Carrot
Daucus carota subsp. sativus
Cool-season biennial root vegetable grown as an annual, producing sweet, orange taproots. Adaptable across Zones 3-10, carrots thrive in loose, well-drained soils and are one of the most widely grown vegetable crops worldwide. Suited for both fresh market and processing, with varieties ranging from small round types to long Imperator types.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Carrots require deep, loose, stone-free soil for straight root development. Heavy or compacted soils cause forking and misshapen roots. Seeds are slow to germinate (14-21 days) and benefit from consistent moisture during establishment. Successive plantings every 2-3 weeks extend harvest season. Carrots tolerate light frost and may actually improve in sweetness after cold exposure, as the plant converts starches to sugars. Nitrogen should be moderate (approximately 100 lbs N/acre for commercial production) — excess nitrogen promotes top growth at the expense of root development. Carrots are a key rotation crop and work well in diversified vegetable operations, offering strong direct-to-consumer and wholesale market potential.
Growing Season
- Plant
- Early spring (2-4 weeks before last frost) – Late summer for fall harvest
- Harvest
- Late June (spring planting) – Late October (fall planting)
- Frost-free days
- 65+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,200 – 1,500
Yield
- Typical yield
- 30 tons/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
- Labor
- 80 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Scoring data for this axis is being loaded.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Scoring data for this axis is being loaded.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Scoring data for this axis is being loaded.
Equipment Requirements
planting
Vacuum or belt seeder for precise spacing. Essential for commercial production.
cultivation
Subsoiler or chisel plow for deep soil loosening (12-18 inches). Critical for long root types.
harvesting
Mechanical harvester for commercial scale. Hand harvest viable for small/direct-market operations.
post_harvest
Barrel or conveyor washer for cleaning roots before fresh market sale.
Storage Requirements
Fresh cold storage (topped)
Temperature
32–34°F
Humidity
95–98%
Max Storage
270 days
Fresh cold storage (bunched with greens)
Temperature
32–34°F
Humidity
95–98%
Max Storage
14 days
Frozen (blanched)
Temperature
0–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Finance Fit
Scoring data for this axis is being loaded.
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | — |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $7,500 |
| Annual Operating Cost | —/acre |
| Establishment Cost | —/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $1,800 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
Source: MSU Extension E1437 Commercial Carrot Recommendations; USDA NASS Vegetables 2024 (2025)
Risk Fit
Scoring data for this axis is being loaded.
Known Risks
pest
Larvae tunnel into roots, causing brown scarring and decay. Multiple generations per season in temperate climates.
Nematodes cause galling and forking of roots, reducing marketability.
disease
Fungal disease causing dark lesions on foliage, reducing photosynthesis and yield. Favored by warm, humid conditions.
climate
Compacted or rocky soils cause forked, stunted, or misshapen roots, reducing marketable yield.
Nutritional Yield
Nutrition data pending.
Research agents will profile Carrot against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from UMN Extension, Cornell ENYCH, Penn State Extension, and USDA resources.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
24 tracked changes across 8 data categories