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It is generally accepted that hybrid vegetables are somehow worse than varietal vegetables. At the same time, every gardener knows about the undeniable advantages of the hybrid (yield, durability, etc.). What carrot seeds should you buy for the next season: varietal or hybrid? This article will describe the advantages and disadvantages of each of these subspecies, and also discuss popular varieties and hybrids of carrots.
What is the power of a hybrid?
Scientists and breeders are engaged in breeding hybrids. Getting a new carrot hybrid is not an easy task. To do this, you need to cross several varieties of vegetables, and do this over 7-10 seasons. Only after several generations can you get a worthy carrot hybrid that has the best qualities of its “parents”.
Hybrid carrot varieties The good thing is that they are created specifically for certain conditions. So, there are vegetables adapted to the southern climate, and there are those that can withstand even sub-zero temperatures and grow in the North.
In addition to climatic features, a hybrid can be “grafted” with productivity, resistance to certain diseases, and the ability to tolerate humidity or drought.
In general, the useful qualities of a hybrid look like this:
- higher yield;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- best commercial qualities (color, shape, size of root crops);
- early ripening;
- less “capriciousness” in relation to growing conditions (watering, loosening, fertilizing);
- short growing season (the crop ripens in record time, which allows you to enjoy the vitamin and healthy vegetable earlier).
What's wrong with hybrid carrots?
Experienced gardeners and summer residents note that with all the advantages, hybrid carrots also have their weaknesses. The disadvantages of hybrid varieties usually include:
- worse taste;
- shorter shelf life.
However, even these few shortcomings are very conditional. The modern assortment of seeds and varieties allows you to choose those that have no weaknesses.
It cannot be said that some variety of hybrid carrots are bad and some are good. Each of the hybrids was bred for a special purpose: early ripening, high yields or unpretentiousness.
Each gardener or farmer chooses what is more important to him: getting a bountiful harvest in a short time and selling it, or growing aromatic late-ripening carrots that will last until the next season and will not lose their usefulness.
Early ripe carrots
The group of early-ripening carrots includes varieties and hybrids that produce a harvest on the 70-100th day after the appearance of the first shoots.
Early varieties of carrots can be harvested already at the end of May - beginning of July, here everything depends on the timing of sowing the seeds.
You shouldn’t hope for very abundant harvests of early-ripening carrots - yield is not one of the strengths of such varieties. However, there are hybrids that produce fairly high (from 20 to 40 tons per hectare) yields, which makes it possible to successfully grow early-ripening carrots for commercial purposes.
"Amsterdamskaya"
The carrots of this variety can be harvested within 85 days after the first shoots appear. The fruits grow small - their weight rarely exceeds 75 grams, and their length reaches only 16 cm. The carrot is painted in a bright orange color, the core also has this shade.
The taste of the root vegetable is excellent: the pulp is juicy and crispy, sweet. The shape of the fruit is cylindrical, the tip is blunt.
This variety loves moisture and light soil, so the area must be carefully dug or plowed before sowing the seeds. With good care, you can harvest about 6 kg of carrots from each meter of garden.
"Orange Muscat"
One of the most popular varieties, “Orange Muscat” carrots, is also an early ripening variety. The root vegetables are colored deep orange, their length reaches 20 cm, and their weight often exceeds 130 grams.
Carrots have practically no core - the flesh is homogeneous and juicy. The fruits are suitable for both fresh consumption and canning. Such carrots can be stored; they are quite shelf-stable.
It is necessary to sow "Orange Muscat" at the end of April or at the beginning of May. At least 20 cm are left between adjacent rows, and after the emergence of seedlings, the plants are thinned out, the gaps between them should be about 5 cm.
With good care, the variety produces consistently high yields - up to 5.5 kg per meter.
"Minicore F1"
One of the early ripening hybrids, allowing you to harvest 90 days after sowing the seeds. Root vegetables grow small, their weight reaches only 90 grams, and their length is 16 cm. The shape of the fruit is cylindrical, leveled. Color – orange.
This carrot is very tasty and healthy, it is recommended for baby and dietary food.
Most often, this hybrid is grown for individual consumption, but root crops of the Minicore F1 variety can also be sold. The only thing is that the fruits cannot be stored for a long time; they quickly lose their presentation.
"Lydia F1"
Mid-early hybrid carrots ripen by the 100th day after the appearance of the first shoots. Root vegetables are distinguished by their long length - it can reach 30 cm. At the same time, the diameter of the fruit is small - up to 2.5 cm. The weight is also average - about 100 grams. The shape of the root crop is conical-cylindrical. Orange color.
