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Planting: Carrots (Daucus carota) are cool-season plants that grow best at average temperatures between 60 and 65 F. The optimum soil temperature for seed germination is 55 to 75 F. Seeds will not germinate above 95 F.
Currently, three species, the northern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla), carrot cyst nematode (Heterodera carotae) and P. penetrans root-lesion nematode (Pratylenchus penetrans) are recognized as important pathogens in Michigan (MI) carrot production.
General Description: A biennial forming a basal rosette of leaves the first year and an erect flowering stalk (1 m in height) the following year. The foliage is fern-like with a carrot-like odor.
Discover Life's encyclopedia page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification and distribution of Discover Life -- Carrot, Daucus carota image
Conventional, IP and organic: Most growers use 5-7 cm wide bands with double or triple rows. A spacing of 45 cm is mostly used between the bands beneath the tractor and 60 cm spacing is used for tractor wheeling.
Origin of the name (etimology) : Well known by our forefathers who used to give it heating properties : "daucus" comes from daukos, name given by the Greeks to some members of the the Umbelliferae family and it seems to derive from "daîo" : I overheat .