When Do Carrots Ripen? An Introduction to Ripening Times

Carrots are a common vegetable in daily life, with high nutritional value, and are very popular among people. They are currently grown in most regions, so when do carrots ripen?

1. When do carrots ripen?

Generally, spring-sown carrots ripen in early July, and summer-sown carrots ripen from mid-September to mid-October. After they ripen, they should be harvested at the right time. Harvesting too early results in a bland sweetness and low yield, while harvesting too late makes the fleshy root grow old and lose its edible value.

2. Are carrots the same as red radishes?

Carrots are not red radishes; there are major differences between the two, as follows:

1. Difference in color: carrots are orange-red on the outside; red radishes are bright red or purplish red.

2. Difference in classification: carrots belong to the “Apiaceae, Daucus genus”, a biennial herbaceous plant, divided into long-root and short-root types, and are famous worldwide for being rich in carotene; red radishes belong to the “Brassicaceae, Raphanus genus”, an annual or biennial herbaceous plant, with a fleshy root that is spherical, red-skinned, and white-fleshed.

3. Difference in taste: carrots have a long shelf life, and their taste does not change noticeably during storage, with a certain chewiness; red radishes have a crisper, more tender texture, though they feel a bit hard when bitten.

4. Difference in origin: carrots originated in southwestern Asia and are cultivated throughout the country; red radishes originated in our country, with Northeast China being the main producing region for red radishes in our country, and they are cultivated throughout the country.

In general, spring-sown carrots ripen in July, and summer-sown carrots ripen in mid-September, but because the climate varies from place to place, the ripening times will also differ somewhat.