Tendersweet Orange Carrot
Daucus carota 'Tendersweet Orange'
This Burpee-developed variety has earned its place as one of the most dependable and flavorful carrots for home gardens, winning recognition for both its exceptional sweetness and reliable growing characteristics. The 7-8 inch roots develop beautiful orange color throughout and maintain their tender texture even when fully mature. Garden families especially appreciate this variety's consistent performance and kid-friendly sweet flavor that makes fresh vegetables irresistible.
Harvest
75-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
4–11
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Easy
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Tendersweet Orange Carrot in USDA Zone 7
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Tendersweet Orange Carrot · Zones 4–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | June – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | April – December |
Succession Planting
In zone 7, direct sow Tendersweet Orange every 3 weeks starting around March 1 through early May for summer harvests. Germination runs 14–21 days, so stagger your rows rather than waiting to see the first planting come up before seeding the next. Stop spring sowings once consistent daytime highs push past 80–85°F — carrot seeds germinate poorly above that threshold, and roots that bulk up in sustained summer heat tend to turn fibrous and bitter.
Pick back up with a fall succession around late July through mid-August. Seed sown in early August will hit the 75–80 day mark in October and November, when cooling nights sweeten the roots considerably. A light frost doesn't hurt them — it actually concentrates sugars. You can leave fall-sown carrots in the ground well into December in zone 7, pulling them as you need them rather than harvesting all at once.
Complete Growing Guide
With a 75-80 day maturity, Tendersweet Orange Carrot thrives when direct-seeded in spring (4-6 weeks before last frost) or mid-summer for fall harvest, avoiding the bolting pressure that shorter seasons impose on longer varieties. These carrots perform best in loose, well-draining soil free of rocks and clay, which otherwise deform roots and compromise the tender texture that defines this cultivar. Unlike coarser varieties, Tendersweet develops its signature sweetness most reliably with consistent moisture—irregular watering causes splitting and bitterness. Watch for carrot rust flies and root-knot nematodes, which particularly target orange varieties in warm climates; use row covers during early growth and practice crop rotation. A practical advantage: this variety tolerates slight shade better than many carrots, making it ideal for gardens with afternoon dappling. Thin seedlings aggressively to 3 inches apart within 3-4 weeks to prevent stunted, forked roots and ensure the full-sized 7-8 inch roots the variety is bred to produce.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally Dry. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed.
Harvesting
Tendersweet Orange Carrots reach peak harvest readiness when shoulders show deep orange coloring and roots measure approximately 7-8 inches long with firm, smooth skin. Begin harvesting when the carrot crown reaches roughly half an inch in diameter, signaling optimal maturity and sweetness development. These carrots support both continuous and single-harvest approaches—you can pull individual roots as needed throughout the season or harvest the entire planting at once before the first hard frost. For best flavor and texture, pick in early morning when carrots are fully hydrated, then store immediately in cool conditions to lock in their characteristic tenderness and sweetness.
Small, dry, and ribbed with bristly hairs. The compound umbel of fruits folds inward to form a roundish shape that can be blown by the wind and roll across the ground dropping seeds.
Color: Brown/Copper. Type: Achene. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.
Edibility: Leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds are edible. The young fleshy roots can be cooked or eaten raw, the flower clusters can be french-fried to produce a carrot-flavored dish, the aromatic seed is used as a flavoring in stews, etc. The dried roasted roots are ground into a powder and are used for making coffee.
Storage & Preservation
Remove tops immediately after harvest, leaving ½ inch of stem to prevent moisture loss. Store unwashed Tendersweet Orange carrots in perforated plastic bags in your refrigerator's crisper drawer at 32-35°F with high humidity. They'll maintain quality for 3-4 months when properly stored.
For freezing, blanch 3-inch pieces in boiling water for 3 minutes, cool in ice water, then package in freezer bags. Frozen carrots work excellently in soups and stews but lose their crisp texture. Dehydrate thin slices at 125°F for chips and snacks – Tendersweet Orange's high sugar content creates particularly sweet dried carrots. This variety also excels in fermented preparations like carrot kraut, where its natural sweetness balances the tangy fermentation flavors beautifully.
History & Origin
Developed by Burpee, a seed company with deep roots in American horticulture dating to the late nineteenth century, the Tendersweet Orange Carrot emerged from their selective breeding program focused on combining superior sweetness with reliable garden performance. While specific documentation regarding its exact year of introduction remains limited in readily available sources, the variety represents the company's broader twentieth-century efforts to enhance carrot palatability for home gardeners. As a modern cultivar within the nantaise carrot type—characterized by cylindrical roots and fine texture—Tendersweet Orange builds upon decades of carrot breeding work that prioritized both culinary appeal and horticultural dependability for American gardeners.
Origin: Europe, Eastern Asia and northern Africa
Advantages
- +Exceptionally sweet flavor makes this variety naturally appealing to children.
- +Reliable 75-80 day maturity ensures consistent harvests across different growing seasons.
- +Maintains tender texture when fully mature, eliminating premature harvesting concerns.
- +Burpee-developed reputation provides confidence in seed quality and variety stability.
- +Beautiful uniform orange color makes these carrots visually appealing fresh or cooked.
Considerations
- -Susceptible to carrot rust fly damage, requiring vigilant pest management strategies.
