Carrot 'Rainbow' (Daucus carota) – Mixed Colour Carrot Plants (12 Plants in 2 x 6-Cell Trays)

Rainbow carrots bring a splash of colour to the vegetable patch, with roots in purple, red, yellow, white and orange that look as good on the plate as they do in the ground. You receive 12 Rainbow Carrot plants (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), growing in 2 plastic 6-cell trays, one plant to a cell, ready to plant out.

Rainbow carrots are a firm favourite with home growers and allotment gardeners alike. They are easy to grow, rewarding to harvest, and bring real visual interest to both the garden and the kitchen. Each colour offers a subtly different flavour, and young roots are particularly sweet and tender. Because this is a mixed selection, the exact colour split may vary.

Grow them in full sun in deep, light, well-drained, stone-free soil in a raised bed, vegetable border or allotment. Avoid adding fresh manure before planting, as it can cause the roots to fork, and avoid heavy clay or stony ground. Carrots dislike being disturbed, so plant out the plants carefully into well-prepared, deeply dug soil. Thin if plants are crowded so each has room to develop. Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, as steady watering encourages even root growth. Carrot fly is the main pest to watch for. Harvest from summer into autumn, roughly 12 to 16 weeks from planting.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Rainbow Carrot, Coloured Carrot
• Botanical Name: Daucus carota subsp. sativus
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Foliage 30-40cm tall; roots 15-20cm in length (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Upright feathery foliage with a tapered root developing below the soil
• Perfect For: Vegetable beds, raised beds, allotments and kitchen gardens
• Flower Colour: Mixed root colours of purple, red, orange, yellow and white
• Planting Position: Full sun
• Soil Type: Light, well-drained, sandy or loamy soil, free from stones
• Watering: Regular and consistent
• Sowing and Planting Season: Spring to early summer
• Seasonal Interest: Harvest in summer and autumn
• Type: Annual vegetable