They love the “Lydia F1” variety, first of all, for its taste - it is considered one of the most delicious.Vegetables can be canned, frozen or eaten fresh, but carrots of this variety will not last long, so they are not suitable for long-term storage.
The hybrid should be planted on raised beds with nutritious and light soil. The climatic conditions of the south and center of the country are most suitable for it.
"Artek"
Another early ripening carrot variety. The fruits ripen very quickly - on the 65-85th day after sowing the seeds in the soil, and are characterized by uniform growth.
The root vegetables are colored red-orange, have a cylindrical shape, and the tip is slightly rounded. The weight of each varies from 80 to 140 grams, the length can reach 16 cm. The fruits are quite voluminous - the diameter is about 4 mm. The surface of the fruit is smooth, without large “eyes”.
Carrots grow entirely in the ground, have a large amount of carotene and a large core of bright orange color.
The variety is excellent for growing for sale - the commercial qualities of carrots are excellent. It can be planted not only in spring, but also in winter, then the harvest will appear very early.
"Belladonna"
Another popular variety of early-ripening carrots is “Krasavka”. The fruits ripen on the 90th day after planting the seeds. A mature root vegetable is red-orange in color and has a large core.
The shape of carrots is conical, the surface is smooth. The fruits are considered large, their weight reaches 200 grams, and their length is 20 cm. The taste is good, they contain a lot of sugar and carotene.
Carrots are completely immersed in the soil, suitable for growing in the central and northern regions of Russia. The direct purpose of the variety is canning and fresh consumption. But “Krasavka” also tolerates long-term storage.
High yield - more than 70 tons per hectare of land - allows this variety to be grown in farmers' fields, and not just in household plots.
"The Bureau"
The hybrid of foreign selection is considered ultra-early - the harvest can be harvested already on the 65th day after the carrots emerge.
Root crops grow large - up to 19 cm long. They are painted bright orange, the core is small. The shape of carrots is conical, tapering towards the end.
The "Bureau" hybrid has a high taste and is recommended for fresh consumption. Also suitable for processing and canning.
"Fun"
The hybrid was selected for cultivation in the northern regions of the country. The ripening time for root crops is from 80 to 100 days.
The fruits grow large, their length often exceeds 20 cm, and their weight reaches 230 grams. Carrots taste juicy and sweet and have a pleasant aroma.
The harvest can be eaten fresh, processed, or left in the basement for the winter. With timely watering, you can get up to 6 kg of vegetables from one meter of bed.
Mid-season varieties
Planting mid-season carrots on a plot means killing two birds with one stone. The family will be provided with fresh vegetables even in the summer, and such carrots can be stored for a long time.
If the plot of land is large, then you can, of course, plant all types of vegetables (early, mid-season and late), each of them used for its intended purpose. In small areas, you can limit yourself to mid-season varieties of carrots. The growing season for such vegetables ranges from 110 to 130 days, which will allow you to harvest before the onset of autumn cold and frost.
Such carrots can be grown in any region: in the south, in the center, and in the northern regions. Almost all varieties and hybrids are distinguished by high taste and can be used for processing or fresh consumption, as well as for long-term storage.
"Chantaney"
The variety is rightfully considered one of the best. A mature crop can be harvested on the 110th day after the emergence of seedlings in the beds.
Root vegetables have the shape of a truncated cone with a blunt end. The color of the vegetables is deep orange. The weight of each fruit ranges from 90 to 230 grams, the length of the carrot is up to 14 cm, but the diameter is quite large - up to 6 cm.
With proper care, you can harvest about 9 kg of carrots per square meter of plot. Its taste is considered the best: the flesh is juicy and crispy, contains a lot of useful substances and vitamins, and has a rich “carrot” aroma.
The harvest can be processed in any way: consumed fresh, added to various dishes and salads, canned, stored in winter.
The "Chantane" variety is not afraid of high soil moisture - root crops are not prone to cracking and rot.
"Paris carotel"
The main quality of this mid-season variety is unpretentiousness. Carrots "Paris Carotel" can be planted in any soil; they are not afraid of difficult climatic conditions.
Root vegetables are medium-sized - weighing up to 120 grams, length - up to 13 cm. The pulp has an orange tint, turning into red.
You can sow carrots in April to get an early harvest.If you plant the seeds in late May or early June, the root crops will be more suitable for long-term storage. Another method of planting is in frozen soil, in late autumn. It is important to ensure that the seeds are dry when planting this way.
