Carrot cultivation and care outdoors. How to plant carrot seeds in open ground? Carrots: planting and care in open ground. Planting methods and patterns
Carrots are grown in almost every garden, but they are not always successful - instead of a beauty, a meager, stunted spectacle the size of a finger grows.
But I want it to grow up big and beautiful, like they sell in the market.
Family: Umbrella or celeryaceae.
Cycle: biennial plant, in the first year of life it forms a dense rosette of leaves and a root crop, and in the second year it forms a seed bush and the seeds themselves.
Root crop: depending on the variety, round, cylindrical or conical shape. Yellow, orange, pink, red and black-violet color.
Crop rotation: Carrots are returned to their original place no earlier than after 5 years. The best predecessors are cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, early potatoes, to which organic matter was added several years ago.
The best carrot yields are obtained on peat-bog, floodplain, sandy loam and light loamy soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.
Carrots grow poorly in heavy clay areas and in the shade. The place allocated for growing carrots must be clear of weeds, especially perennial ones - wheatgrass, sow thistle, milkweed, which greatly inhibit seedlings.
Carrot cultivation: sowing time and seed placement
There is no exact landing date. The seeds are sown in cold soil, then the carrots will be large and strong. As soon as the snow melts, you can plant, year after year. This could be the end of March or the 1st or 2nd decade of April.
Carrot seeds germinate well at +3 degrees and above. Optimal temperature for development +18 gr…+22 gr.
For quicker and earlier shoots of carrots, the seeds are soaked in water or a solution of microelements or growth regulators (epin, oxyhumate, hydrohumate) until completely swollen.
After soaking, the seeds are slightly dried and mixed with sand to make it easier to scatter during planting.
Before direct sowing, the beds are leveled with a rake, furrows are made, and they are spilled with warm water or a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Carrot seeds are buried 1 - 3 cm, sprinkled with sifted soil mixed with peat and lightly compact the soil with the palm of your hand or the back of a rake.
It is good to plant onions or garlic near carrots. They repel the carrot fly, the main pest, from it, and the carrot in return repels the onion fly.
Seeds can also be planted in early June and autumn (late October - early November) before the soil freezes. Planting before winter is done without preliminary soaking.
Thinning
For the first time, carrots are thinned with 1 - 2 true leaves, and again after 20 - 30 days, leaving 2.5 - 3 cm between plants. It is advisable to thin out only on cloudy days or after rain or watering.
To upper part the root crops have not turned green, they are hilled up without covering the growing points.
Feeding
On soils with low nitrogen content (carrots are pale and do not develop well), the plant is fertilized 1 - 2 times per season with an infusion of fermented bird droppings(1:20) or manure (1:10). Nitrogen fertilizers apply no later than the first ten days of July, potassium without chlorine - in early August.
Carrots are responsive to watering, especially during seed germination and early growth. During the formation of root crops, it is watered regularly, but moderately, so as not to spread.
Carrot cultivation - preventive measures
To prevent aphids, carrot fly, psyllid carrot beds are sprayed with infusion of marigolds or pine needles every 3 days, and after loosening and weeding, the rows are sprinkled with ash, celandine powder or chamomile.
white rot
When pests appear, carrots are treated with biological products according to the instructions. For example, lepidocide, Bitoxibacillin and others.
But from diseases caused by pathogenic fungi (alternaria) - Phytocid, Trichodermin, Mikosan - V.
- Carrots are rich in flavonoids, enzymes, vitamins D, C, B, E, nicotinic acid, phosphorus, iron, selenium, potassium, magnesium.
- It is good for vision, skin, mucous membranes, it is often used in diets, for myocardial infarction, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis.
- Fresh carrot pulp or juice can treat frostbite, burns, purulent wounds, ulcers, cuts.
- Carrots contain a lot of keratin, which is converted into vitamin A in the living body thanks to fats. Therefore, carrots should be eaten with, for example, vegetable oil or sour cream.
Varieties
Alenka is an early ripening variety, root crops up to 12 cm long, orange color, excellent taste.
