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A Scarlet Nantes carrot freshly pulled from the garden

How to Grow Scarlet Nantes Carrots From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

Scarlet Nantes is the classic all-purpose carrot, a bright red-orange, cylindrical root that stays sweet and crisp with almost no core. It grows quickly, reaching a blunt-tipped 6 to 7 inches in about 65 to 70 days, and does not even need peeling. This is the carrot most gardeners picture when they think of a home-grown carrot, reliable, tender, and endlessly useful in the kitchen. Sow it straight into loose, stone-free soil for the best long, straight roots.

Prefer a ready mix? Try our heirloom carrot seeds and grow multiple carrot types from a single pack.

This is the quick guide to Scarlet Nantes. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, sowing, feeding, and troubleshooting carrots, see our complete guide to growing carrots from seed.

Quick start

Sow Scarlet Nantes seed directly about a quarter inch deep in loose, stone-free soil, since carrots do not transplant well. Keep the surface moist through the slow 14 to 21 day germination, then thin seedlings to 2 to 3 inches apart. Water evenly so roots grow long and sweet, about an inch a week. Pull the bright orange, cylindrical roots at full size in about 65 to 70 days.

Best tip

Scarlet Nantes is forgiving and quick, but it truly shines when the soil stays evenly moist and you thin ruthlessly, since crowded roots stay skinny. Sow a short row every 2 to 3 weeks from early spring for a steady supply. In hot regions like the South, a late-summer sowing that matures in cool fall weather gives the sweetest carrots, while the North can sow spring through midsummer.

At a glance

How to Grow Scarlet Nantes Carrots From Seed — growing specifications at a glance
Botanical name	Daucus carota subsp. sativus
Plant type	Cool-season biennial grown as an annual
USDA zones	2 to 11 (grown as an annual)
Sun	Full sun (6+ hours); tolerates light shade
Days to maturity	65 to 70 days
Height	Roots 6 to 7 inches
Spacing	Thin to 2 to 3 inches apart
Water	Even and steady; about 1 inch a week

Uses

Scarlet Nantes is the go-to kitchen carrot, sweet and crisp enough to eat raw, and just as good juiced, roasted, steamed, or grated into salads and cakes. Its near-coreless flesh means no woody center to cut around, and it works in any recipe that calls for carrots. The feathery green tops are edible too, chopped into soups or blended into a pesto.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Scarlet Nantes carrot take to grow?

Scarlet Nantes matures in about 65 to 70 days from sowing, making it one of the quicker carrots to grow. Sow directly and thin early so roots have room to size up. Leaving them until full size gives the sweetest flavor.

What does a Scarlet Nantes carrot look like?

It is a bright red-orange, cylindrical carrot with a blunt tip, growing 6 to 7 inches long and staying straight rather than tapering. The flesh is nearly coreless, smooth, and does not need peeling.

What is the best use for Scarlet Nantes carrots?

Their sweet, crisp, near-coreless flesh makes them ideal for eating fresh and juicing, but they cook well too by roasting, steaming, or boiling. They are a true all-purpose carrot for any recipe.

How do I grow the sweetest Scarlet Nantes carrots?

Grow them in loose, evenly moist soil, thin to 2 to 3 inches apart, and let them reach full size before pulling. A crop that matures in cool fall weather will taste noticeably sweeter than one rushed through summer heat.

Ready to grow your own? Scarlet Nantes gives you sweet, near-coreless orange carrots that are perfect fresh, juiced, or cooked. For the full step-by-step, see our complete carrot growing guide linked at the top of this page.

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Want more carrots? These value packs pair Scarlet Nantes with other varieties:

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.