Heirloom
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The Kyoto Red Carrot brings the sacred traditions of Japanese New Year right to your winter garden, with its stunning scarlet roots that deepen to burgundy in cold weather. This Japanese Kintoki-type heirloom produces exceptionally sweet, 10 to 16 inch tapered carrots with a distinctive watermelon-like flavor that has earned it the reputation as possibly the finest flavored carrot on the planet. Hardy in zones 2-10, these frost-tolerant beauties mature in 70-90 days and actually become sweeter after exposure to light frost, making them perfect for extending your harvest into winter.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-10
8in H x ?in W
Biennial
High
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Near Kyoto, Japan, families have grown these silky red carrots for generations, traditionally carving them into plum blossom shapes to symbolize fertility for the coming year. The glossy, deep scarlet roots develop their signature color when about 3 inches long, eventually reaching 10-16 inches of tapered perfection. What truly sets this variety apart is its exceptional sweetness and unique watermelon undertones, combined with a tender texture that makes it supreme for roasting, grilling, juicing, and even desserts. The bright red color intensifies dramatically when grown through winter months, creating carrots so beautiful they seem too precious to harvest.
These supremely versatile carrots excel in both traditional Japanese preparations and modern culinary applications. Their exceptional sweetness makes them outstanding for fresh juicing, while their tender texture and rich flavor shine when roasted or grilled. They're perfect for julienning alongside daikon and tossing with su dressing, steaming for simple preparations, or incorporating into dessert recipes where their natural fruit-like sweetness can be showcased. Their striking color and watermelon undertones make them conversation starters whether served fresh, cooked, or carved decoratively.
Sow seeds in late summer to early fall, planting 1/8 inch deep in rows spaced 12-18 inches apart. Seeds typically germinate in 12-18 days in soil temperatures between 50-75°F.
Harvest when carrots reach 10-12 inches in length, typically 70-90 days after planting. The optimal harvest time is after the first frost, which enhances their sweetness and deepens their red color. Handle gently when pulling from the ground as this is a more tender variety than typical carrots. Loosening the soil before harvesting makes removal easier and prevents root damage.
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“This treasured heirloom belongs to the Japanese dento yasai tradition, representing vegetables that have been cultivated in specific regions of Japan for generations. Grown in the fertile soils near Kyoto for centuries, these carrots hold deep cultural significance as part of Japan's oshogatsu (New Year) celebrations. Families would carefully tend these winter crops, knowing that their sweet, red roots would grace their tables during the most important holiday of the year, often carved into decorative plum blossom shapes that symbolized hope and fertility for the season ahead.”