# Carrots going to seed 1st year-whats up?



## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

I planted carrots as usual, in a new garden area, so I KNOW these aren't hold overs from a prior year, but there are several plants that have produced blooms. I thought carrots only bloomed and went to seed the second year, so not sure what made this happen. If I could produce the results again, it would be great, wouldn't have to wait and replant carrots to get seed, etc. Any thoughts? They aren't the wild carrot, either, there ARE carrots on the bottoms. I'm going to watch them and try to save the seeds when they look dry enough. Jan in Co


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I don't know why but mine did the same thing last year. I gathered some seeds and some I missed. I have wonderful volunteer whites, pale yellows and oranges in my pathways and beds--better than I planted. (I did grow those colors last year.)


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Happens every year with me. However, only 1 of 6 varieties is doing it this year. There are 2 such plants in the Kuroda row which bolted. No saving seeds, however. There's wild carrots all around the garden complex and a cross would be virtually guaranteed.

Martin


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

this is my first year for growing carrots and I have one little carrot that decided to go to seed. It is almost finished, so I am going to try to save them and see what I get. I don't know what variety it is since we had a little flood in the spring and all the seeds got washed together onto one side of the bed. I do hope the seeds will produce something though!


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## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

Well, good! If it happens to Martin's carrots, I won't worry! I was wondering if aliens came during the night and nuked my carrots or something, as every site said they bloom and seed during the second year! Jan in Co


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## karsan (Feb 10, 2005)

Callieslamb, please tell us how the experiment of saving first year's seeds turn out. I had some carrots starting to get flowers, but I throw them away. I figured that if first year's bolting is an inherited trait, I might end up with lots of them doing that next year.

karsan


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i am lost here--since when do carrots come back the next year? i always thought they had to be replanted and i have never seen them seed out. is it only certain kinds?


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## DoubleD (Jan 28, 2007)

mare - carrots are biennial plants. The first year is root development which the gardener then plucks and consumes! If left in the ground over winter (or if the root is carefully replanted in spring) the plant will then go on to produce seed in that second year of growth. Folks who save seed go through the holdover to second year process - most gardeners do not (or at least not on purpose). Carrots are one plant though that really require a little more skill and isolation techniques if you want true to type seed. Outside of my level of seed saving ability or interest.


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## Weeordie (Sep 1, 2020)

Jan in CO said:


> I planted carrots as usual, in a new garden area, so I KNOW these aren't hold overs from a prior year, but there are several plants that have produced blooms. I thought carrots only bloomed and went to seed the second year, so not sure what made this happen. If I could produce the results again, it would be great, wouldn't have to wait and replant carrots to get seed, etc. Any thoughts? They aren't the wild carrot, either, there ARE carrots on the bottoms. I'm going to watch them and try to save the seeds when they look dry enough. Jan in Co


My first year carrots are doing the same thing. At least 10% of them.
I have grown carrots for 50 years and I've never seen this happen!
I grow Heritage "Red Cored Danvers". It would be interesting to hear the varieties of the carrots that others are experiencing this phenomenon Please respond..


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

What was the weather like when you planted and a few weeks after the carrots came up? I wonder if the young plants got chilled which would trigger them into producing flowers this year. It works for artichokes in northern climates.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

That post was 12 years ago.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Weeordie updated with the same issue 2hrs ago. That was the one to which I replied.

The op hasn't been here for 3 years.
That recommended reading list at the bottom is really messing with new members.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Unfortunately, I am having a bad day, too. Sorry for the grumpiness.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

No worries.
I have to remind myself to look at the date posted on any new threads that pop up unless I know it is recent. Then I look at who posted last and when. It is quite irritating.


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## Weeordie (Sep 1, 2020)

katydidagain said:


> I don't know why but mine did the same thing last year. I gathered some seeds and some I missed. I have wonderful volunteer whites, pale yellows and oranges in my pathways and beds--better than I planted. (I did grow those colors last year.)





Jan in CO said:


> I planted carrots as usual, in a new garden area, so I KNOW these aren't hold overs from a prior year, but there are several plants that have produced blooms. I thought carrots only bloomed and went to seed the second year, so not sure what made this happen. If I could produce the results again, it would be great, wouldn't have to wait and replant carrots to get seed, etc. Any thoughts? They aren't the wild carrot, either, there ARE carrots on the bottoms. I'm going to watch them and try to save the seeds when they look dry enough. Jan in Co





Weeordie said:


> My first year carrots are doing the same thing. At least 10% of them.
> I have grown carrots for 50 years and I've never seen this happen!
> I grow Heritage "Red Cored Danvers". It would be interesting to hear the varieties of the carrots that others are experiencing this phenomenon Please respond..


I found this on line and it certainly applies to the cold and wet weather we had this spring.
"Some biennial crops (which grow in the first year, flower in the second) such as onions, leeks, *carrot* and beetroot can initiate flowers in the first year. This is due to unsettled weather conditions early in the season and usually occurs after a prolonged cold spell, often during the propagation phase."


Danaus29 said:


> What was the weather like when you planted and a few weeks after the carrots came up? I wonder if the young plants got chilled which would trigger them into producing flowers this year. It works for artichokes in northern climates.


As I said above: We had a horrible spring this year. I was still heating my house in June. I'm sure that was the cause. Thanks for your help.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I have lots of problems with spinach which are usually weather related. Get a warm spell and boom, they start to bolt. We had a really lovely couple weeks with no frost then a night with a hard feeeze. Sent my spinach into seed production the next week.


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