Moscow Winter - mid-season high-yielding variety, suitable for sowing before winter. Root vegetables up to 18 cm long, red-orange in color with a high carotene content.
Vita Longa is a late-ripening variety, the roots do not crack, and are suitable for obtaining juice. Conical root vegetables 20 - 30 cm long with a high content of keratin and sugar.
Secrets to Growing a Great Carrot HarvestCarrot (lat. Daucus) is a biennial umbrella plant. The root crop ripens in the first year, and in the second year a seed bush is formed (for collecting seeds for sowing). Growing carrots requires following simple rules for caring for the crop, which will help you get a good and healthy harvest.
When to sow carrots in open ground
- Early varieties carrots (Kinby, Kolorit F1, Parmex, Touchon) can be sown and seedlings planted in open ground at the end of April, provided the weather is stable and there is no frost. These varieties are distinguished by their juiciness and sweetness; they are grown for cooking and eating.
- Mid-season varieties (Viking, Nantes 4, Typhoon, Perfection) are suitable for longer storage of root crops; sowing them in open ground begins in the middle of the month, and planting seedlings in open ground can begin earlier, on May 8-10.
- Late varieties(Selekta, Olympus, Java, Vita Longa, Valeria 5) are ideal for storage, transportation and preparations for the winter. Sowing occurs at the end of May, seedlings are planted in the second half.
IN northern regions worth paying attention to climatic conditions, and if necessary, sowing is postponed for half a month.
Favorable days for sowing according to lunar calendar are May 3-4 and May 30-31, when the moon will be in its waxing phase (1st quarter). It is recommended to do all sowing work before lunch.
Selecting a location and preparing beds for carrots
Fertile and loose soils are best suited for growing carrots, namely loamy-sandy soils with a neutral acidity of 6-7 pH.
It is important that a crust does not form on the surface of the soil, preventing air access to the root crops. Therefore, surface loosening of the beds is important at all stages of cultivation.
Increased soil moisture can lead to the development of fungal diseases and a decrease in the taste of fruits. Better arrange raised beds for carrots, or choose a place on a hill. Wetlands and places with stagnant water are not suitable.
Crop rotation rules for carrots
You should not plant vegetables in the same place for 2 years in a row. This significantly increases the likelihood of damage from pathogenic bacteria and pests.
- Good predecessors for sowing carrots are: cucumbers, grains and legumes, any types of cabbage, tomatoes;
- After growing most types of greens (fennel, caraway, parsley, dill, parsnips), it is not advisable to use these beds for sowing carrots.
Preparing the soil for sowing
Growing carrots in the country involves cultivating the soil in two stages. In the fall, the soil is loosened and, if necessary, mulched with sawdust. In the spring, before sowing, rotted manure is added to the soil in the amount of 1 bucket per two square meters of bed.
You can add to fertilizers:
- If the soil is heavy, you can add 2-3 kg of sawdust - this will make it loose.
- A small amount of wood ash (450-500 grams per square meter beds) will significantly improve taste qualities vegetables and will prolong the shelf life of the crop.
- Nitrogen fertilizers - they increase the level of nitrates in vegetables and contribute to the coarsening of their tissues;
- You cannot use fresh manure, as the root crops will begin to actively branch and become smaller. In addition, this will attract mole crickets.
Planting carrots in open ground
Many gardeners prefer to sow carrots directly from the package, but not all grains are of high quality and will germinate. Preliminary screening and pre-sowing preparation planting material will save time, get better germination and stronger seedlings.
Seed preparation
Carrot seeds are rich in vegetable oils, which blocks moisture from reaching the embryo. It is recommended to pre-rinse and soak them. There are several ways pre-sowing preparation planting material.
