Developed in the late nineteenth century in Connecticut, the Danvers carrot worked wonderfully interplanted with onions and worked particularly well in the heavy soils because of its higher fiber content than the Nantes type carrots. Thinner and longer than a Chantenay type (growing 6"-8" long), it has wonderful flavor and is resistant to cracks and splits. The strong tops make harvesting easy. This packet plants one 12-foot row. Although carrots 'prefer cool soils to begin life and warm soils to finish it', you can grow both a spring and fall crop. Carrots will germinate in soils as cool as 45 degrees, and in the fall they can still be dug from the garden and eaten until the ground freezes.
When to plant outside: RECOMMENDED. First sowing should be 2-4 weeks before average last frost. Successive plantings can be sown every 3-4 weeks until 60 days before the first fall frost. In warm climates with lows above 25 degrees, they can be grown all winter.
When to start inside: Not recommended.
Special Germination Instructions: Soak seeds in water for 12 hours before sowing. (Press them dry between paper towels afterwards to reduce clumping.) Plant 4 seeds per inch. When inch tall, thin to 1 plant per every 3 inches. A favorite gardening tip is to alternate carrot seeds and radish seeds. The radishes will mature first. As they are pulled, the carrots then have more growing room and water going towards their roots from the spaces in between.
