Rainline Garden

When to plant carrots in Oregon and Washington

In Portland: Plant carrots from seed, directly in the garden, Mar 15 – May 10. For a fall harvest, plant again Jul 23 – Aug 6. In Bend: May 12 – Jul 7. Find your city below.

Difficulty
Moderate
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
Thin to 2 inches apart
Planting depth
¼ inch deep
Frost
Handles light frost
First harvest
About 70 days after planting

Keep the seedbed moist until they sprout, which can take two to three weeks in cool soil.

Carrots planting dates by city

CityPlant in the gardenPlant again for fall
Astoria, ORApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Baker City, ORApr 27 – Jun 22—
Bend and Redmond, ORMay 12 – Jul 7—
Burns, ORMay 14 – Jul 9—
Coos Bay and North Bend, ORApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Eugene, ORMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Gresham, ORMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Klamath Falls, ORMay 12 – Jul 7—
Medford, ORMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Pendleton, ORApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Portland, ORMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Roseburg, ORMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Salem, ORMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
The Dalles, ORApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Wilsonville and Canby, ORMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WAApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Bellingham, WAMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Ellensburg, WAApr 15 – Jun 10Jul 15–29
Everett, WAMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Forks, WAApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Moses Lake, WAApr 1 – May 27Jul 16–30
Olympia, WAApr 1 – May 27Jul 22 – Aug 5
Omak and Okanogan, WAApr 15 – Jun 10Jul 15–29
Seattle and Tacoma, WAMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Spokane, WAApr 15 – Jun 10Jul 20 – Aug 3
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WAApr 1 – May 27Jul 19 – Aug 2
Vancouver, WAMar 15 – May 10Jul 23 – Aug 6
Walla Walla, WAApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Wenatchee, WAApr 1 – May 27Jul 23 – Aug 6
Yakima, WAApr 10 – Jun 5Jul 12–26

How to grow carrots

  1. Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
  2. Plant seeds on your city's dates, ¼ inch deep, Thin to 2 inches apart.
  3. Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
  4. Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
  5. Harvest: Pull when the shoulders are about ¾ inch across. Fall carrots sweeten after a light frost.

Varieties that do well in the Northwest

Watch out for

Carrot rust fly larvae tunnel through roots. Cover the bed with insect netting from sowing on.

More root vegetables

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