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Both in large fields and in modest summer cottages, carrots are grown quite often. It’s hard to imagine Russians’ favorite dishes without this vegetable. Besides, carrots contain a lot of useful and unique substances, the most famous of which are carotene and vitamin A. Growing carrots does not require special soil, complex care or a special climate - this crop is quite unpretentious.
You can sow carrots before winter or in spring. The soil can be of any composition, the only requirement is that it must be loose. In the first 1.5 months after sowing, the crop grows slowly, the shoots are weak, so at this stage the carrots need to be protected from weed and pests. Otherwise, the plants only need moisture - 3 months after sowing the seeds, vegetables can be collected from the garden.
Features of zoned varieties
Each region of the huge country has its own climate. Sometimes, the climatic characteristics of different regions are so different that it is impossible to grow the same crop there.
In this regard, breeders have long been developing special varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops suitable for each specific region.
The same rule applies to carrots. There are varieties intended for:
- Siberia;
- Ural;
- Moscow region;
- central Russia and the Volga region.
Carrots of the zoned variety are acclimatized to certain weather conditions: humidity, maximum and minimum temperatures, fluctuations in night and day temperatures, soil composition.
Carrots zoned for Siberia
Carrots are so unpretentious that some of their varieties can be grown even in the harsh climate of Siberia. Seeds begin to germinate at soil temperatures of about 3-5 degrees; in most northern regions, the soil warms up only by the end of May - beginning of June.
Summer in Siberia is short and cool; the heat can last only a couple of months. Carrots are a vegetable with a long growing season (from 70 to 140 days). In order for vegetables to have time to ripen in such a short summer, you need to choose seeds of early ripening varieties that ripen 70-100 days after sowing the seeds.
However early carrots does not have high taste qualities and does not tolerate storage well. Such vegetables are more suitable for preparing fresh dishes, snacks, and salads. To enjoy fresh carrots all winter, you also need to sow seeds of mid-season varieties. Such vegetables will retain their beautiful appearance and all their nutritional properties for a long time, and will have an excellent taste and aroma.
"Losinoostrovskaya 13"
This crop is a mid-season crop - mature vegetables can be harvested 95-100 days after sowing the seeds in the beds. Root crops are cylindrical in shape and quite large in size. Their weight reaches 200 grams, and the length of each fruit is 17 cm.
“Losinoostrovskaya” carrots have an excellent presentation - the fruits are of the same shape and weight, and have a beautiful deep orange color. Therefore, the variety is often cultivated commercially.
The taste of the crop is excellent – juicy and aromatic, containing a lot of useful substances. The variety is quite productive: from each square meter of garden you can get up to 8 kg of fresh vegetables.
To ensure a high harvest, you need to follow a few simple rules:
- Before planting, the seeds should be germinated a little;
- plant seeds only in heated soil to a depth of about 3 cm;
- after a couple of leaves appear, the plant needs to be thinned out, leaving 5 cm between them;
- Plants should be watered frequently (once a week) and abundantly;
- if the soil is “skinny”, it must be fertilized (but not with mineral fertilizers).
"Incomparable"
Another mid-early variety, the fruits of which become ripe 95-115 days after planting the seeds. The shape of the root crop is cone-shaped, the end is blunt. Carrots are painted a uniform red-orange color. The core of the fruit is large and has a slightly lighter shade.
The fruit tastes juicy and aromatic, with a pleasant sweetish aftertaste. All root crops ripen at the same time and are considered quite large. The weight of one vegetable can range from 150 to 190 grams, and the length is often 17 cm.
The “Incomparable” variety is excellent for long-term storage - during the winter the vegetable will not lose its beneficial properties and taste.
To grow the variety in Siberia, it is necessary to sow the seeds in mid-May; special attention will have to be paid to thinning the plants, since this variety quickly creates powerful root crops. In order for carrots to grow normally, all weak and simply unnecessary shoots will have to be removed, leaving at least 5 cm between the bushes.
Like all varieties, “Incomparable” loves loose, sandy soils. Requires timely watering and loosening of rows.
A distinctive feature of this variety is its high content of sugars and beta-carotenes, which makes it a favorite dietary product for many. Root vegetables not only make excellent soups and sauces, they are often even used to make jam.
"Nantes"
Carrots of this variety are known in all corners of the country - the crop takes root well in almost any weather conditions.
Ripe vegetables can be harvested already on the 100th day after sowing the seeds in the soil, which makes it possible to classify the vegetable as a mid-early crop.
The root vegetables are bright orange in color and have a cylindrical shape with a rounded end. Each weighs approximately 120 grams and length is about 14 cm.
A peculiarity of the growth of this crop is the incomplete immersion of the root crop in the ground, which is why the top of the fruit is often colored purple or green. The taste of Nantes carrots is excellent - the fruit is juicy and aromatic. The carotene content is quite high, this vegetable is useful for people with poor eyesight.
With good care, you can harvest about 6.5 kg of vegetables from every meter of land. The fruits tolerate transportation and long-term storage well.The culture is not capricious - it can withstand strong temperature fluctuations, which makes it suitable for cultivation in the northern regions of the country.
"Dayana"
This mid-late variety was bred by Altai breeders; the root crops ripen by the 120th day after planting the seeds.
