Touchon Carrot
Daucus carota 'Touchon'
A beloved French heirloom carrot renowned for its exceptional sweetness and crisp texture, often considered one of the best-tasting carrots available to home gardeners. This variety produces perfectly straight, smooth roots with little to no core, making every bite tender and flavorful. Touchon's reliable performance and gourmet quality have made it a favorite among gardeners who prioritize flavor over size.
Harvest
65-75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
4–11
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Easy
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Touchon Carrot in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 root-vegetable →Zone Map
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Touchon Carrot · Zones 4–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
Complete Growing Guide
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
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.
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
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 greens immediately after harvest, leaving 1/2 inch of stem to prevent moisture loss. Store unwashed Touchon carrots in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper drawer at 32-35°F with high humidity – they'll maintain their signature crispness for 2-3 months. For root cellar storage, layer carrots in barely damp sand or peat moss in wooden boxes, keeping them from touching.
Touchon's exceptional sweetness makes it ideal for juicing and freezing. Blanch cut pieces for 3 minutes before freezing, though the texture softens slightly. The variety's low moisture content also makes it excellent for dehydrating into chips or powder. Fermented carrot sticks retain much of Touchon's crunch while developing complex flavors – pack in 2% salt brine and ferment at room temperature for 3-5 days.
History & Origin
Origin: Europe, Eastern Asia and northern Africa
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Pollinators
- +Edible: 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.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Sap/Juice): Low severity
- -Causes contact dermatitis
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Chives
Repels carrot fly and aphids with strong sulfur compounds
Leeks
Natural pest deterrent against carrot fly and root maggots
Rosemary
Strong aromatic oils mask carrot scent from carrot fly
Sage
Repels carrot fly and cabbage moths with potent fragrance
Lettuce
Shallow roots don't compete, provides living mulch and space efficiency
Tomatoes
Natural pest control through solanine compounds that deter soil pests
Onions
Strong sulfur scent confuses and repels carrot fly
Radishes
Break up compacted soil and mature quickly without root competition
Keep Apart
Dill
Stunts carrot growth and attracts carrot fly when flowering
Parsnips
Competes for same nutrients and attracts similar root pests
Fennel
Allelopathic compounds inhibit carrot germination and growth
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, some tolerance to alternaria leaf blight
Common Pests
Carrot rust fly, wireworms, aphids
Diseases
Alternaria leaf blight, bacterial soft rot, aster yellows