What are some good carrot varieties for Iowa?

Question:

What are some good carrot varieties for Iowa?

Answer:

Numerous carrot cultivars are available to home gardeners. The main differences between cultivars are the shape and size of the root. Carrot roots can be long and tapered, cylindrical, or even roundish.  Most carrots are orange. However, yellow, red, and purple colored cultivars are also available.  

Suggested carrot cultivars for home gardeners in Iowa include:

• ‘Bolero’ (bright orange, slightly tapered, 7 to 8 inches long)
• ‘Danvers 126' (deep orange, conical with blunt tips, 6 to 7 inches long)
• ‘Mokum’ (deep orange, slender, 6 to 7 inches long)
• ‘Nelson’ (deep orange, cylindrical, blunt tipped, 6 to 7 inches long)
• ‘Nutri-Red’ (coral red, tapered, 8 to 9 inches long)
• ‘Purple Haze’ (purple exterior with orange core, tapered, 8 to 10 inches long)
• ‘Royal Chantenay’ (red-orange, conical, 5 to 7 inches long)
• ‘Scarlet Nantes’ (reddish orange, cylindrical, 6 to 8 inches long)
• ‘Sugarsnax 54' (dark orange, tapered, 9 to 10 inches long)
• ‘Yaya’ (bright orange, cylindrical, 5 to 6 inches long)
• ‘Yellowbunch’ (yellow, tapered, 7 to 9 inches long)

Learn more about growing carrots in this article: Growing Carrots and Parsnips