As a gardening and landscaping expert , I can secernate you that when carrots start to flower , it is usually a signboard that the plant has bolted . This means that the plant has untimely gone to seed , instead of focusing on develop a nice , plump carrot root .
Flowering carrot can occur for a variety of reason , but one unwashed cause is premature ardent weather . Carrots are cool - season crop , and they prefer to grow in temperatures around 60 - 70 ° F ( 15 - 21 ° C ) . When the weather suddenly becomes too fond , the cultivated carrot plant may think that it ’s sentence to procreate and give rise seeds . This causes the plant to amuse its energy towards anthesis , rather than grow a tasty Daucus carota sativa ascendent .
When carrots begin to flower , it usually means that the root has become woody , stringy , and less toothsome . The muscularity that would have gone into developing a juicy , sweet root has instead been used for generative intent . This can result in a less desirable eating experience , as the cultivated carrot may be sturdy and have a more bitter taste sensation .
However , it ’s authoritative to note that not all flowering carrot are altogether uneatable . In some case , the cultivated carrot root may still be edible , particularly if the flowering is minimal and the root has n’t become overly woody . If you ’re unsure , you may try tasting a little portion of the carrot to see if it ’s still gratifying .
It ’s deserving mentioning that when carrot set forth to bloom , it ’s a good idea to harvest any remaining carrot as before long as possible . This is because once the plant has bolted and gone to come , the Daucus carota sativa ascendant will usually degenerate quickly . By glean the carrot , you could salvage whatever edible portion is exit and prevent further deterioration .
To prevent carrots from bolting and blossom untimely , it ’s important to provide them with the veracious grow conditions . carrot favor cooler temperatures and flourish in well - draining soil with uniform wet levels . Planting carrots in early saltation or previous summertime / other fall , when temperatures are cooler , can aid subjugate the chances of bolting .
While bloom carrot are commonly a sign that the industrial plant has bolted and the rootage may not be as tasty , it ’s still possible that some edible share remain . However , it ’s broadly speaking best to glean carrots before they bloom to see the mellow character and flavor . Taking proper care of your carrot and providing them with optimal grow circumstance can help minimize the opportunity of premature bolt and maximize your harvesting of delicious , non - flowering carrot .
Caroline Bates
