A seed tape version of this popular heirloom carrot! Scarlet Nantes is workhorse that is widely adapted and often out-performs some of the more finicky Nantes hybrids. Expect great flavour and strong tops on 18cm (7”) carrots. They can also be harvested as baby carrots.
1 pack includes 2 x 2.5m (6.5') of tape and contains approximately 430 seeds in total.
Start by making shallow rows in prepared soil. Unfold tape and separate the two strips. Place tape in the rows and water. Cover with 5mm (0.25 inch) of soil. Water well. Keep consistent moisture until seeds sprout in 14-21 days.
Matures in 65-70 days.
West Coast Seeds Scarlet Nantes Seed Tape, 2 x 2.5m Per Package
Starting
Because carrot seeds are tiny, they need to be sown shallowly. The trick is to keep the top-most layer of soil damp during the relatively long germination period. Water deeply prior to planting. Unfold the seed tape and separate into two strips. Place the seed tape on the surface and lightly cover with soil, approximately 5mm (¼”) deep, in rows 30-45cm (12-18”) apart, and firm soil lightly after seeding. Make sure the seeds are only just buried. Water the area gently and keep it constantly moist until the seeds sprout.
Timing
Direct sow from just after the last frost date to late summer for harvests from summer through early winter. Sow at 3 week intervals for a continuous harvest. Direct sow winter-harvest carrots (where winters are mild) in the first two weeks of August. Optimal soil temperature: 7-30°C (45-85°F). Seeds may take as long as 14-21 days to germinate.
Harvest
Carrots can be harvested at any size, but flavour is best when the carrot has turned bright orange (or its other mature colour). After harvest, store at cold temperatures just above 0ºC. Store in sand or sawdust, or simply leave carrots under heaped soil in the garden during the winter, and pull as needed.
