Early Carrots

• 500-1,000 seeds/g. Carrots average 18,000 seeds/oz with significant variations among varieties.
• Days to maturity are from seeding date.

Culture: Very hardy. Early carrots can be sown by late April. For fall crop or winter storage, seed in early summer. Minimal germination temperature 40°, optimal range 75–85°. Can take up to 3 weeks to germinate; keep rows from drying out for faster emergence. Thinning is critical: At 3" high thin to ½" apart, at 6" thin again to 1-2" apart.

Diseases:

• ALTS: Alternaria Leaf Spot
• PM: Powdery Mildew
• BR: Black Rot
• TLS: Target Leaf Spot
• LR: Licorice Rot
• P: Pythium

ALTS shows up first on the oldest foliage as brown-black spots edged with yellow. Foliage blackens and shrivels as it develops and spreads. Maintaining a good crop rotation is the best preventive.