Best carrot seeds

The quality of the seed often determines the quality of the plant, so you'll want to find the best carrot seeds for your garden.

Freshly picked carrot plants
(Image credit: ShireShy on Pixabay)

Carrots are one of my favorite vegetables to grow from seed. They can be planted just about anywhere, from the outdoor plot to the balcony planter. You just need a pot or garden with about 10 to 12 inches of good soil depth to give the carrots room, since they grow down! To get started, these are the best carrot seeds in several different varieties.

Big and bright

Sow Right Seeds - Imperator 58 Carrot Seed

(Image credit: Sow Right Seeds)

Sow Right Seeds Imperator 58 carrot seeds

Popular variety

The Imperator 58 variety is one of the most popular types of carrot for growing at home. It produces large, bright-orange carrots. 

Pros:

  • Produces big carrots
  • Easy to grow
  • Bright orange variety

Cons:

  • Only comes with 500 milligrams of seed

Gardeners love this variety for its big, bountiful carrots. This seed is easy to germinate and under the right conditions, this type of carrot can grow up to 9-inches long. The resulting vegetable is bright orange, crisp, and flavorful. Keep in mind that 500 milligrams yields about three pinches of tiny seeds.

All the pretty colors

MySeeds.Co Big Pack rainbow mix carrot seeds

(Image credit: Amazon)

MySeeds.Co Big Pack rainbow mix carrot seeds

Most colorful assortment

MySeeds.Co brings the most variety pack of carrot seeds. Atomic Red, Bambino Orange, Cosmic Purple, Lunar White, and Solar Yellow carrot seeds are included.

Pros:

  • Many different carrot colors included
  • Over 3,500+ seeds in total
  • Non-GMO

Cons:

  • May be more difficult to germinate

If you'd like to try a rainbow of carrot varieties, look no further. Almost every carrot color possible is included in this pack. Try growing reds, yellows, oranges, and purples to see which kind you like best. This pack comes with over 3,500 seeds, and they may require germination in a dark, damp place before planting. 

Best small

Little Finger Carrot Seeds

(Image credit: Amazon)

RattleFree Little Finger carrot seeds

Baby veggies

Instead of eating the processed baby carrots from the grocery store, you can grow an all-natural smaller variety like this one. 

Pros:

  • Carrots stay small
  • Grow quickly
  • Sweet flavor

Cons:

  • Best to start indoors

For tiny, tender carrots, you can't beat this finger-sized variety. The baby carrots only grow to about 4 inches and are usually more rounded at the end. They do better with an indoor start but can be packed densely in the soil once started for a higher yield. These small carrots only take about 55 days to grow to full maturity. 

Heirloom

Seed Kingdom Tendersweet carrot seeds

(Image credit: Amazon)

Seed Kingdom Tendersweet carrot seeds

High-quality seeds

Seed Kingdom provides certified heirloom seeds grown and developed by home gardeners in the USA.

Pros:

  • Sweet, flavorful carrots
  • Bright orange in color
  • Grows large, up to 10 inches

Cons:

  • Lower germination rates

Heirloom seeds are cultivated and preserved by gardeners and farmers to maintain their high quality and yields. This variety produces large, bright orange carrots that have a crisp, sweet flavor. With this pack, you can choose to purchase seeds by the pound or by a specific quantity. The smallest quantity you can buy is 1,500 seeds, which come at a very reasonable price. 

Organic only

Rebel Gardens heirloom carrot seeds

(Image credit: Amazon)

Rebel Gardens heirloom carrot seeds

All-natural and delicious

When purity is a priority, Rebel Gardens offers organic, non-GMO and non-hybrid seeds in this variety pack.

Pros:

  • Organic, non-GMO, and non-hybrid
  • Carrot varieties in several colors
  • Ecological packaging

Cons:

  • Each bag contains few seeds

Besides the fact that these carrot seeds are certified organic, you can also feel good about the brand itself. Rebel Gardens sends seeds in 100-percent recycled packaging that's also biodegradable. This collection comes with six carrot seed varieties in several sizes and colors. Since there are no hybrid varieties, you can trust that these are quality heirloom seeds. 

Best variety pack

10 Carrot Seeds Variety Pack

(Image credit: Organo Republic)

Organo Republic carrot seed variety pack

Every kind of carrot

For the largest seed assortment, you can't beat this carrot variety seed pack from Organo Republic. 

Pros:

  • Ten carrot seed types
  • 2,300 seeds included
  • Grown and packaged in the USA

Cons:

  • Some varieties germinate better than others

If you're ready to try every type of carrot there is (or almost every one), then this variety pack is the way to go. It includes seeds for the classic Imperator and Tendersweet, along with several brightly colored varieties, and even small round Parisian carrots. Although some varieties germinate better than others, there are many seeds in each packet, so you'll have plenty to work with. 

Best black

Sustainable Seed Company Black Nebula carrot seeds

(Image credit: Amazon)

Sustainable Seed Company Black Nebula carrot seeds

The dark side

If you're looking to benefit from a black carrot's antioxidant properties, then these Black Nebula seeds will be just the thing.

Pros:

  • Carrots are a deep purple-black
  • Rich in antioxidants
  • Great low price

Cons:

  • Only comes with 1 gram of seeds

Perhaps you've heard of the Black Nebula carrot and its superior health benefits. This variety is packed with antioxidants called flavonoids that improve overall health, as well as that of the skin and hair. This pack only comes with a gram of seeds, but at this price, it's definitely worth it. The Sustainable Seed Company is a family-owned and operated farm in Utah.

Best purple

David's Garden Seeds Purple Dragon Carrots

(Image credit: David's Garden Seeds)

David's Garden Seeds Purple Dragon carrot seeds

Chase the dragon

Purple Dragon carrots are known for their vivid color and smooth texture. They are also easy to germinate and grow.

Pros:

  • Bright purple carrots
  • Soft, smooth skin for easy preparation
  • Easy germination

Cons:

  • Pack comes with few seeds

Orange on the inside and purple on the outside, these carrots have a slightly different flavor and texture than traditional carrots. The soft, smooth skin makes them easier to prepare without peeling, and the purple color provides more antioxidants. These seeds are easy to germinate and easy to grow, but they take just as long as traditional carrots to reach maturity. 

Plant your veggies

The best veggies are those you grow at home, and these are some of the best carrot seeds you can buy. Whether you prefer baby carrots or black ones, there's a carrot for every type of gardener on this list. Imperator 58 carrot seeds are some of the most popular for home gardeners because they are easy to grow and yield big, flavorful carrots. 

If you're hoping to try your hand at planting many types of carrots, your best bet is a variety pack like this one from Organo Republic. This pack includes ten different varieties so you can compare and contrast different carrots. Remember that carrots can be grown just about anywhere, but you need a soil depth of about 12 inches to get started. Happy planting! 

Why trust us?

At GardeningEtc, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.

Jaclyn is a content writer at Future. She has a flair for creating (written works, design, photos; you name it!) on her devices. When she’s not churning out new things, Jaclyn loves exploring the world, playing with her kids, and good old-fashioned baking.