When to plant · 29 cities · zones 6a–6b
When to plant carrots in Michigan
Direct sow nantes carrot around Apr 19 — the Michigan statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of May 3 across 988 ZIP codes and 196 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.
Michigan carrots, by step
Statewide median last frost May 3, first fall frost Oct 14, 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 | Apr 19 | Jun 28 | 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 Michigan's ZIP codes resolve to; 4 of 992 ZIPs have no datable freeze and are left out.
Carrots in Michigan, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroitzone 6b | Apr 27 | Apr 13 | Jun 22 |
| Grand Rapidszone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Warrenzone 6b | Apr 21 | Apr 7 | Jun 16 |
| Sterling Heightszone 6b | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Jun 25 |
| Ann Arborzone 6a | May 5 | Apr 21 | Jun 30 |
| Lansingzone 6a | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Dearbornzone 6b | Apr 27 | Apr 13 | Jun 22 |
| Livoniazone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Troyzone 6b | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | Jun 21 |
| Farmington Hillszone 6a | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Westlandzone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Flintzone 6a | May 3 | Apr 19 | Jun 28 |
| Wyomingzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Rochester Hillszone 6a | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | Jun 21 |
| Southfieldzone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Kalamazoozone 6a | Apr 28 | Apr 14 | Jun 23 |
| Novizone 6a | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Pontiaczone 6a | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | Jun 21 |
| Taylorzone 6b | Apr 20 | Apr 6 | Jun 15 |
| Dearborn Heightszone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Royal Oakzone 6b | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | Jun 21 |
| St. Clair Shoreszone 6b | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Kentwoodzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Battle Creekzone 6a | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Jun 25 |
| Portagezone 6a | Apr 28 | Apr 14 | Jun 23 |
| East Lansingzone 6a | Apr 28 | Apr 14 | Jun 23 |
| Rosevillezone 6b | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Saginawzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Midlandzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
What Michigan 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 Michigan: questions
When should I plant carrots in Michigan?
Direct sow around Apr 19 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Apr 12 in the warmest tenth of Michigan's ZIP codes to May 9 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from May 20 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in Michigan?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is May 3. In the warmest tenth of Michigan's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Apr 26; in the coldest tenth, on or after May 23.
When will Michigan carrots be ready to harvest?
Nantes Carrot planted on the statewide date is ready around Jun 28: 70 days from sow.
More for Michigan
- 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 → · Michigan frost dates → · How frost-date math works →