Daucus carota subsp. sativus 'Autumn King 2' is a Hardy Annual belonging to the Flakkee or Autumn King group — a classification of large, late-maturing, broad-shouldered carrots developed in the Netherlands in the early 20th century specifically for their exceptional yield, storage quality, and cold hardiness. 'Autumn King 2' is an improved selection of the original Autumn King variety, offering more consistent root formation and better disease resistance while retaining all the characteristics that made the original a British kitchen garden staple.

The Maincrop Distinction: 'Autumn King 2' is a maincrop carrot — sown from spring, it develops through summer and reaches its full size and finest flavour in autumn. Unlike early varieties bred for rapid maturity and delicate, sweet flavour, maincrop varieties like this one are bred for size, yield, storage quality, and depth of flavour. The roots are substantially larger — typically 20–25cm long and 4–5cm across at the shoulder — and the flavour is richer, more complex, and more robustly carrot-like than the mild sweetness of early types. They are the carrots that make a roasting tray smell magnificent and a winter soup taste deeply satisfying.

Frost Hardiness & In-Ground Storage: The defining quality of 'Autumn King 2' — and the reason for its name — is its exceptional ability to stand in the ground through hard autumn and winter weather without deteriorating. While most vegetables require lifting and storing before the first hard frosts, these roots can remain in the ground safely through temperatures well below freezing, protected by the surrounding soil. The cold actually improves flavour — the same starch-to-sugar conversion that sweetens parsnips and leeks after frost works equally on 'Autumn King 2', producing progressively sweeter, more complex roots as winter deepens. This makes the vegetable bed its own larder from October through to January.

Soil Requirements: Unlike Paris Market's shallow requirement, 'Autumn King 2' needs deep, well-prepared, stone-free soil of at least 30cm to develop its long, straight roots without forking or splitting. This is non-negotiable — a single stone at depth will cause forking, and shallow or compacted ground will produce stunted, misshapen roots regardless of variety. Deep, well-cultivated raised beds or border soil that has been double-dug and enriched with aged compost are the ideal growing conditions.

'Autumn King 2' rewards careful soil preparation above everything else — invest the time in getting the bed right before sowing and the rest follows naturally.

Soil Preparation:
Prepare the bed deeply — fork or dig to at least 30cm, removing every stone larger than a marble. Incorporate well-rotted compost or leaf mould worked into the lower layers, but avoid fresh manure which causes forking. Rake to a fine, even tilth before sowing. If your natural soil is shallow or stony, a deep raised bed of at least 35–40cm filled with a sandy loam or vegetable compost mix will give consistently excellent results.

How to Sow:
Sow directly outdoors from March to June — carrots must be direct-sown as they cannot be transplanted. Sow thinly in drills approximately 1cm deep and 25–30cm apart. Mixing the fine seed with dry sand helps distribute it more evenly along the drill and reduces the need for thinning. Germination takes 14–21 days and requires consistent moisture throughout — cover with fleece or glass until germination occurs to retain warmth and moisture. Thin seedlings progressively to 7–8cm apart as they develop, eating the thinnings as baby carrots.

Ongoing Care:
Keep the bed weed-free throughout the long growing season — the slow-growing carrot seedlings cannot compete with established weeds in the early weeks. Water during dry spells to prevent root cracking. Cover with fine insect mesh immediately after sowing and maintain throughout the season to exclude carrot fly completely — this single measure is the most effective and reliable protection available. As roots begin to develop, a small amount of shoulder may appear above soil level; cover with a little soil to prevent greening.

Harvesting:
Roots are ready from August onwards, but 'Autumn King 2' is at its very best left in the ground through October, November, and December — the flavour deepens and sweetens with each successive frost. Lift as needed with a fork, working carefully to avoid snapping the long roots. In areas with very wet winters or heavy clay soil, lifting the entire crop in November and storing in boxes of slightly damp sand in a cool shed will preserve quality through midwinter. In free-draining or sandy soils, roots can safely remain in the ground until January or February.

'Autumn King 2' occupies its bed from spring right through to winter — these companions from our range make productive use of the surrounding space while protecting the long-season crop:

• 🌼 Nasturtium 'Tom Thumb': The Carrot Fly Barrier. Nasturtiums are one of the most consistently recommended companions for all carrot varieties, and are particularly valuable for a long-season maincrop like 'Autumn King 2' — their aromatic foliage provides deterrence during the main carrot fly egg-laying flights of May–June and again in August, both of which fall squarely within this variety's growing window. Their compact habit means they fill the edges and path sides of the carrot bed without ever shading the developing roots, and their vivid summer flowers bring colour and pollinator activity to what can otherwise be a fairly plain patch of feathery carrot tops through the long summer months.
• 🧡 Calendula 'Art Shades Mixed': The Root Protector. Calendula is an outstanding companion for maincrop carrots over a long season — its sticky roots actively deter the soil nematodes and wireworms that tunnel into developing carrot roots from summer through to autumn, and its sustained flowering from June to October keeps a continuous population of beneficial hoverflies and parasitic wasps around the bed. The warm apricot and amber tones of Art Shades make a beautiful edging to the carrot rows throughout the summer and autumn, and the edible flowers remain useful in the kitchen right up to the point when the first Autumn King roots are ready to harvest.
• 🌼 Borage: The Biodiversity Anchor. Borage planted at the end of carrot rows sustains a lively, beneficial insect habitat around the bed from early summer through to October — well into the Autumn King's growing season. Its deep taproot mines minerals from the lower soil layers that benefit the carrot roots growing alongside it, and its prolific blue flowers provide high-value nectar for bees and hoverflies throughout the season. It is also one of the most structurally satisfying companions for a long carrot bed in full growth — the bold, rough-textured foliage and loose blue flowers of Borage creating a natural, lived-in end stop to the neat, feathery carrot rows beside it.
• 🌿 Basil Classic Italian: The Summer Aromatic Deterrent. Basil planted near carrots during the summer growing season is believed to deter carrot fly through its powerful aromatic oils, particularly during the June to August period when the second generation of fly is most active. On the plate, roasted 'Autumn King 2' with olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil — the carrots deeply caramelised, the basil bright and fragrant — is one of the most satisfying late-summer vegetable dishes the kitchen garden produces, bridging the season from the warm abundance of August into the richer, sturdier cooking of autumn.

Sow direct in spring for a long, patient growing season — then leave the roots in the ground through the frosts of autumn and winter, harvesting on demand as the flavour deepens and sweetens with every cold spell.