The Best Time to Plant Carrots in Southern West Virginia

Spring Planting

• The best time to plant the first crop of carrots is in the spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. Because carrots are frost tolerant, planting can occur up to six weeks before the last frost date in your part of Southern West Virginia. Frost dates vary, depending on the area. In the areas near Bluefield and Logan, for instance, the last frost date is in early May. Gardeners in Ghent or Beckley and their surrounds may need to wait until the end of May to plant.

Fall Planting

• Plan on getting your second carrot crop sown six to eight weeks before the first frost in fall. This date varies according to where you live in Southern West Virginia. Areas with a later last frost typically have an earlier first frost. Don’t plant too early, because daytime temperatures in excess of 75 degrees Fahrenheit tend to cause carrots to discolor and affect taste. Ideal temperatures for carrot growth are 55 F at night and no warmer than 75 F in the daytime.

Preparation

• Unless you don’t mind gnarled carrots, preparation of the soil before planting is crucial. Soils in this region tend to be rocky, so remove rocks, roots and other debris and loosen the soil to a depth of 10 inches, smashing large dirt clods so that the soil is light and fluffy. Get the carrots off to a healthy start by adding 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 10 feet of row and blending it into the top 4 inches of soil. Rake the bed smooth before sowing the carrot seeds.

Planting

• Push the carrot seeds ½ inch into the soil, spacing them 1 inch apart. Water the area carefully after planting to avoid washing the seeds away. The seeds should sprout within two to three weeks and typically take 56 to 75 days from planting to harvest, depending on variety.

Winter Protection

• Although Southern West Virginia’s annual snowfall is far less than that in the rest of the state, enough falls to require some precautions in the carrot patch. Just before the first expected hard frost, hoe some soil over any exposed carrots. Allow the green tops to remain exposed. When the ground freezes, cover the crop with a 2- or 3-inch layer of mulch. Move the mulch aside to harvest carrots as you need them over the winter.