Red Cored Chantenay Carrot (Heirloom, 75 Days)

Heirloom 1929. A short, fat carrot with a very attractive smooth orange skin. About 5 1/2” long, it rarely splits or forks, even in heavy soil. We like it’s hard, crunchy, dense texture and full-bodied flavor which is sweet and complex. The Red Cored Chantenay Carrot is an improvement on the original French import.  This variety was introduced by Ferry Morse in 1930. 

300 seeds

PLANTING

Daucus carota

Germination: 6-14 days

Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 60-85ºF. The cooler the soil the longer it takes for germination, up to 3 weeks.

Seed Sowing Depth: 1/4” deep

Sowing Outdoors: Start 3 weeks before last frost into mid-summer. Sow lightly, thin to 1-3” apart. The larger the carrot variety the more space needed between them. The soil moisture should be maintained regularly until germination, letting soil dry out during this period may result in lower germination.

How much does a packet plant: 10-12 foot row

Harvest: Start when carrots reach finger size for baby carrots. Carrots planted for summer harvest will hold in the ground for a few weeks but tend to split if they stay in the ground too long. Late season carrots hold longer and become sweeter in the cooler weather.

Tips: Using a row cover helps to maintain moisture for germination. The Red Cored Chantenay Carrot prefers a loose soil, free of rubble. Use the shorter varieties for heavy soils. Keep well weeded and cover any exposed carrot with soil or mulch to prevent greening. An excess of nitrogen in the soil cause the roots to become hairy.