- Digging into the soil will help to significantly increase germination: the grains are placed in a fabric bag and placed in damp soil to a depth of 30 cm for 10 days; before sowing, they are removed and dried. The seeds swell well in damp soil and produce good shoots;
- Pelleting is a nutritious coating that greatly facilitates the procedure of sowing small seeds and increases their germination. For preparation you will need: 0.2 kg of liquid mullein and powdered peat. A tablespoon of seeds is placed in liter jar and add 1 spoon of powder and manure, cover with a lid and shake thoroughly for several minutes. The procedure is repeated several times until a shell is formed on the seeds, after which they are dried and stored in a dry place until sowing;
- Soaking in nutrient solution(1 tablespoon of ash per 1 liter of warm water). The grains in bags are placed in liquid for a day, then kept on a damp cloth in the refrigerator for 3-4 days for stratification. Before sowing, the planting material is dried.
Advice when buying seeds from China through Aliexpress
Carrot planting technology
- On pre-prepared beds, shallow furrows are made (up to 2 cm deep), the distance between them should be at least 15 cm;
- For convenience small seeds mixed with sand and sown, keeping 3-4 cm gaps between the grains. You can also sow in a continuous line - the “groove” method, and after the emergence of seedlings, thin them out;
- The top of the planting is sprinkled with soil and compacted with a palm or a wide board.
It is recommended to cover the bed with film to maintain soil moisture and prevent weed growth. In warm weather and preliminary preparation planting material, the first shoots will appear on the 10-12th day. After this, it is necessary to remove the covering material, since young greenery can easily withstand short-term frosts.
Carrot cultivation and care in open ground
After sowing, the most important stage begins - caring for carrots. It is important to act systematically and follow agricultural techniques for growing crops.
Watering carrots requires special attention when grown in open ground. Lack of moisture can lead to the death of young plants. Excessive watering also has its disadvantages: the fruits overgrow and lose their taste.
- After thinning, the amount of water is increased to 10 liters per square meter.
- When the carrots form leaves, the roots begin to actively grow, then the water rate increases to 20 liters per unit area.
- 2 months before harvest, the frequency is reduced to 1 time every 2 weeks.
It is recommended to stop watering carrots 10-20 days before harvesting - this stimulates the roots to elongate. For the procedure, you must use only warm, settled water (ideally, melt water). It is recommended to water in the late afternoon, then the sun will not leave burns on the greenery.
Thinning carrots
The procedure is carried out on days 12 and 22 after germination. Small and weak plants are removed; if this is not done, the root crops will be frail and thin.
Loosening and weeding
The procedures are carried out immediately after thinning.
- Weeding frees access sunlight to green bushes;
- Loosening will help better nutrition fruits
If the soil is not loosened, the root crops grow small and crooked.
Feeding carrots in open ground
When growing carrots, fertilizing is carried out 3-4 times during the entire growing season.
- The first procedure is carried out when 3-4 leaves appear on the sprouts. To do this, use a solution ammonium nitrate(30 g per 10 liters of water).
- The next feeding of carrots is carried out after 3-4 weeks using superphosphate (30 g per 10 liters of water).
- Feeding carrots in June is necessary, since during this period the root crop grows especially quickly and gains juice. For feeding, you can use wood ash (a glass per square meter) or potassium sulfate.
- The fourth procedure is performed at the moment the root crop ripens (usually in September, but the time may vary depending on the variety). You can use any fertilizers from those that were used previously; this is especially suitable boric acid(a tablespoon per bucket of water).
Feeding carrots with folk remedies is very popular among experienced summer residents. There are many recipes, many of which include yeast, nettles and ash. One of the most interesting infusions is prepared using all three components.
Triple Fertilizer Recipe for Carrots
The container is almost completely filled with nettles and filled with water to ¾ of the volume. For more intense fermentation, yeast or starter is added to the barrel. Potassium-rich ash will only complement the nutritional mixture. The mixture is stirred periodically and kept in the sun. To feed, 1 liter of the resulting liquid is diluted with 10 liters of water. Average consumption fertilizers - a bucket on the garden bed.
Growing carrots in open ground video
Secrets of agricultural technology for growing carrots and a good harvest
Following a few simple nuances will greatly facilitate growing carrots in open ground in the Moscow region.
