When to plant · 6 cities · zones 7a–8a
When to plant carrots in Maryland
Direct sow nantes carrot around Mar 22 — the Maryland statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of Apr 5 across 488 ZIP codes and 54 NOAA stations.
The rule: Direct sow two weeks before the last frost and keep the top half-inch of soil damp for the 14–21 days it takes to germinate.
Maryland carrots, by step
Statewide median last frost Apr 5, first fall frost Nov 5, 2027 season. Each cultivar's own indoor lead time and days to maturity, same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Cultivar | Start indoors | Sow | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Direct sow | Mar 22 | May 31 | 70 from sow |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost. Statewide dates are the ZIP-weighted median of every NOAA 1991–2020 station Maryland's ZIP codes resolve to.
Carrots in Maryland, city by city
Nantes Carrot, scheduled from each city's nearest NOAA station — the same dates as its frost page.
| City | Last frost | Sow | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimorezone 8a | Mar 24 | Mar 10 | May 19 |
| Frederickzone 7b | Apr 2 | Mar 19 | May 28 |
| Gaithersburgzone 7b | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Rockvillezone 7b | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Bowiezone 7a | Apr 22 | Apr 8 | Jun 17 |
| Hagerstownzone 7a | Apr 7 | Mar 24 | Jun 2 |
What Maryland carrots need
Scarlet Nantes Carrot Seed
The carrot that makes a fermented habanero sauce work. It brings sweetness and body so the sauce has texture without thickener and heat without being one-dimensional.
Organic Seed Starter Potting MixMust have
Seed-starting mix is not potting soil with a nicer label — it is finer, lighter, and low in nutrients on purpose, because a seedling's first roots want air and moisture, not fertiliser.
Ocean Forest Potting SoilMust have
Pre-charged with enough nutrition to carry a transplant for its first month without feeding, which is exactly the window when most container plants stall.
5-Gallon Fabric Grow Bags, 5-Pack
Fabric pots air-prune roots and drain faster than a plastic pot can, which is the entire reason container tomatoes fail. Five gallons is the honest minimum for a pepper; a tomato wants ten.
Rapitest Soil Test Kit
In-ground growers are guessing until they test. pH outside 6.0–6.8 locks nutrients out no matter how much fertiliser you add, and no amount of feeding fixes that.
3-in-1 Soil Moisture / Light / pH Tester
Used for one thing — is the root zone actually dry six inches down — it prevents both halves of the most common container failure. Ignore the pH scale on it entirely.
Garden Harvest Basket with Tool Caddy
A harvest basket that doubles as a colander means the hose rinse happens in the garden, and the dirt stays outside. On a 20-pound tomato day that is a genuine time saving.
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Carrots in Maryland: questions
When should I plant carrots in Maryland?
Direct sow around Mar 22 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Mar 13 in the warmest tenth of Maryland's ZIP codes to Apr 8 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from Apr 19 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in Maryland?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is Apr 5. In the warmest tenth of Maryland's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Mar 27; in the coldest tenth, on or after Apr 22.
When will Maryland carrots be ready to harvest?
Nantes Carrot planted on the statewide date is ready around May 31: 70 days from sow.
More for Maryland
- When to plant tomatoes
- When to plant peppers
- When to plant tomatillos
- When to plant basil
- When to plant onions
- When to plant cilantro
- When to plant mustard greens
Carrots in every state → · Maryland frost dates → · How frost-date math works →