Carrot Touchon

What Carrot Touchon is

Carrot Touchon (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) is a biennial crop grown for harvest in the first year, of the celery family (Apiaceae). Touchon is considered the best of the carrots for fresh eating.

With no hard fibres, this sweet and beloved French variety matures quickly to about 15 cm in length and 2 cm across.

Carrots bring an abundance of nutrients to the table, as well as a burst of colour.

They are rich in vitamin A, which helps prevent poor vision.

Carrot is one of the most beneficial vegetables — rich in beta-carotene, sweet and crunchy. Early varieties are for fresh eating, late ones for winter storage.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 80%
• Seeds per packet: 722–978 pcs (1 g)
• Seed origin: Poland
• Sowing: March – June; direct
• Harvest: September – November
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Carrot Touchon

Carrot Touchon seeds are sown in March – June. The crop is harvested in September – November. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Carrot Touchon

• Sowing method: direct
• Depth: 1–1.5 cm
• Spacing: 3–5 cm in the row (after thinning), 25–30 cm between rows
• Germination: 10–21 days at 15–20 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Carrots require light soil in sun, adequate moisture and moderate feeding. Optimal soil temperatures are 15-25 °C. The cooler the soil, the longer germination takes, up to 3 weeks. Start sowing 3 weeks before the last frost until midsummer. Sow thinly, thin to 5-7 cm apart. The larger the carrot variety, the more space is needed between them. Soil moisture must be maintained regularly until germination; letting the soil dry out during this period may lead to a poorer crop. Carrots planted for a summer harvest will stay in the ground for a few weeks, but tend to split if left in the ground too long. Late-season carrots store longer and become sweeter in cooler weather. The carrots are ready for harvest two and a half months after planting, when their diameter reaches about 1-2 cm. or the desired size.

Sow directly into deeply loosened, light soil free of stones and fresh manure — in heavy soil the roots fork. Keep the soil moist until emergence; thin in good time.

Harvest and use

Early carrots are harvested 70–90 days after sowing, and late ones in October for storage in sand.

Frequently asked questions

When should Carrot Touchon be sown?

The recommended months for sowing are March – June. Sowing method: direct.

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 722–978 seeds, pack size 1 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 80%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

Why do carrots germinate slowly?

The seeds contain essential oils and germinate in 2–3 weeks. Keep the soil constantly moist or cover it with fleece.

Why do carrots fork?

From stony or heavy soil and fresh manure. Sow in light, deeply cultivated soil.