The Growth Cycle of Carrots

Biennial

• While annuals complete their life cycle in one year, biennials take two years before the growth cycle is over. The first year after planting, carrots only grow leaves and vegetation. The second year is when they produce actual carrots. This is an important fact to know about carrots, because you must plant them a full year before you can harvest them, while most other vegetables require only a few months to mature.

Germination

• Many people opt to plant their carrot plants from seeds, rather than small seedlings. Carrot seeds are very small, with about 2,000 seeds fitting in a teaspoon. After planting, it takes 10 to 12 days for the seeds to germinate and begin to grow.

Growth Period

• For the first year of your carrot plant's life, it produces leafy green shoots above the ground. In the second year of growth, the carrot plant flowers and produce seeds. Most varieties are ready for harvest within about three months after they flower. Commercially grown carrots are often harvested when they are still immature and then sold as slender baby carrots.

Dormant Period

• Between the first and second years of the carrot's life, it enters a dormant period. The dormant period usually falls during winter, as with many perennial and biennial plants. The dormant period is essential for a carrot's growth because it prepares for reproduction and flowering during this time.