Black Nebula Carrot

Product Description

75-80 days. Black Carrots may seem like a new-fangled curiosity, but in all truth, they have deeper roots (pun intended) than their orange cousins, having originated in the Middle and Far East long before orange and yellow Carrots were cultivated. Their purple color comes from a high concentration of anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. Many so-called black Carrots are dark purple on the outside with an orange core, but our Nantes-style Black Nebula is deep purple through and through.

How To Grow

Prior to sowing, cultivate the bed deeply and thoroughly to promote baby root growth. Do not sow Carrots in freshly manured soil because they will fork (grow into odd mutant shapes). Keep the soil moist until they germinate. Thin seedlings 1″ to 2″ apart so each can grow with space and nutrition. Later, thin as desired by variety or preferred mature size. Tomatoes love Carrots nearby: they appear to boost Tomato yields. The Carrot has come a long way since its wild days of old when its leaves and seeds were more popular than its woody, almost inedible taproot. Today, sweet, crisp-tender Carrots come in all sizes, shapes and colors. Along with Celery and Onions, Carrots comprise the aromatic French mirepoix, the flavor base of stocks, soups, stews and sauces. Rich in beta-carotene, Vitamin A, antioxidants and minerals, starch-free Carrots have a high sugar content, which explains their roasted caramelized goodness. We adore them steamed, braised and spiced, roasted, pureed into luscious soups and sweet-savory flans, shredded raw in salads, juiced, or mashed with Potatoes. Deer resistant.

Carrots, like Parsley, Dill and other Umbelliferae, can be difficult to germinate when direct-sown outdoors. To speed things up, be sure you keep the seed bed continually moist until the sprouts emerge.

Planting Depth: 1⁄4"
Row Spacing: 12"
Seed Spacing: 1"-2"
Days to Germination: 14-21 days
Germination Temperature: 45°-85°F

Carrots grow best in moderately fertile, sandy and well-draining soil. Sow seed thinly in rows when the soil has warmed to 45°F, usually as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Or, mix the seed with fine sand for easier seed distribution. Barely cover with fine soil, tamp down lightly and water with a fine spray. Your challenge: to keep the seed in place while keeping the surface soil from drying and crusting!

Until seeds germinate, keep the soil moist with frequent, light water sprinklings. The first thinning should be 1" to 2" apart. Later on, thin as desired depending on the variety. Frequent finicky weeding and watering until the seedlings take hold will pay off in a juicy, luscious Carrot crop. Carrots are at their sweetest when small, so harvest by gently pulling them out while holding the base of the greens.