- It is necessary to follow the rules of crop rotation;
- It is recommended to disinfect seeds that you have prepared yourself before sowing in a 1% iodine solution;
- Give preference to proven and disease-resistant varieties;
- Buy seeds and seedlings from companies you trust;
- When purchasing new varieties on foreign sites, first check them for germination, and when sowing in open ground, do not allocate more than 10% of the beds for them;
- Carry out preventive spraying with the drug “Baikal” or nettle infusion against pests and diseases.
Bottom line
Good preparation soil and seed material will guarantee good germination. A correct agricultural technology and caring for carrots in the open ground will provide you with a good and high-quality harvest.
carrots in Middle lane It is convenient to grow in Russia; the climate is suitable for this. I prefer mid-season carrots; they last a long time and taste good. It is optimal to sow mid-ripening varieties in mid-May. However, to avoid negative influence return frosts, you don’t have to rush with sowing - plant carrots at the end of the month.
Soil for planting carrots
Planting carrots in beds
I prepare beds for carrots in an open, well-lit area; there is no shade there, and this has a beneficial effect on the yields - the soil warms up well. I choose the most leveled part of the site for the beds - without slopes or depressions where it can accumulate. cold air and excess moisture.
Prepare beds for carrots in the fall, when there is significantly more free time than in the spring.
First, I remove all the plant parts remaining from the crop growing on the site, then I dig up the soil using a shovel full, trying to remove the maximum number of weeds, after which I loosen the soil with a rake and level it. For those who have heavy soil on their plot, I advise you to dig it up with sawdust, scattering it at the rate of 3 kg per 1 sq. m. m.
Too much large beds I don’t do it and I don’t recommend it to you, optimal width beds that allow you to care for plants without problems is 1 m, or a little more. I arrange the beds on the site so that their length runs from north to south.
Carrot planting scheme
The scheme is simple: first, I draw grooves along the beds about 5 cm wide and about 2 cm deep or a little more. I make the outermost furrow no closer than 10 cm from the edge of the bed, maybe even a little further, and the rest, 18-20 cm apart from each other. Some gardeners believe that they will save a lot of space if they make narrow furrows, but experience has shown that such beds further care very inconvenient.
In order for carrot seeds to germinate faster, I always sow them in pre-moistened soil. Before planting, I first water the beds with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (light pink), after which I thoroughly moisten each furrow with water. room temperature, consuming 5-6 liters. Before sowing, it is also better to keep the seeds in water for about a day so that they swell. I scatter the prepared seeds along the furrow at a distance of about 1 cm or a little more from each other.
Follow the sowing scheme and you can significantly save seed and own strength– you don’t have to thin out the carrot seedlings immediately after they appear.
Caring for carrots after planting
After sowing the carrots, I sprinkle the furrows with the mixture. river sand and peat, in equal parts, until leveled with the soil surface, and then covered with film. There should be 10 cm of free space between the soil and the film, so I lay bricks along the edges of the bed, then lay the film on them, and lay another brick on top of the same bricks, stretching the film.
To prevent water from accumulating on the film, which can press it to the ground, I make several holes in the film through which excess water will flow onto the ground.
The film plays strictly positive role, it retains moisture in the soil, helps to increase the soil temperature, due to which seedlings appear in just a week. Immediately after the emergence of seedlings, the film must be removed so as not to interfere with their growth.
The rest consists of regular thinning, loosening, fertilizing and timely watering.
Nikolay Khromov, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, senior researcher
Planting carrots in open ground: video
For information on the experience of planting carrots in open ground in the spring in the Tula region, see. Carrots are sown at the end of April or early May. Carrot seeds are soaked in hot water for half an hour or in a damp cloth for 2 days. The swollen carrot seeds are dried and powdered with ash. To make the crops sparser, sand is added to the carrot seeds and mixed. Carrots are convenient to use in joint plantings, for example, with onions or peas. When growing, you need to observe crop rotation, for example, sow carrots after potatoes.
