Description
Carrot Scarlet Nantes (Daucus carota)
Scarlet Nantes is a good variety for cool season production.
It is a classic heirloom variety prized for its sweet, crisp texture and mild, earthy flavor. These nearly coreless carrots grow straight and smooth with blunt ends, making them ideal for snacking, juicing, roasting, or adding to salads and soups.
This widely adapted, versatile variety is wonderful for the home garden as it can also be used for young or baby carrots, as well as for larger, mature carrots. It is often used by producers who require young carrots for the pre-packed, fresh market, as well as mature ones, and larger carrots are good for processing.
This variety is very slow to bolt and yield potential is high. It is best suited to early cool season production and is best when sown in late summer through autumn. If sown in late summer crops can be harvested from 65 to 70 days. If sown in autumn it can be harvested from 70 to 80 days.
In cooler summer regions seed can be sown for a spring and early summer crop.
This versatile variety grows well in many regions and stores beautifully after harvest.
In the Kitchen
Scarlet Nantes carrots are delicious fresh, roasted, steamed, juiced, added to soups, salads, stews, bakes, and healthy snacks. Their naturally sweet flavour makes them a kitchen favourite.
Cultivation & Harvesting
Carrots grow best in full sun and loose, well-drained soil free of stones and hard clumps.
- Sow seeds directly into the soil
- Keep soil consistently moist during germination
- Thin seedlings for proper root development
- Avoid fresh manure and overfeeding
- Harvest young for the sweetest flavour
Cape Market carrots are generally ready to harvest in 100 to 140 days, depending on the season and growing conditions.
Growing in Containers
Carrots grow exceptionally well in deep containers filled with fine, airy potting soil. Keep soil evenly moist and thin seedlings carefully for straight, healthy roots.
Health Benefits
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and K, antioxidants, and fibre. They support healthy eyesight, digestion, immunity, heart health, and overall wellbeing.
