Storing produce for the winter takes up A LOT of space. Freezers get full, root cellars fill up, and somehow potatoes always manage to sprout before you’re ready for them. But thankfully, carrots not only help you see in the dark—they also help you save storage space by LOVING the cold!
Last fall, I may or may not have been feeling a little too over it when it came to harvesting. Instead of hauling them inside, I looked at my beautiful carrots and said, “Good luck, little fellas. See ya on the other side.”
Welp, the other side is here. And not only did my carrots survive the winter, but they are crisp, sweet, and perfect—unlike me when I step outside in freezing March air and instantly regret my life choices.
Clay is Okay!
As you can see in the video below, I have to use a shovel to dig up my carrots. I have heavy clay soil, which means, it’s not easy to pull these little puppies out. But, it just goes to show you, you CAN plant carrots in clay–but, sometimes, when they get a foot long, like mine do, they ends break off.
The cure for this is adding good compost and improving your soil structure–which I’m doing. But for now, I’m going to keep planting carrots because, with results like these, why wouldn’t I?
Seriously though, overwintering carrots is the easiest “storage” method ever:
✔ No harvesting stress in the fall.
✔ No taking up space in the fridge or root cellar.
✔ No sprouting disasters.
✔ And best of all, the cold makes them even sweeter!
I didn’t even mulch or cover them—just left them to fend for themselves like a parent with a tenth child. And yet, here they are in March, still crunchy and delicious. If only all my decisions turned out this well.
All cleaned up and ready for a date with my wok!
Would I do it again? Absolutely.
How to Overwinter Carrots:
🥕 Leave them in the ground after fall growth.
🍂 Mulch lightly with leaves or straw if you have extreme cold. (I didn’t, and mine were still perfect!)
🛠️ Harvest when needed – They stay fresh in the soil until spring!
My dad puts bags of leaves over the carrot beds to make digging them up in the middle of winter easy. I’m going to try something similar this year.
Overwintering works beautifully, especially in areas with mild to moderate winters. If you’ve never tried it, give it a shot next season—you might be surprised by how easy it is to have homegrown carrots in March! And, honestly? I kinda felt a little like I won the lottery.
I mean, it’s not exactly winning the lottery… but in the world of lazy gardening wins? This was the jackpot.
Would highly recommend. 10/10. Would overwinter again. 🥕✨
Have you tried overwintering carrots? Let me know how it worked for you! 🥕✨
