How to Grow Danver Carrots

Carrots are a very nutritious vegetable and a hearty plant to include in your garden. They are a great source of Vitamins A, C, K, D, E, B1 and B6, as well as Threonine, biotin, and carbohydrates. As a biennial crop, they will fruit in the first year and go to seed by the second year. 
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You can begin planting carrots 3 weeks before the last frost date in your area. The warmer the soil is the faster seeds will sprout; the colder the soil is the slower seeds will sprout. 

Danver carrots have a root size and shape that excels in heavy and shallow soil. Even if it is heavy, you should still add compost to your soil mixture. The looser and less rock-inhabited soil you build, the better your Danver carrots will grow. 

Don’t plant all of your carrot seeds at once because you’ll end up with a lot of carrots at one time and then no carrots later in the season. As your carrot seeds sprout and if you have more space in your garden, plant more rows to ensure you’ll have carrots throughout the growing season. In warmer climates, you can get away with planting carrots in the fall and winter. 

Danver carrots need a lot of moisture to grow so you’ll need to prioritize watering and take measures such as increasing the amount of mulch around your plants to allow for longer water retention. 

Growing in the ground: While most rows can be dug to just 6 or 8 inches, you should double dig your space for Danver carrots. This means you’ll want to dig to 16-18 inches deep. You can plant in rows or clusters. If planting in rows, keep 1-2 feet apart. Add ¼ to ½ inch of compost, potting mix, or sand over the seeds you sow into the ground. This creates soft soil that makes it easier for the sprout to break through the upper layer. Thin to 1-2 inches apart as the carrots begin to sprout. 

Growing in a container: The best containers for growing Danver carrots are wide and short, reaching a depth of about 10 inches. Buy potting soil specific to container growing, if possible, but it's not neccessary. Sprinkle seeds generously atop the soil, covering every square inch. Apply a layer of soil over the seeds and water to kickstart germination. Once the seeds have sprouted, thin carrots so that there are 1-2 inches of space in between each plant. 
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Growing in a raised bed: Fill up your bed to about 12 inches of soil. The soil needs to be rich and fluffy in whatever manner works for you. Generally this includes developing a mixture of manure, potting soil, sand, sticks and leaves, and peat moss. The most important element to look out for is rocks as you want to have as few as possible lurking within your soil. After germination, place mulch around your seedlings for added water retention. Thin 1-2 inches apart once seeds have sprouted and apply compost as desired to increase the health of your Danver carrots.