Planting carrots on paper: video
Experience of sowing carrot seeds in different ways see: how to plant carrots in jelly and on paper, using ash and sand, how to prepare seeds and beds for sowing. Carrots can be sown in joint plantings with beets and onions. Before planting, the seeds are prepared. First, carrot seeds are soaked in hot water at a temperature of 50-60 °C for 2 hours in a thermos, and then for 15 minutes according to the instructions in a growth stimulator solution. Immediately before sowing, after soaking, the carrot seeds are dried on a linen napkin.
Growing carrots in the garden is not difficult. But in order to get stable, high and high-quality harvests year after year, you will have to work hard, because not every year can be called a “carrot”.
The beds for planting carrots are prepared in the fall. Compost is scattered over the surface (4 kg per sq.m.) and dug up in the spring before sowing. A spoonful of ammonium sulfate, 2 spoons of superphosphate and 1 cup of ash are added per square meter.
Carrot seeds germinate slowly, and out of a hundred seeds, it’s good if at least 70 sprout. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, carrots are treated before planting. The seeds are wrapped in cloth and dipped in cold water for a day. The water must be changed at least 6 times during these 24 hours. Finally, the seeds can be filled not with water, but with a solution of microelements.
Carrot seeds often contain microbial spores, disease-causing. You can get rid of the infection by soaking the seeds in water at a temperature of 40-45 degrees for 5 minutes. Then the seeds are rinsed in cold water.
It is best to plant carrots in open ground early, while the soil is saturated with spring moisture. On clay soil Carrot seeds are planted at a depth of one and a half to two centimeters, on sandy loam a little deeper. Early varieties are sown with intervals between rows of 12-15 cm, mid-ripening and late-ripening 25-30 cm.
Carrots grow well on sandy loam and light loam with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. On heavy soil, it is better to sow short-fruited carrots; on loose soil, any varieties, even long-fruited ones, work well.
Planting carrots in the ground will be easier if you mix the seeds in half with sand, and then pour the mixture into the furrows. In order not to carry out the difficult and painstaking work of thinning, bending over the garden bed, many gardeners prefer to stick the seeds with flour paste in the comfort of their home, sitting at the table. paper tapes made from toilet paper. Before planting, you only need to make furrows, spread ribbons, cover with soil and water.
When the head of the root crop appears on the surface, hilling is carried out. This technique protects plants from overheating, sunburn and greening. Hilling is repeated twice more during the season. The result of the final hilling should be a 4-5 centimeter layer of soil covering the heads of the root crops.
On acidic soils the beds have to be limed, since carrots prefer slightly acidic and neutral soil. It is enough to add 300 g of fluff per square meter. m., but you can’t lime it for carrots - you need to dig up the bed with lime for the previous crop. Therefore, it is convenient to grow carrots in crop rotation after cabbage, because a lot of organic matter is added to cabbage, and it (like carrots) prefers soils with a neutral reaction.
Neighborhood Features
Carrots should not be sown after celery and parsnips. You can’t sow it in beds where carrots also grew last year. The plant feels good in the beds after vegetables, under which humus was added a year earlier.
Growing carrots
Agricultural technology for growing carrots includes observing crop rotation. Growing carrots in the old place is possible no sooner than after three summer season. This protects plants from pests and diseases.
Carrots are a vegetable popular in cooking. It adds sweetness to the dish. Pairs well with other vegetables, meat, fish or fruits. This root vegetable is not a capricious plant, but errors in caring for it can lead to diseases and significantly reduce the quality and volume of the harvest.
