⁰F to induce flowering, and if harvesting the roots to eat then bolting is undesirable. You will need to thin the seedlings so that the plants are 2 to 3 inches apart in the row after germination. Germination can take up to 3 weeks. Some growers will plant rows closer together in a bed system, and there are many special seeders for the home or market gardener sold today specifically for carrot production. When to Plant Carrots As carrots prefer cooler weather, they can be planted in either spring or fall. Wild carrot and its relatives were repeatedly mentioned throughout history by many different names. Throughout the Dark and Medieval Ages, carrots and parsnips ( Pastinaca sativa; a similar-looking root crop that looks like a white carrot) were important starchy staples for the European diet. The Cultivation of Carrots Carrots were not originally orange, but many colors such as purple and yellow.Whenever you visit the grocery store, you usually only see orange carrots. Commercially grown, this variety of carrots are the most common. To help carrot seeds germinate faster, plant them in the cooler weather of spring or fall, and always keep the soil evenly moist. You could also try soaking the seeds before planting to help speed things up. Do carrot seeds need light to germinate? Make drills in the soil with a trowel or by laying an old broom handle or bamboo cane across the soil and gently pushing down, aiming for a depth of about 1cm, or half an inch and leaving about 30cm, or 12inches between each drill.