When to plant · 22 cities · zones 7b–8a
When to plant carrots in Tennessee
Direct sow nantes carrot around Mar 23 — the Tennessee statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of Apr 6 across 636 ZIP codes and 154 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.
Tennessee carrots, by step
Statewide median last frost Apr 6, first fall frost Oct 29, 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 23 | Jun 1 | 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 Tennessee's ZIP codes resolve to.
Carrots in Tennessee, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashvillezone 7b | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Memphiszone 8a | Mar 16 | Mar 2 | May 11 |
| Knoxvillezone 7b | Apr 11 | Mar 28 | Jun 6 |
| Chattanoogazone 8a | Mar 24 | Mar 10 | May 19 |
| Clarksvillezone 7b | Apr 10 | Mar 27 | Jun 5 |
| Murfreesborozone 7b | Apr 9 | Mar 26 | Jun 4 |
| Franklinzone 7b | Apr 15 | Apr 1 | Jun 10 |
| Johnson Cityzone 7b | Apr 19 | Apr 5 | Jun 14 |
| Jacksonzone 7b | Apr 2 | Mar 19 | May 28 |
| Hendersonvillezone 7b | Apr 11 | Mar 28 | Jun 6 |
| Smyrnazone 7b | Apr 13 | Mar 30 | Jun 8 |
| Spring Hillzone 7b | Apr 3 | Mar 20 | May 29 |
| Kingsportzone 7b | Apr 9 | Mar 26 | Jun 4 |
| Bartlettzone 8a | Mar 29 | Mar 15 | May 24 |
| Gallatinzone 7b | Apr 16 | Apr 2 | Jun 11 |
| Colliervillezone 8a | Mar 29 | Mar 15 | May 24 |
| Lebanonzone 7b | Apr 10 | Mar 27 | Jun 5 |
| Clevelandzone 7b | Apr 6 | Mar 23 | Jun 1 |
| Columbiazone 7b | Apr 10 | Mar 27 | Jun 5 |
| Brentwoodzone 7b | Apr 15 | Apr 1 | Jun 10 |
| Mount Julietzone 7b | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| La Vergnezone 7b | Apr 13 | Mar 30 | Jun 8 |
What Tennessee 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 Tennessee: questions
When should I plant carrots in Tennessee?
Direct sow around Mar 23 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Mar 14 in the warmest tenth of Tennessee's ZIP codes to Apr 6 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from Apr 23 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in Tennessee?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is Apr 6. In the warmest tenth of Tennessee's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Mar 28; in the coldest tenth, on or after Apr 20.
When will Tennessee carrots be ready to harvest?
Nantes Carrot planted on the statewide date is ready around Jun 1: 70 days from sow.
More for Tennessee
- 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 → · Tennessee frost dates → · How frost-date math works →