Chantenay Red Core Heirloom Carrot Seeds

The Chantenay Red Core is a time-honored heirloom carrot prized for its exceptionally sweet, rich flavor and deep red-orange core. Shorter and stockier than most carrots — typically 5–6 inches long with broad shoulders — it's perfectly suited for heavy, shallow, or clay soils where longer varieties struggle. A favorite among home gardeners and market growers alike since the 1800s.

Why Gardeners Love Chantenay Red Core

• Deep red-orange core with outstanding sweetness — one of the best-flavored heirloom carrots
• Thrives in heavy, shallow, or rocky soils where other varieties fail
• Stores exceptionally well — in the ground or harvested
• Uniform, blocky shape makes it easy to clean and prep
• Open-pollinated, non-GMO — save seeds year after year

When to Plant

Direct sow 2–4 weeks before your last frost date in spring, or in late summer for a fall harvest. Carrots prefer loose, well-draining soil with a temperature between 45–85°F (optimal 60–70°F). Do not transplant — carrots do not like root disturbance. Thin seedlings to 2–3 inches apart for best root development.

Find your frost dates and USDA hardiness zone at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Growing Tips

• Sow seeds ¼ inch deep, 1 inch apart in rows 12 inches apart
• Keep soil consistently moist until germination (10–17 days)
• Mulch to retain moisture and keep roots cool
• Harvest at 65–75 days when shoulders reach 1–1.5 inches in diameter

All seeds are open-pollinated, non-GMO, and untreated.