Purple Elite Carrot

Be sure to check out our Carrot Growing Guide to learn more about how to successfully grow carrots at home.

Purple Elite Carrot is a hybrid carrot variety with great flavor in addition to its unique coloration. This is an imperator-type carrot that produces longer, slender carrots with a sharp taper from top to bottom. This variety produces carrots that have a purple outside with yellow striations. The interior core is bright yellow, providing an excellent color contrast when sliced. Carrots average 7-9" long at full maturity. Purple Elite Carrot has strong tops which makes harvesting easy. This is a great snacking variety and the color will certainly "pop" in any raw preparation.

Carrots grow best when planted during the cooler times of the year in early spring or fall. Carrots prefer a soil temperature around 75 degrees for optimal germination. They will perform best when direct-seeded and are not a good crop to transplant. Carrots require constant, adequate moisture throughout the germination process. If you are not able to water them frequently, you might consider using a tarp or covering on the soil to keep it moist until Seeds germinate.

We recommend seeding carrots in a thick band along the desired row. This will ensure a solid stand of carrots and help to aid in weed control once tops get larger. Carrots are a great crop for double-row planting on drip irrigation. For this strategy, plant two rows 6″ apart, skip about 3′, then plant another two rows 6″ apart. The double row technique allows for easy weed control because the tops shade the area between the double rows. It also allows you to maximize the garden space because you can get two rows of harvest for almost the same amount of space as one row.

Purple Elite Carrot Planting Information

Planting Method: direct seed

When to Plant: early spring and fall

Planting Depth: 1/4″

Seed Spacing: 1/2″, thin to 1-2″

Row Spacing: 12″

Days to Maturity: 75

Disease Resistance: None