I have two varieties overwintered in the ground. The snow is off them now and the leaves are already evident.

If properly vernalized, the seed stalk should appear in 4-6 weeks. After blossoming and pollination it is usually another 4-6 weeks for the seeds to start to brown. Time then to collect before seed shattering.

Note: I harvested for inspection, leaf trimmed and replanted last fall. I selected 32-36 of the best Danvers and St. Valery for seed saving.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carrot Seed Production

Thank you! Looks like they will need to go somewhere other than the sweet potato patch. I hope they were stored cool enough. The area was about 45-50F for most of the winter. That's not quite 5C, if I converted correctly.

You replanted yours in the fall in Nova Scotia? I had some other, non-seed saving overwinter, but I wasn't sure if that would work. I'll try that next year. How close together did you replant them? Do you alternate day cage your varieties?

Thanks again for your help,
Bellatrix

What a timely thread. i have recently been wondering how carrots are selected for seed saving when the desirable part is underground.

i think i remember reading that carrots were originally white/purple colored and originated in Asia. These Asian carrots are reportedly annuals though i haven't been able to source them.

Domesticated carrots actually originated in Afghanistan as purple and yellow carrots. I am saving seed from a variety call Afghani Purple that is a purple carrot from Afghanistan. It is quite beautiful and tasty (not quite as sweet, but still fairly sweet). I don't think this variety is the original version, but I thought it was fitting to grow a purple one that at least came from the birth-place of carrots!

{{gwi:32331}}

My carrot varieties are spearated by about four miles so no other isolation is required. I have a home plot and a plot on a beef farm of a distant relative.

Otherwise I would use row covers.

The recommended spacing is 30" or 20 plants per sq metre but many of the research reports do not reveal trial distances beyond the indexing.

Ohio State University suggest closer (8-12") spacing for root-to-seed and logically aimed at increasing upper umbel quanity and quality. Row spacing remains at 30".

Wow what a variety of sizes and shapes! Are they the same color clear through?

Thanks for posting that picture bella.

So - to get the carrots to make seed, I know you first have to sow a seed to get a plant.

But after this, do you simply leave the carrot in the ground and never take it out? Do they make it through harsh winters with temperatures below zero degrees?

I'm attempting to save a lot of seed this year - and carrots would be nice! I saved pepper seeds last year and seven out of eight germinated just fine. This year I'll do tomatoes (Roma and Red Cherry), green beans, peas, **hopefully** onions, **hopefully** broccoli, and peppers again.

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Garden Blog

Wow - that's a much wider spacing than I guessed. I may need to replant some tomorrow. For some reason, I thought they could be placed close together. Maybe that was onions. Well, this year is an experiment. Next year, I want to save good quality seed to share.

mauirose - unfortunately, they are only purple on the outside. The inside is more yellow orange.

bsntech - I had carrots over winter under shredded leaves, but I didn't try it with this variety this year. Glad to see more people seed-saving! Just FYI - carrots cross easily with Queen Ann's Lace and broccoli can be tricky. Do you have "Seed to Seed" by Suzanne Ashworth? Great book on seed saving!

Bellatrix

Leaving carrots in the ground depends on your zone. Zone 6 or better (down to -10F) can normally leave them uncovered but zone 5 or worse needs to cover them with a mulch.

Smaller carrots tend to be better and likelihood of rotting increases with sweetness. They do need an exposure to cold of 2-5C without freezing. At least 30 cold days will induce flowering in the second season but flower induction increases with cold exposure between 40-60 days.

I am in a zone 5 with raised beds so a minimum of 6-8" of straw or leaves is warranted. It is much easier than storage since I do not have a cold room or root cellar.

Half a mo- are you saying that overwintered carrots go straight to seed?

I planted a bed last fall hoping for a winter crop but they didn't do much before winter. I noticed yesterday they seem to be about thumb-size now. Are they not going to grow, just set seed??

It's a mystery to me!