It is a root vegetable that is usually orange in color, although there are purple, black, red, white and yellow cultivars. Carrots grow from seed and can mature for up to four months (120 days), but most cultivars mature from 70 to 80 days under suitable conditions. This plant grows in full sun but some varieties tolerate shade. The optimum temperature is 16 to 21 degrees Celsius. Carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for several months. For long-term storage, unwashed carrots can be placed in a bucket between layers of sand, 50/50 sand mixture and wood chips or soil. Temperature range 0 to 5 degrees Celsius is the best temperature. Carrots can be eaten in different ways, raw, grated or chopped in salads and used in soups.