"Callisto F1"
The pride of domestic breeders is the Callisto F1 carrot. The variety has excellent taste and long shelf life.
Mature root crops can be harvested on the 110th day after planting the seeds in the soil. The carrot has the shape of an elongated cone and a standard orange color. Inside the fruit there is reddish pulp with a narrow core. The weight of one root vegetable reaches 200 grams, length – 20 cm. The diameter of carrots is up to 4 cm.
This variety contains a large amount of carotene, and is therefore recommended for use by children. The harvest tolerates transportation and storage well until next spring.
"Alenka"
A mid-season carrot variety is suitable for growing in fertile and loose soils. On poor, hard soil, carrots will not produce a good harvest.
Root crops are large in size. The cylindrical vegetable has a blunt end. The weight of each carrot can reach 350 grams, and the length, most often, does not exceed 15 cm.
The color of the root vegetable both inside and outside is bright orange. The taste is excellent. From each square meter of land you can get about 8 kg of vegetables.
“Alenka” carrots are distinguished by the fact that for a long period they retain not only their presentable appearance, but also their juicy pulp and all the beneficial substances.
"Calgary"
The Dutch hybrid is a mid-season hybrid; mature fruits can be harvested on the 120th day after sowing the seeds. The variety is most suitable for cultivation in the central part of Russia.
The fruits grow medium in size and have the shape of a thick cone.The weight of each root crop ranges from 80 to 180 grams. The peel and core are painted the same color - orange.
Hybrid Calgary carrots are valued for their high yield (up to 60 tons per hectare), excellent taste, and good keeping quality. This variety is suitable for industrial cultivation and mechanized harvesting.
"Kamaran"
Another hybrid Dutch selection gives consistently high yields, which can be harvested on the 132nd day after sowing the seeds in the soil.
With good care and timely watering, you can get up to 43 tons of harvest; the crop can be grown in the central and northern parts of the country.
The root crop has a standard shape and color, and is medium in size - weighing up to 130 grams.
The fruits are resistant to cracking; too dry or too moist soils are not dangerous for the hybrid. The variety is suitable for growing in large farm fields and mechanized harvesting.
Late ripening varieties
As a rule, all late-ripening crops have the longest growing season. That is, Not only do they need to be sown later than others, but such crops will also require more time to ripen.
Those summer residents and gardeners who plan to eat raw vegetables until next spring can choose late-ripening varieties. Such carrots will retain most of the nutrients and remain juicy and tasty.
However Not all regions of Russia can grow late-ripening carrots. The growing season for such varieties takes from 130 to 150 days, so in short summer conditions it simply does not have time to ripen.
It is best to grow late-ripening carrots in the southern and central regions with long and warm summers.
Late carrots contain the largest amount of carotene and vitamins.Such root vegetables are stored better than others in winter and have high taste.
"Boltex"
Hybrid carrots ripen on the 130th day after sowing the seeds in the soil. It has excellent taste and high yield - with good watering it will be up to 7 kg per square meter.
The root vegetables are cone-shaped and colored deep orange. The length of each is 13 cm, and the weight can reach 330 grams. The taste of carrots is very high.
The root crops of this hybrid are suitable for fresh consumption, canning and long-term storage.
"Autumn King"
The variety is most suitable for canning or long-term storage. Carrots contain a large amount of carotene, which remains in the fruit until spring.
The root vegetables are spindle-shaped with a blunt end and are orange in color. The weight of each vegetable reaches 180 grams.
Depending on the composition of the soil and growing conditions, you can get from 4 to 8 kg of harvest from each square meter of land.
"Sirkana F1"
A good hybrid for growing commercially. Root crops are approximately the same in size, the yield is about 6 kgm² of plot. It takes about 135 days for the fruit to fully ripen.
The ripe fruit is colored orange, both outside and inside. The shape of the root crop is cylindrical, the size is large. The weight of each carrot lies in the range of 70-140 grams. The maximum length reaches 20 cm.
The hybrid is unpretentious to the composition of the soil - it produces a stable harvest in any conditions. Suitable for growing before winter, can withstand frosts down to -4 degrees.
Sirkana F1 carrots contain a large amount of carotene and can be used in any way, including suitable for long-term storage - up to 8 months.
Conclusions and recommendations
Each carrot hybrid has its own strengths. When choosing the best one, you need to analyze the conditions for growing the vegetable, as well as decide on the purpose of the crop.
For each region of Russia with a certain climate, there is a special hybrid of carrots - and more than one. It is preferable to buy seeds of just such adapted varieties. Then the yield will be at the same level, and the vegetables will be stored better.
