Northern California August checklist

Grow colorful carrots

Move over, orange! This year, plant carrots in hues of purple, cream, and yellow. In Sunset's Menlo Park, California, test garden, we grew 'Yellowstone', 'Purple Haze', and 'White Satin' (above, from left) and loved 
the color and taste of all three. Prep a sunny bed by removing stones and clods 1 foot deep to ensure smooth, straight carrots; sow seeds directly, and keep soil evenly moist. When seedlings are a few inches tall, thin to 11/2 inches apart. The above varieties reach maturity in 65 to 75 days; check for size before then by pulling a few, and enjoy them as finger-size baby carrots. Seeds are available from Johnny's Selected Seeds (877/564-6697). –Johanna Silver