Variety field guide
What to expect from Samurai Red Carrot
Samurai Red grows long, tapered roots in a rosy to deep red shade, adding a different color to the kitchen harvest.
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Samurai Red grows long, tapered roots in a rosy to deep red shade, adding a different color to the kitchen harvest. The firm carrots retain their red color when steamed and are useful in cooked vegetable dishes, where their bold flavor can develop. Deep, loose soil lets roots lengthen without bending around stones. Avoid prolonged cold while plants are young, which can trigger bolting; harvest before roots become woody.
Minimum seeds per packet: 700 seeds.
Long red carrots for colorful cooked dishes.
Variety and background
Samurai Red is grown for long red roots, with color useful in cooked dishes. A specific feudal-Japanese pedigree for this seed line has not been documented. Performance depends on sowing season and conditions; trial reports show that bolting and woody roots can occur.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang. |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Biennial |
| Maturity / harvest basis | 70-79 Days |
| Seed depth | 1/4 in |
| Germination | 10-21 days |
| Germination temperature | 55-70 F |
| Plant height / spread | 13–18 in |
| Habit | Rosette |
| Plant spacing | 2 in |
| Row spacing | 12 in |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Pollination type | Open-Pollinated (OP) |
Starting from seed
Direct sow 1/4 in. deep after prolonged spring cold, or in summer for fall harvest. At 55-70 F allow 10-21 days; keep the surface evenly moist. Thin to 2-3 in. apart, rows 12 in. apart. Give sun and deep soil free of stones; weed gently.
Planting and care
Direct sow 1/4 in. deep after prolonged spring cold, or in summer for fall harvest. At 55-70 F allow 10-21 days; keep the surface evenly moist. Thin to 2-3 in. apart, rows 12 in. apart. Give sun and deep soil free of stones; weed gently. Samurai Red is a red carrot. Avoid prolonged chilling of young plants, which can encourage bolting. No historical connection to samurai warriors is established.
Harvest and use
Begin checking roots about 75 days from sowing; loosen soil before lifting. Remove tops and refrigerate. For seed, overwinter a group of selected roots, isolate from other carrots and wild carrot, then collect dry second-year umbels.
Saving seed
Select several healthy, true-to-type Samurai Red plants that match the expected rosette habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Insect-pollinated umbel crop. Compatible plants of the same species can cross through insect activity; wild relatives matter for carrot and parsnip. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Samurai Red is a biennial. Seed production may require overwintering, vernalization, or more than one growing season, depending on climate and crop biology. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season.
Common problems
Common concerns: Carrot rust fly or root maggot where present, aphids, caterpillars, leaf spots, damping-off, and uneven emergence from crusted soil. Management: Use clean seedbeds, rotation, careful watering, prompt thinning, airflow, and locally appropriate exclusion methods. Diagnosis note: Similar symptoms can have different causes. Compare plants of the same age, record weather and irrigation, and use local Extension or diagnostic support before applying a control.
Frequently asked questions
What distinguishes this selection?
Samurai Red is a red carrot. Avoid prolonged chilling of young plants, which can encourage bolting. No historical connection to samurai warriors is established.
How should I start it?
Direct sow 1/4 in. deep after prolonged spring cold, or in summer for fall harvest. At 55-70 F allow 10-21 days; keep the surface evenly moist. Thin to 2-3 in. apart, rows 12 in. apart. Give sun and deep soil free of stones; weed gently.
When and how should I harvest?
Begin checking roots about 75 days from sowing; loosen soil before lifting. Remove tops and refrigerate. For seed, overwinter a group of selected roots, isolate from other carrots and wild carrot, then collect dry second-year umbels.
Can I save seed?
Select several healthy, true-to-type Samurai Red plants that match the expected rosette habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Insect-pollinated umbel crop. Compatible plants of the same species can cross through insect activity; wild relatives matter for carrot and parsnip. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Samurai Red is a biennial. Seed production may require overwintering, vernalization, or more than one growing season, depending on climate and crop biology. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season.
