Explore LibraryStart free trial
← Plant Library

When to Plant Carrots in California

California spans USDA hardiness 5b to 11a (zones 5b to 11a on this page). Plant carrots by your local frost date, not the calendar — pick your zone below for exact start-indoors, transplant, and harvest dates.

Jump to: Zone 5b · Zone 6a · Zone 6b · Zone 7a · Zone 7b · Zone 8a · Zone 8b · Zone 9a · Zone 9b · Zone 10a · Zone 10b · Zone 11a

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 5b

Average last spring frost

April 30

Average first fall frost

October 5

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Apr 16

🌾

Projected first harvest

Jun 25

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Aug 3

🌾

Projected first harvest

Oct 12

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 5b (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 5 guide (both 5a and 5b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 6a

Average last spring frost

April 25

Average first fall frost

October 10

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Apr 11

🌾

Projected first harvest

Jun 20

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Aug 8

🌾

Projected first harvest

Oct 17

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 6a (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 6 guide (both 6a and 6b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 6b

Average last spring frost

April 20

Average first fall frost

October 15

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Apr 6

🌾

Projected first harvest

Jun 15

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Aug 13

🌾

Projected first harvest

Oct 22

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 6b (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 6 guide (both 6a and 6b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 7a

Average last spring frost

April 15

Average first fall frost

October 20

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Apr 1

🌾

Projected first harvest

Jun 10

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Aug 18

🌾

Projected first harvest

Oct 27

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 7a (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 7 guide (both 7a and 7b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 7b

Average last spring frost

April 10

Average first fall frost

October 30

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Mar 27

🌾

Projected first harvest

Jun 5

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Aug 28

🌾

Projected first harvest

Nov 6

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 7b (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 7 guide (both 7a and 7b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 8a

Average last spring frost

April 1

Average first fall frost

November 10

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Mar 18

🌾

Projected first harvest

May 27

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Sep 8

🌾

Projected first harvest

Nov 17

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 8a (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 8 guide (both 8a and 8b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 8b

Average last spring frost

March 20

Average first fall frost

November 20

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Mar 6

🌾

Projected first harvest

May 15

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Sep 18

🌾

Projected first harvest

Nov 27

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 8b (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 8 guide (both 8a and 8b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 9a

Average last spring frost

March 1

Average first fall frost

December 1

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Feb 15

🌾

Projected first harvest

Apr 26

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Sep 29

🌾

Projected first harvest

Dec 8

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 9a (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 9 guide (both 9a and 9b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 9b

Average last spring frost

February 15

Average first fall frost

December 15

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Feb 1

🌾

Projected first harvest

Apr 12

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Oct 13

🌾

Projected first harvest

Dec 22

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 9b (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 9 guide (both 9a and 9b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 10a

Average last spring frost

January 30

Average first fall frost

December 30

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Jan 16

🌾

Projected first harvest

Mar 27

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Oct 28

🌾

Projected first harvest

Jan 6

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 10a (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 10 guide (both 10a and 10b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 10b

Average last spring frost

January 30

Average first fall frost

December 30

spring planting

🌿

Direct sow

Jan 16

🌾

Projected first harvest

Mar 27

fall planting

🌿

Direct sow

Oct 28

🌾

Projected first harvest

Jan 6

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

spring planting

fall planting

🌱 Start indoors🌿 Growing outside🌾 HarvestTodayZone 10b (approximate)

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety. Full zone 10 guide (both 10a and 10b) →

Carrots planting calendar for California, Zone 11a

Zone 11a doesn't get a seasonal frost — carrots plants on a warm/cool-season calendar instead of frost dates.

🗓️

Best planting window

Year-round

🌾

Time to harvest

~70 days

🌴 Your zone never frosts, so planting is timed to the cooler vs. warmer seasons rather than a frost date.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
🌿 Planting windowTodayZone 11a: frost-free; timed to seasons, not frost

Most carrots mature in about 54 to 75 days depending on the variety.

Not sure which half-zone you're in? Set your ZIP in HomeSown for dates tuned to your exact location.

Varieties to grow

12 varieties of carrots in the HomeSown library. Tap any for its full grow guide.

Atomic Red Carrot →Bolero Carrot →Chantenay Carrot →Cosmic Purple Carrot →Danvers Carrot →Dragon Carrot →Imperator Carrot →Mokum Carrot →Nantes Carrot →Paris Market Carrot →Rainbow Carrot Mix →White Satin Carrot →

Common problems with carrots

What to watch for, with identification and treatment for each

Carrot WeevilCarrot Rust FlyParsleywormWirewormsGroundhogsAntsCavity SpotCommon ScabForkingWoody RootsHollow HeartCracking & Splitting

🌱 Grow carrots with a calendar built for your exact yard

HomeSown turns your ZIP code into a personalized planting calendar, watering reminders, and pest help. Free to start.

Start your free garden →

carrots — full zone guide

All zonesZone 5 →Zone 6 →Zone 7 →Zone 8 →Zone 9 →Zone 10 →