Content
Carrots are one of the most popular vegetable crops in garden plots. The main problem is the need to weed the seedlings. Otherwise, the root crops will not have free space to grow. How sow carrotsIn order not to thin out, simple and accessible methods help.
Seed preparation
It is recommended to treat carrot seeds before planting. This will improve their germination.
The following seed treatment methods are most effective:
- placing in warm water for a day;
- treatment with boiling water;
- etching with a solution of manganese or boric acid;
- cold hardening of seeds (performed after soaking until sprouts appear).
Before processing, the seed is stored in a dry place, protected from moisture and light.
Soil preparation
Carrots prefer loamy and sandy soils. The beds are located on flat areas illuminated by the sun. Every year a new place is chosen for sowing. Repeat planting on the same site is allowed only after 4 years.
Peat or humus is used for feeding.
Beds for carrots are dug in the fall. In the spring the procedure is repeated. With the manual planting method, furrows are made 5 cm wide and 2 cm deep. Then sand and fertilizer are added to the soil.
The best ways to sow carrots without thinning
Planting with a pinch
The simplest is the manual planting method. First, the bed is divided into furrows. A distance of 20 cm is left between the rows. Before sowing, it is recommended to pour peat and sand into the resulting furrows.
Pinch planting is done manually. Carrot seeds are taken in the palm of your hand and dropped one at a time into the depressions in the garden bed. Leave a few centimeters between each plant. This is the simplest, but at the same time labor-intensive planting method.
Sowing on tape
To plant carrots on a tape, you need to purchase special material for sowing at a garden store. Light paper, including toilet paper, is suitable for these purposes. The material is cut into strips up to 2 cm wide. The length of the strips should be enough for the entire bed.
Seeds are applied to paper using paste. You can make it yourself using water and starch. The paste is applied pointwise to the strips at intervals of 2-3 cm. Then carrot seeds are applied to them.
The tape is placed in the prepared furrows and covered with earth. This ensures economical consumption of carrot seeds. The same distance is maintained between seedlings, which will save the gardener from thinning the beds.
You can begin preparing for sowing on tape in winter. The resulting strips are folded and left until spring.
Planting on paste
You can plant carrot seeds on paste without using tape or other devices. To prepare the composition you will need a spoon of flour and a liter of water. The components are simmered over low heat and then cooled to 30 degrees.
Then the seeds are placed in the paste and a plastic bottle is filled with the mixture. The paste with seeds is poured into the prepared holes. This method of planting will additionally protect plants from diseases. Planted carrots will ripen earlier and be more juicy.
Sowing in bags
Carrot seeds should be placed in a cloth bag. After the snow cover melts, it is placed in the ground several centimeters deep. In a few weeks, the first carrot shoots will appear, and then you can take them out and do a full planting.
It is much more convenient to plant germinated plants in furrows, providing free space between them. As a result, you will not have to thin out the plants, and the bed will be completely filled with seedlings.
Planting with an egg lattice
Using an egg grid allows you to create even holes at the same distance from each other. To do this, take a plastic or paper form in which eggs are sold.
The lattice is pressed into the soil over the entire surface of the bed, after which even holes are formed. You need to place two or three seeds in each of them.
The advantages of this method include uniform germination of carrot seeds without the need for thinning.However, the seeds are planted manually, which requires a lot of time and effort.
Landing with river sand
Add two tablespoons of carrot seeds to a bucket of river sand. To improve the germination of the resulting mixture, you can add a little water. We sow seeds mixed with sand into furrows in the garden bed, after which we apply a layer of soil.
Sandy soil contains more air, which improves the effect of mineral fertilizers.
This method will not ensure equal spacing between carrot shoots. However, careful preparation of the furrows is not required here. Shoots that are too dense can then be thinned out.
Mixed sowing
Different crops coexist perfectly in one garden bed: carrots and radishes. If you mix the seeds of these plants and add river sand, you will get a ready-made mixture for planting. It is placed in furrows in the garden bed, after which it is covered with a layer of soil and watered.
Radishes emerge first, growing quickly and finding their way onto the kitchen table. After harvesting it, there is a lot of free space for carrots to grow. This method makes it possible to grow two types of vegetables in one bed, which is especially important for small plots.
Using the seeder
Special devices help automate the planting process. Manual seeders have the simplest design. The seeds are poured into a separate compartment of the cabin equipped with wheels. Loosening of the soil is carried out by blades located on wheels. The device is moved by the handles.
The seeder has a number of advantages:
- ensures seed penetration to a given depth;
- the seed is evenly distributed over the ground;
- seed consumption is controlled;
- there is no need to prepare furrows and cover the seeds with a layer of soil;
- the material is not damaged;
- the sowing process is accelerated by 5-10 times.
Self-propelled seeders powered by a power source are used on an industrial scale. For a garden plot, a manual device is suitable, which can be selected according to photo and size. Universal models are used for sowing carrots and other crops.
Seeds in granules
It is much more convenient to plant carrot seeds enclosed in granules. Dried seeds have a coating of nutrients. Due to their large size, they are convenient to use when planting. When it gets into the soil, the shell dissolves and the plants receive additional nutrition.
There are no restrictions on how to plant carrots enclosed in granules. Any methods, manual or automated, are suitable for this.
Although pelleted seeds are more expensive than regular seeds, all costs are offset by convenient use. This material is completely ready for sowing and does not require processing.
Caring for carrots
Regardless of the method chosen, carrots need watering after sowing. The supply of moisture must be constant. It is better to water the seedlings in the evening, when the water warms up in the sun.
When using special planting methods, carrots do not require weeding. It is enough to loosen the soil several times to improve air exchange and moisture penetration.
As carrots grow, they need feeding. Organic fertilizer will provide an influx of nutrients.Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium additives are useful for this crop.
Conclusion
Carrots require thinning several times a season. The correct planting method helps to avoid this time-consuming procedure. Certain methods require special training and additional costs. However, the costs are offset by the time saved on weeding. The simplest method is to use sand or other types of seeds. To plant carrots in large areas, it is recommended to purchase a seeder.
