Planting Rainbow Carrot
Rainbow Carrot is a cool season vegetable in the Apiaceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
You can sow Rainbow Carrot directly into the garden 2–4 weeks before your last frost.
For a fall crop, sow 10–12 weeks before your first fall frost so plants mature as the weather cools.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Rainbow Carrot room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 3 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 12 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 4 |
| Planting depth | 0.25 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Plan a square-foot bed with Rainbow Carrot →
Calculate plants in a bed for Rainbow Carrot →
Days to Maturity
Rainbow Carrot reaches maturity in 65–75 days from sowing.
For a continuous harvest, sow a new batch every 21 days. Use the succession planting scheduler →
Rainbow Carrot is ready to harvest after about 70 days. Harvest before summer heat or, for fall crops, before a hard freeze, to keep quality high.
Conditions and Care
As a cool-season vegetable, Rainbow Carrot does its best growing in the cooler weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. It is half-hardy — it withstands light frost but should be protected from a hard freeze.
Rainbow Carrot needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 0.25 inches deep — small seed is sown shallow and barely covered, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Rainbow Carrot belongs to the Apiaceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Because it matures relatively quickly, Rainbow Carrot rewards succession sowing: small, repeated plantings keep a steady supply coming rather than one short glut.
See Rainbow Carrot in the full planting calendar for your ZIP →
Plan crop rotation for Apiaceae →
Companion Plants
Pairing Rainbow Carrot with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Grows well with: Lettuce (Loose-leaf), Tomato, Onion
Keep away from: Dill
Check Rainbow Carrot with other crops in your garden →
Related Crops
Other crops you might grow alongside or instead of Rainbow Carrot.
In the same family
Rainbow Carrot is in the Apiaceae family. Other Apiaceae crops in the Gardenable database:
Documented companions
These crops are listed as good growing partners for Rainbow Carrot:
Similar growing requirements
Crops with similar season and time to maturity — useful if you want a diverse garden on a similar schedule: