When to Plant Carrots in Zones 5-6 (2026)

Carrots are one of the first seeds to go into a spring garden, and one of the few crops where starting indoors is the wrong move. The timing is simple once you know the two rules: sow early, and sow straight into the ground.

Sow early, and sow in place

University of Minnesota Extension’s guide to growing carrots and parsnips gives a concrete start date for Minnesota: begin planting carrots on April 15. That is a reference point from one northern state, not a date for every garden in zones 5-6, so shift it earlier or later to match when your own soil can be worked.

The guide is firm on method: always direct seed carrots, and never start them in pots. Their long taproot begins forming early, and transplanting damages it and sends the root off in the wrong direction. That is why there is no indoor-start date to work out for carrots, unlike tomatoes and peppers on the planting calendar.

Expect a wait. The seed can take as long as three weeks to germinate, and a crust on the soil surface after heavy rain can keep the tiny seedlings from breaking through. The guide suggests misting the surface lightly to soften the crust.

Worked example

Say your soil is workable on April 15, the Minnesota reference date.

• First sowing: April 15.
• Second sowing: three weeks later, May 6. The guide recommends two or three plantings spaced three weeks apart for a steady supply of young carrots.
• Third sowing, if you want it: another three weeks on, May 27.

Each batch can need up to three weeks just to come up, so the first seedlings may not show until early May. This is date arithmetic from the guide’s rule, not a forecast for your yard.

Before you sow, check off