White Carrot Seeds

• White Carrot
• The White Carrot Plant
• How to Sow White Carrot
• How to Grow White Carrot
• Tips for White Carrot
• Diseases and Pests of White Carrot
• Properties of White Carrot
• Nutritional Values of White Carrot

White Carrot

The white carrot is an heirloom variety lacking the orange pigmentation typical of modern carrots, as it contains very little beta-carotene. Its root is elongated and cylindrical, with crisp flesh and a delicate flavour, often described as sweeter and less "earthy" than coloured varieties. It is one of the forms closest to the original wild carrot, before horticultural selection focused on the orange colour.

The White Carrot Plant

Daucus carota is a biennial herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family. In its first year it develops a rosette of light green pinnate leaves and a taproot that accumulates sugars; unlike orange varieties, in white carrot the synthesis of carotenoids is almost absent, making it less suited to those seeking vitamin A content but more appealing to those who prefer a delicate flavour.

How to Sow White Carrot

White carrot is sown directly in the open field, as its taproot does not tolerate transplanting. The recommended period runs from March to June, in loose, well-worked soil free of stones or compact clods. Seeds should be buried about 0.5-1 cm deep, in rows 20-25 cm apart, keeping the soil moist until germination, which takes about 2-3 weeks.

How to Grow White Carrot

Once seedlings emerge, thin them to leave 5-8 cm between plants, allowing the root to develop evenly. White carrot prefers full sun and well-draining, slightly sandy soil with a pH between 6 and 7. Watering should stay regular without excess. Harvest generally takes place between 80 and 120 days after sowing, once roots reach a diameter of 1-2 cm.

Tips for White Carrot

To obtain smooth roots without cracking it is advisable to avoid excessive nitrogen fertilisation and instead use well-rotted manure or compost during soil preparation. Crop rotation remains important: after carrots avoid other umbellifers and prefer legumes or solanaceous crops. Good companion plants include onion, leek, peas and lettuce.

Diseases and Pests of White Carrot

White carrot too can be affected by carrot fly, which lays its eggs near the crown causing tunnels in the root, as well as physiological disorders linked to water imbalance. Alternaria leaf blight is among the most common fungal diseases. Good soil drainage and proper crop rotation remain the main preventive defences against these problems.

Properties of White Carrot

Although its beta-carotene content is much lower than orange varieties, white carrot retains the other typical nutritional properties of the species: good amounts of fibre, potassium and vitamin C, useful for intestinal regularity and overall wellbeing. Its delicate flavour makes it particularly suited to raw consumption, in mixed salads alongside other coloured carrots.

Nutritional Values of White Carrot