The plants then take approximately 120 to 180 days to mature. Fresh market carrots are harvested from late July through September or October, while processing carrots are harvested from early October through late November. Carrots are mechanically harvested in Michigan. The roots are undercut and then they are lifted out of the soil by grasping the leaves. If foliar diseases are left uncontrolled it is difficult to harvest the carrots because the foliage is too weak to lift the carrots out of the ground.
Healthy leaves are important for effective harvesting.
Weeds and foliar diseases can interfere with harvesting. Carrots are loaded onto machinery, washed, cooled and packaged, then placed in storage. Great care is taken with post-harvest handling to ensure good quality. Carrots are the second highest volume fresh market vegetable grown in Michigan.