Crop type: Carrots
Daucus carota ‘Sugarsnax 54’
Common name: Carrot ‘Sugarsnax 54’
Crop slug: carrots
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile. Check the source and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Sugarsnax 54’ produces long, tapered roots in a rich orange colour. They are notably sweet whether eaten raw or cooked and can be harvested young as baby carrots or grown to full maincrop size. Mature roots store well through winter.
The cultivar also shows good disease resistance. Sow from April to June for harvests from August to November, choosing deep, unobstructed ground so the long roots can develop their characteristic taper without forking.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Ultimate spread
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Time to ultimate size
- 1 year
‘Sugarsnax 54’ forms its leafy clump and edible roots during the first season. Root length is not separately quantified on the profile, but the description explicitly identifies the crop as long and tapered.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Clay, loam and sand
- Moisture
- Moist but well-drained or well-drained
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral or alkaline
The cultivar tolerates the full listed pH range and several soil textures, but long root quality depends on deep drainage and a stone-free tilth. Improve heavy clay with well-rotted organic matter and remove as many obstructions as possible.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H4 — hardy through an average UK winter, consistent with the profile’s indication that sound mature roots can store through winter
Grow in an open, sunny and sheltered location. Although hardy, the crop is cultivated as an annual and lifted from late summer into autumn before selected roots are stored.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
No colours are assigned in the seasonal table. The profile description gives the key visual trait: long, tapered roots with a rich orange surface and flesh, accompanied by the finely divided green foliage typical of carrots.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Apiaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump-forming
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Daucus includes mainly biennial herbaceous plants commonly known as wild carrots. Their triangular foliage is finely divided and lacy. Pink buds open to small white flowers in dense umbels, and these are followed by small, hairy and lumpy fruits.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Grow ‘Sugarsnax 54’ in full sun in deeply cultivated, freely drained soil. Remove stones and improve heavy clay with well-rotted organic matter to protect the long tapered roots from forking. Keep the seedbed watered until seedlings emerge. Sow in containers only where there is enough depth for the intended root size. Harvest from August through November.
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown directly in its final position from April to June. Direct sowing avoids the taproot disturbance caused by transplanting.
Suggested locations
- Patio and container plantings
- Cottage and informal gardens
- Wildlife gardens
Pruning
No pruning is required.
Pests
Carrot fly larvae, wireworm, slugs and rodents may damage the roots, while aphids may attack the foliage. A fine insect-mesh barrier at least 60cm high around the bed can help prevent carrot flies from laying eggs.
Diseases
The cultivar is generally disease-free and has good general resistance, although carrot leaf blight may occur during wet growing conditions.