Botanical Interest
Germination: 10-25 days
Maturity: 70 days
"Carrots are a cool season crop, with optimal growth between 60°-65°F, with a minimum of 45°F and a maximum of 75°F. Fall crops can be started in the heat of late summer to ensure that a substantial period of cool weather exists before frost. Color development is determined by temperature. Maximum color development occurs in the 60°-75°F optimal growth range. Temperatures over 70°F will also reduce root length, while temperatures below 60°F will produce longer roots. " UGA Crop Profile for Carrots
"Purple carrots were prevalent in European and Middle Eastern markets until the orange carrot's introduction...Purple carrots originated over five thousand years ago in present-day Afghanistan in Central Asia. Considered to be one of the original carrots to be domesticated, many natural hybrids and mutants were developed and crossed with wild and cultivated varieties creating new cultivars varying in core color, size, and flavor. Purple carrots were then transported via seeds across Africa, Europe, and Eastern Asia and were sold during trade expeditions. Today Purple carrots are found at local farmers markets, specialty grocers, and in home gardens in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
" - Specialty Produce
Produces 6"–7" long conical roots with long tapered ends, purple skin and orange core. Cross between imperator and nantes types.
Care should be taken to harvest carrots at optimum for the particular market because over-mature carrots can develop woody centers particularly in older varieties. Over-mature carrots are also more prone to breakage during harvest. However, delaying harvest by 7-10 days after the appropriate size has been reached will increase the sugar content in mild climatic conditions. Thus, it may be better to delay harvest by one to two weeks depending on the weather.
Carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus) is a member of the Umbelliferae family. Other vegetable crops and herbs in this family include celery, parsnip, parsley, dill, caraway, anise, coriander and fennel. Domestic carrots may have evolved from a wild form similar to its relative known in North America as Queen Anne's Lace. The family name comes from the flower form, which is an umbel. Characteristic of most of the family's plants, an umbel has individual flower stalks originating from the same point on the stem. Carrots probably originated in Asia around northwest India. Cultivation of carrots for medicinal purposes began 2000 to 3000 years ago. They were used for a myriad of medicinal purposes including stomach ulcers, abscesses, bladder, liver and kidney problems, to aid in childbirth and even as aphrodisiacs. Cultivation of roots for consumption dates back to 600 A.D. when purple root types were grown in the area currently known as Afghanistan.
Yellow types were eventually selected and produced in Syria and Iran in the ninth or tenth century. Carrots were introduced to China by the thirteenth century and cultivation spread from the Middle East to Italy, Spain and throughout Europe by the fourteenth century. Eventually, white and orange types were selected. Orange types, first grown in the Netherlands during the seventeenth century, were brought to North America by early settlers. The root was popular with Native Americans and production currently exists worldwide. One of the reasons production is so widespread is that carrots are the major single source of Vitamin A in the diets of many cultures. They are also a good source of other vitamins, minerals and fiber.
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Serving fresh in salads or vegetable platters, light sautéing or roasting showcases the dramatic colors. "The carrots can also be lightly sautéed or roasted to develop a sweet, caramelized flavor. Leafy tops of carrots can be blended into sauces, minced into salads, or lightly sautéed and served as a side dish. Purple carrots pair well with pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts, radishes, tomatoes, cheeses such as pecorino, cheddar, and parmesan, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and potatoes." Avoid storing carrots with fruits, as fruits produce an ethylene gas which may make the carrots bitter.
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