Over a long period of time, people have developed a large number of varieties of carrots. The plant was originally domesticated in our area as an exotic spice. The seeds and tops of which were used as a seasoning. Carrots are rich in vitamins and beneficial microelements. It is necessary for a person to maintain life. The root vegetable has a positive effect on vision, contributes to the overall strengthening of the body due to the content of vitamins, acids and other useful components. Carrot varieties for open groundCarrot varietiesCarrot varieties are conventionally grouped into three categories based on the criterion of root shape. These are a cone, a cylinder and a sphere. Carrots are divided into varieties (Nantes, Chantane, Flacquet), which are divided into early, mid and late ripening varieties. Nantes:
Paris Carotel:
Amsterdam:
Emperor:
Berlicum-Nantes:
If you need carrots that long time will retain the taste and healthy components - choose the Queen of Autumn, Red Giant, Autumn Red, Long Red, Perfection, etc. It is advisable to eat early carrots in the summer, or use them in preservation (in salads, marinades, etc.). It cannot be stored long term. The best varieties for wintering in a cellar are those that are harvested in the fall and whose ripening period ranges from 3 to 4.5 months. Among the varieties of carrots there are also purple carrots F1 Purple elixir containing special useful substances, which help cleanse the body of fats and cholesterol, improve the functioning of the central nervous system and circulatory organs. Features of planting carrots in open groundSo that carrots sown in open ground will bring good harvest, you need to carefully select the soil. The soil should be loose, fertile, with neutral acidity and average humidity. This is important for the quality of root vegetables: their shape, taste, health. Carrot seeds do not need to be processed in any special way. But some gardeners try to speed up the process of germination by resorting to the following tricks:
Seeds previously prepared for planting can be thrown into the ground. When sowing, try to maintain a distance between the grains - this will make the carrot thinning process easier. Growing carrots in open ground - tricks of gardenersA proven method will help you maintain the treasured distance of 3 cm between grains when sowing. Caring for carrots in open groundAn important component of plant care is loosening the soil. This could be weeding or piercing the ground with a pitchfork. The procedure must be performed regularly, combining it with weed removal. Be sure to ensure that the soil is loose. Thanks to this, the shape of the carrots will be perfect. And if you miss this, be prepared for crooked and branched carrots that will be inconvenient to dig up and peel. If carrots were sown without a ruler, they need to be thinned. The distance between adjacent sprouts should be 3 cm - this golden mean during the first thinning, which is performed when two true leaves appear on the seedlings. There is no need to perform such a procedure only when complex prepared seeding using paper was used. The procedure is repeated again after some time, when 4 sheets are formed, leaving an interval of 5-6 cm. Watering carrots in open groundWatering is one of the the most important stages care, the quality of which depends appearance and taste qualities of the root crop. You don't want to end up with limp carrots with a hint of bitterness? Then be sure to devote your time to organizing watering on the site. How often to water carrots in open ground?
Feeding carrots in open groundTwice during the season, regular watering should be replaced by watering with fertilizers: when seedlings form and at 2-3 months of growth. A supermixture is diluted into 1 bucket of water: nitrophoska (1 tbsp), wood ash (1 tbsp), potassium nitrate (20 g), urea (15 g), double superphosphate (15 g). Carrot diseases
Carrot pestsCarrots are prevented from fully developing by pests. Earth inhabitants can be collected in one place and destroyed. Carrots are considered the most disease and pest resistant crop. Prevention and treatment of its ailments will cost you little or no money. Carrot harvestEarly ripening carrots look fully formed already in July. It is collected this month, but cannot be stored. The same applies to the August mid-season. Winter storage varieties are harvested in September before the onset of the rainy season. The ground should be dry and the weather should be clear and sunny. You can pull carrots out of sandy soil with your hands. If the soil is dense, you will need garden tool. On the surface, the carrots are sorted, sorted into those suitable for storage and damaged (broken). Carrots with defects should be eaten as early as possible, before they wither or begin to become overgrown with rot. It cannot be stored with healthy carrots, as this is fraught with rotting and infection. As a result, the harvest will be spoiled. The tops are cut off right at the head of the root crop, and the carrots themselves are laid out under a canopy to dry for 3-4 days. After this, it is necessary to withstand 10 days in air temperatures not exceeding 14°C. for hardening. Spoiled root crops are isolated from the harvest. Carrot storageIt is effective to sprinkle carrots with sand, dry moss, onion peels or chalk in boxes. The loose cushion protects the carrots from contact and disinfects the storage environment, thereby preventing the development of rot.
Methods for storing carrots may vary depending on the variety used. In order not to make a mistake, consult with experienced gardeners or seed sellers which method of storing carrots is optimal for the varieties you have chosen.
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