Plant Carrots in Zone 4a

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 4a

Direct sow

Apr 26

Harvest (~70d)

Jul 5

Zone 4a averages 135 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around May 10 to a first fall frost around September 22. Carrots needs roughly 70 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 52 percent of that window. Carrots is a hardy crop, which is what decides where in the window it belongs.

Carrots handles cold soil, so there is no reason to wait for the frost date. Direct sow around Apr 26, roughly 2 weeks before the Zone 4a last frost, as soon as the ground is workable. Sowing at the last frost instead costs you the coolest and best part of the season.

Planting carrots for a fall harvest in Zone 4a

Yes. Sow carrots by July 28 in Zone 4a. That is 56 days before the average first frost, which covers the 70 days to maturity plus about two weeks for the slower growth that comes with shortening days, minus the roughly 28 days carrots keeps going once light frost arrives.

Carrots convert starch to sugar in cold soil, so fall carrots taste noticeably sweeter. Under a straw mulch they hold in the ground well past the first hard freeze.

Fall sowing opens

Jul 7

Sow by (last chance)

Jul 28

Fall harvest

Oct 6

Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 4a average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.

Spring vs fall carrots in Zone 4a

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Apr 26	Apr 26	Jul 5
Fall	by Jul 28	Jul 28	Oct 6

Last spring frost

May 10

First fall frost

Sep 22

Growing season

135 days

Carrots in nearby zones

Carrots in Zone 3b (colder) Carrots in Zone 4b (warmer) Full Carrots grow guide Zone 4a planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 4a

Tomatoes in Zone 4a Peppers in Zone 4a Cucumbers in Zone 4a Lettuce in Zone 4a Zucchini in Zone 4a Beans (bush) in Zone 4a Peas in Zone 4a Broccoli in Zone 4a Spinach in Zone 4a Kale in Zone 4a Onions in Zone 4a Garlic in Zone 4a Potatoes in Zone 4a Squash (winter) in Zone 4a Corn in Zone 4a Radishes in Zone 4a Beets in Zone 4a Eggplant in Zone 4a Basil in Zone 4a Cilantro in Zone 4a Parsley in Zone 4a Pumpkins in Zone 4a Sunflowers in Zone 4a

Frequently asked questions

When should I start carrots in Zone 4a?

Direct sow outdoors around Apr 26.

Can I direct sow carrots in Zone 4a?

Yes, direct sow around Apr 26.

Can I plant carrots in the fall in Zone 4a?

Will carrots survive frost in Zone 4a?

Carrots is a hardy crop and keeps going roughly 28 days past the first light frost in Zone 4a. A row cover or a straw mulch buys more.