The shape of the fruit is cylindrical, the tip is slightly pointed. The color of the vegetable is bright orange. The weight of one carrot is about 160 grams. The taste of root vegetables is excellent, the pulp is juicy and tender, the structure is homogeneous.
With good watering and frequent loosening of the soil, you can get about 9 kg of harvest from each square meter of garden. You need to store the harvest in a cool place, then it will last until the next season and retain all its beneficial qualities.
This variety is ideal for processing - carrots are often made into purees and juices.
Carrots for the Urals
We can say that all those varieties of carrots that can be grown in Siberia are also excellent for the climatic conditions of the Urals. In the southern part of the Urals, you can even grow those carrots that are intended for central Russia - the climate here is quite warm and mild.
But in the center and northern regions of the Urals it is better to plant carrots that are more resistant to cold and bad weather.
The landing method is no different from other cases:
- the ground needs to be dug deep in the fall;
- apply fertilizers;
- It is better to soak the seeds for several days before planting;
- thin out plants;
- Flush and water the soil regularly.
"Altai shortened"
This resistant variety is suitable for cultivation in the climate of the Urals - the root crop ripens by the 120th day after sowing the seeds in the beds. The variety is mid-season, so the root crops are well stored for a long period and have excellent taste.
The shape of the vegetable is cylindrical, the average weight is 150 grams. The color of the peel and pulp is bright orange.
Altai shortened carrots are suitable for any purpose: canning, processing, fresh consumption, preparing salads and various dishes. This variety can be cultivated on an industrial scale - the root crops are suitable for mechanized harvesting.
The crop tolerates low temperatures well, is resistant to flowering, and with proper care produces high yields.
"Nastena"
Root crops of this variety ripen already on the 80-105th day after planting in the soil. Carrots have a very regular shape - an even and smooth cylinder with a slightly blunt tip.
The length of the root crop is 18 cm, and its weight reaches 150 grams. Both the core and the peel are colored evenly, in a rich orange hue. The pulp is juicy and pleasant to the taste.
The crop is resistant to flowering, which allows you to plant seeds in winter and, accordingly, get an earlier harvest. The yield of the Nastena variety is up to 6.5 kgm². The harvest is well stored without loss of taste and nutritional qualities.
In the Urals, carrots of this variety can be sown in mid-April - early May, when the temperature stabilizes.Before planting, the seeds must be soaked; it is better to use growth stimulants.
This variety of vegetables is perfect for any purpose: you can use it to prepare dietary dishes, make juices and purees for children, preserve them and eat them fresh.
"Nevis"
Carrots of this variety are mid-late, so it is best to grow them in the south of the Urals. In the northern part, root crops may not ripen before the first frost.
The shape of the root vegetable is a cylinder of small diameter with a slightly blunt tip. The color of the fruit is bright orange, the surface is smooth.
The length of each carrot can reach 18 cm, and the weight ranges from 110 to 170 grams. The taste of the vegetable is so pleasant that it is often used fresh. However, the variety is excellent for both processing and canning.
The Nevis hybrid has a high yield - up to 9 kg. The culture is resistant to most diseases and is not afraid of pest attacks. Root vegetables can be stored for a very long time - until the appearance of fresh vegetables next season.
There will be no problems growing carrots. Seeds are most often granulated, so they do not require special preparation and can be planted directly into the soil.
Carrots for the Moscow region and central Russia
Choosing a zoned carrot variety for central Russia with a temperate climate and peaty, loose soils is not difficult. Almost all varieties of this crop are suitable for such growing conditions.
In these parts of the country, both early and mid-ripening varieties, as well as late-ripening carrots, can be grown.
"Vitamin"
A representative of mid-season varieties, “Vitaminnaya” carrots ripen on the 110th day after planting in the soil. The root vegetables of this variety have the shape of a large diameter cylinder, the tip of the carrot is rounded. The size of the fruits is average: their weight ranges from 70 to 170 cm, and their length is often 13 cm.
The carrot is painted in a standard bright orange shade. The taste is good and rich. Root vegetables contain the maximum amount of healthy sugars and carotene.
The only possible problem is cracking of the roots. The “Vitaminnaya” variety is protected from rot, flowering, stemming and other diseases. The fruits tolerate long-term storage well, retaining most of their beneficial properties. The yield of the variety is about 6 kg per square meter.
"Moscow winter"
Carrots of this variety are intended for peat soils in Moscow and the Moscow region; they also grow well in any loose soil.
The variety belongs to the mid-early variety - the fruits ripen on the 70-90th day after sowing the carrot seeds in the soil. The shape of the root is conical, the tip is slightly blunt. The color of the vegetable is bright orange. The weight of one carrot is often 150 grams and the length is 16 cm.
The Moscow Winter crop is recommended for growing before winter; the seeds should be sown to a depth of about two centimeters and mulched on top.
Root vegetables tolerate storage well and can be consumed in any form.
How to choose the best seeds
When buying zoned carrot seeds, you need to pay attention to the recommendations. Each package of seeds should have clear instructions for growing carrots. Most often, seeds need to be soaked for several days for better germination.But there is granular seed material that does not require additional action on the part of the gardener - the seeds are simply sown in the ground.
With the right approach, any carrot variety will produce high and stable yields.
