When to plant carrots
The rule
Days to maturity: 70–95 days [src]
Method: Direct-sow in the garden. Frost tolerance: frost-hardy (derived from the planting timing above).
Because carrots is frost-hardy and matures in about 70–95 days, it's a strong fall crop — sow it in mid-to-late summer so it finishes before your first frost.
Carrots planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Direct-sow | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | — | May 10 – May 24 | May 14 – May 28 |
| Zone 2b | — | May 18 – June 1 | May 22 – June 5 |
| Zone 3b | — | May 13 – May 27 | May 26 – June 9 |
| Zone 4a | — | May 7 – May 21 | June 3 – June 17 |
| Zone 4b | — | May 3 – May 17 | June 6 – June 20 |
| Zone 5a | — | May 5 – May 19 | June 7 – June 21 |
| Zone 5b | — | April 27 – May 11 | June 14 – June 28 |
| Zone 6a | — | April 23 – May 7 | June 21 – July 5 |
| Zone 6b | — | April 16 – April 30 | June 26 – July 10 |
| Zone 7a | — | April 8 – April 22 | July 2 – July 16 |
| Zone 7b | — | March 30 – April 13 | July 8 – July 22 |
| Zone 8a | — | March 19 – April 2 | July 15 – July 29 |
| Zone 8b | — | March 9 – March 23 | July 22 – August 5 |
| Zone 9a | — | February 23 – March 9 | August 1 – August 15 |
| Zone 9b | — | January 26 – February 9 | August 14 – August 28 |
| Zone 10a | — | January 8 – January 22 | August 8 – August 22 |
| Zone 10b | — | January 13 – January 27 | October 1 – October 15 |
What you'll need
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Calendar computed 2026-09-27. Sources: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”; University of Georgia Extension — Vegetable Planting Chart (Circular C963) (days to maturity); NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals (frost); USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.