- -Vulnerable to bacterial soft rot in overly wet or poorly draining soil.
- -Aster yellows virus can significantly reduce yields and stunt root development.
- -Multiple pest pressures including wireworms and flea beetles demand consistent monitoring.
Companion Plants
Chives, rosemary, and sage are the companions worth prioritizing along the border or tucked into the same bed. Alliums like chives confuse carrot rust fly (Psila rosae) by masking the host-plant scent the fly uses to locate egg-laying sites. Rosemary and sage work the same way without competing for root space — their feeding zone stays well above the 10-to-12-inch column Tendersweet Orange needs to size up. Marigolds at the row ends pull in beneficial predatory insects. Lettuce fits nicely between rows: shallow roots, no competition, and the leaf canopy shades the soil surface enough to slow moisture loss between waterings.
Dill, coriander, and parsnips belong on the other side of the garden. In our zone 7 Georgia garden, dill bolts quickly in spring heat, and once it flowers it draws the same Apiaceae-family pests you're trying to disrupt — you're undoing your own companion planting. Parsnips share nearly every pathogen and insect pest with carrots, including Alternaria dauci and carrot rust fly, so growing them side by side just concentrates your risk. NC State Extension is clear that rotating within the same crop family defeats the purpose of rotation entirely; the same logic applies to planting them together.
Plant Together
Chives
Repels carrot flies and aphids with strong onion scent
Rosemary
Deters carrot flies and other root pests with aromatic oils
Marigolds
Repel nematodes and other soil pests that damage carrot roots
Lettuce
Shallow roots don't compete, provides ground cover and efficient space use
Tomatoes
Carrots help break up soil for tomato roots, tomatoes provide shade
Leeks
Strong scent confuses carrot flies and other root-attacking pests
Sage
Repels carrot flies and cabbage moths with potent aromatic compounds
Radishes
Break up compacted soil and are harvested before carrots need full space
Keep Apart
Dill
Attracts carrot flies when flowering and can cross-pollinate with carrots
Parsnips
Compete for same nutrients and space, both are long-season root crops
Coriander
Can attract carrot flies and may inhibit carrot seed germination
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #170393)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good general disease resistance and stress tolerance
Common Pests
Carrot rust fly, wireworms, flea beetles, aphids
Diseases
Alternaria leaf blight, bacterial soft rot, aster yellows
Troubleshooting Tendersweet Orange Carrot
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Ferny, lacy foliage with rusty-brown tunneling on the root surface, sometimes a rotten smell at harvest
Likely Causes
- Carrot rust fly (Psila rosae) — larvae tunnel just under the skin and into the root
- Wireworms (Agriotes spp.) — click beetle larvae that overwinter in soil and bore straight through roots
What to Do
- 1.Cover beds with row fabric immediately after sowing and keep it on until harvest — the rust fly lays eggs at the soil line and can't reach a covered bed
- 2.Rotate carrots out of the same bed for at least 3 years; wireworm populations build fast where root crops sit consecutively in the same ground
- 3.At harvest, pull and discard any tunneled roots immediately — don't compost them
Dark brown to black lesions on foliage starting mid-season, sometimes with a yellow halo; older leaves affected first
Likely Causes
- Alternaria leaf blight (Alternaria dauci) — fungal spores splash up from the soil surface during rain or overhead irrigation
- Crowded rows with less than 12 inches between them, which traps humidity
What to Do
- 1.Strip and trash (not compost) affected leaves as soon as you spot them
- 2.Switch to drip irrigation or water at the base — keeping foliage dry cuts Alternaria dauci spread significantly
- 3.Next season, rotate this bed out of any carrot or parsley family (Apiaceae) crops for 3 to 4 years, per NC State Extension's rotation guidance
Stored or freshly pulled roots turn soft, slimy, and foul-smelling within days of harvest
Likely Causes
- Bacterial soft rot (Pectobacterium carotovorum) — enters through wounds, cracks, or insect damage
- Harvesting in wet conditions or storing roots with soil and moisture still clinging to them
What to Do
- 1.Harvest in dry conditions if at all possible; let roots air-dry in the shade for an hour before boxing
- 2.Don't wash roots you plan to store for more than a few days — moisture in a closed bin is how one bad root takes out the whole batch
- 3.Discard any soft root the moment you find it; Pectobacterium carotovorum spreads fast in a closed storage container
Plants look stunted and yellow-green; roots are hairy, forked, or misshapen with no obvious surface pest damage
Likely Causes
- Aster yellows (phytoplasma spread by aster leafhoppers, Macrosteles quadrilineatus) — causes distorted growth from the inside out
- Rocky or cloddy soil that forces roots to fork before they hit 75–80 days
- Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) — cause galling and branching, especially common in sandy soils
What to Do
- 1.Pull and trash any plant showing aster yellows symptoms — there's no cure, and leafhoppers will keep spreading it to neighboring plants
- 2.Before planting, work the bed 12 inches deep and break up any clods or rocks; Tendersweet Orange needs a loose, stone-free column to size up straight
- 3.If nematodes are suspected, send a soil sample to your county extension office for a Meloidogyne assay before replanting carrots in that bed — NC State Extension's IPM guidance flags root-knot as a particular concern in sandy ground
Frequently Asked Questions
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.