Glen Parrold, age 10, of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, for his question:

Where do they get seeds for planting carrots?

The carrot is a biennial vegetable, which means that it takes two years to reach maturity. During the first season, the seed produces a ferny green top and pokes down its cheery, carrot colored root. This is when we pull it up and eat it, raw or cooked. However, by doing this we upset the carrot's long range plans for producing seeds. This happens during the next summer season.

If you have a vegetable garden, certain seeds can be saved to plant next year. However, it takes two seasons to get seeds from a carrot. In regions where the winters are mild, a selected carrot can be left in the garden all winter. Where winter frosts buckle the ground, the selected carrot should be dug up and stored in a cool root cellar. Come spring, it can be planted out in the garden, where the soil is loose and enriched with organic compost. During this second season the carrot grows a tall stalk topped with bunches of small seeds.