When to plant · 27 cities · zones 7b–8b
When to plant carrots in North Carolina
Direct sow nantes carrot around Mar 17 — the North Carolina statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of Mar 31 across 853 ZIP codes and 185 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.
North Carolina carrots, by step
Statewide median last frost Mar 31, first fall frost Nov 4, 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 17 | May 26 | 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 North Carolina's ZIP codes resolve to.
Carrots in North Carolina, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottezone 8a | Mar 30 | Mar 16 | May 25 |
| Raleighzone 8a | Mar 28 | Mar 14 | May 23 |
| Greensborozone 8a | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Durhamzone 8a | Apr 2 | Mar 19 | May 28 |
| Winston-Salemzone 8a | Mar 26 | Mar 12 | May 21 |
| Fayettevillezone 8a | Mar 30 | Mar 16 | May 25 |
| Caryzone 8a | Mar 27 | Mar 13 | May 22 |
| Wilmingtonzone 8b | Mar 19 | Mar 5 | May 14 |
| High Pointzone 8a | Mar 30 | Mar 16 | May 25 |
| Concordzone 8a | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Greenvillezone 8a | Mar 27 | Mar 13 | May 22 |
| Ashevillezone 7b | Apr 6 | Mar 23 | Jun 1 |
| Gastoniazone 8a | Mar 27 | Mar 13 | May 22 |
| Apexzone 8a | Apr 6 | Mar 23 | Jun 1 |
| Jacksonvillezone 8b | Mar 23 | Mar 9 | May 18 |
| Huntersvillezone 8a | Mar 30 | Mar 16 | May 25 |
| Chapel Hillzone 8a | Mar 31 | Mar 17 | May 26 |
| Burlingtonzone 8a | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Kannapoliszone 8a | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Wake Forestzone 8a | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Rocky Mountzone 8a | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Mooresvillezone 8a | Apr 9 | Mar 26 | Jun 4 |
| Holly Springszone 8a | Mar 31 | Mar 17 | May 26 |
| Wilsonzone 8a | Mar 22 | Mar 8 | May 17 |
| Fuquay-Varinazone 8a | Apr 6 | Mar 23 | Jun 1 |
| Hickoryzone 8a | Mar 31 | Mar 17 | May 26 |
| Indian Trailzone 8a | Mar 31 | Mar 17 | May 26 |
What North Carolina 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 North Carolina: questions
When should I plant carrots in North Carolina?
Direct sow around Mar 17 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Mar 8 in the warmest tenth of North Carolina's ZIP codes to Apr 5 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from Apr 16 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in North Carolina?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is Mar 31. In the warmest tenth of North Carolina's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Mar 22; in the coldest tenth, on or after Apr 19.
When will North Carolina carrots be ready to harvest?
Nantes Carrot planted on the statewide date is ready around May 26: 70 days from sow.
More for North Carolina
- 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 → · North Carolina frost dates → · How frost-date math works →