When to plant carrots in USDA Zone 7a

Plan your carrots planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Asheville, Winston-Salem, Roanoke, Nashville, Little Rock. Average last spring frost April 15, first fall frost October 15 — a 183-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Carrots is well suited to Zone 7a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors
March 18 – April 8
Expected first harvest
June 3 – July 1
Fall planting window
July 16 – August 6
Fall harvest window
October 1 – October 29

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
3″
Row spacing
12″
Seed depth
0.25″
Soil temperature
45–75°F
Frost tolerance
hardy
Days to harvest
70 days

Grower notes for Zone 7a

Keep soil surface moist until germination (2–3 weeks). Board over the row or light straw helps hold moisture.

Plant near: onions, leeks, tomatoes

Keep away from: dill

Other root crops for Zone 7a

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.