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Gardeners who are closely involved in planting and growing, as a rule, try to plant a variety of vegetables on their plots, which are widely and often eaten. One of these crops is Carrot, which is used to prepare various dishes, canned, frozen and kept fresh. Root crops are given special preference when planted in early spring, but which variety should you choose in order to get a tasty early-ripening harvest and prepare a significant amount of root crops for the winter? How to make a choice and what does it depend on?
How to choose the best variety
Today, breeders are developing various varieties of vegetable crops that differ in yield, taste and fruit size. But the main thing that every gardener is interested in when choosing planting material is the timing of carrot ripening. Varieties and hybrids are divided according to this criterion into three subspecies: early ripening (the growing season begins 50-60 days after the seed is pecked), mid-ripening - from 90 to 110 days, and late ripening - over four months.
In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to what growing conditions the manufacturer recommends for a particular hybrid.Carrots, as a root vegetable, are quite resistant to temperature changes in the air and soil, but can be demanding for certain types feeding and regular abundant watering.
In addition, the instructions will necessarily indicate the region and climatic conditions that are optimal for growing root vegetables. An early variety of carrots in open ground conditions produces stable and high yields in the southern regions and central Russia.
Basic steps and tips for growing early carrots
Those who take on growing carrots for the first time must carefully approach not only the choice of planting material, but also the planting conditions and care of the root crop. The first thing you need to pay special attention to is preparing the bed.
Carrots are planted in open ground in three ways:
- Flat bed. A fairly popular and common method of planting carrots, often used for open areas in small summer cottages. It has several disadvantages: it is inconvenient to water the plant and remove it from the soil;
- Line landing. Makes caring for the plant much easier. Small ridges are made in the center of each row, where the root crop is planted. The convenience lies in the fact that a strong plant can be watered simply by pouring water into the longitudinal grooves. Carrots are convenient for hilling and feeding.
- High bed. The seeds are planted in several rows on a high bed. In this case, the soil requires the necessary preparation. It should not contain excess large lumps and stones.
Another important stage for planting early carrots is the preparation of planting material. If a crop requires special hardening and disinfection, you will most likely find out about this by reading the description of the variety.
When soaked, the seeds of early carrot varieties it is necessary to keep for 1.5-2 hours in water at room temperature, and then 24 hours in damp cotton cloth. After this procedure, the planting material doubles in volume. To prevent the seeds from sticking together after swelling, mix them with a small amount of fine river sand. This will greatly facilitate the process of planting the material.
No matter what proposed schemes you plant planting material in the ground, with the first leaves that appear you will still be able to observe the density of the planting. Weeding between strong seedlings and rows must be carried out. To ensure that carrots grow even and large, leave a distance of at least 6-7 cm between future root vegetables.
And the last, important factor in ensuring that carrots grow large and have excellent taste is feeding. It is carried out 4-5 times a season, and the first fertilizers are introduced into the soil with the first loosening of the soil, when the carrot tops produce 3-4 leaves.
For 1 m2 prepare a solution from the following components:
- 10 liters of water;
- 30-50 mg ammonium nitrate;
- 30-50 ml of superphosphate.
The first watering is carried out very carefully - from a small watering can with a very narrow and long spout. In order for fertilizers to have their effects faster, make small narrow grooves between the lines with seedlings.
Remember that during seasonal feeding of early carrots, the amount of nitrate in solutions should decrease with each subsequent time. And the fourth and fifth feeding must be carried out without this component at all.
The best early varieties of carrots
When choosing early varieties for planting, you need to understand that these carrots must have another important quality - long shelf life. Let's look at several varieties of carrots that have this quality.
Alenka
A high-yielding mid-early variety of carrots with a root ripening period of 80-90 days. The length of one carrot at full maturity is 15-16 cm, and the diameter is about 4 cm. The variety has excellent taste, allowing “Alenka” to be used raw, for making juices and baby food. The fruit is aromatic, slightly sweet in taste, and has an amazing ability to be preserved for a long time in low temperatures (cellars, cellars, balconies). Up to 10-12 kg of mature carrots are harvested from one square meter. "Alenka" is recommended for cultivation in greenhouses and open areas throughout almost the entire territory of Russia.
Amsterdam
The variety of the earliest carrots is universal, and is intended for growing in greenhouses, greenhouses and open beds in the southern regions and central Russia.
The root crop is dense with an even bright orange skin; during ripening, the weight can reach up to 150 grams, and the length can reach 15 cm or more. Distinctive features of the “Amsterdamskaya” variety: unpretentiousness in feeding and regular watering, resistance to cracking of the fruit.
Boltex
The variety is early ripening and universal. The first fruits can be obtained already on the 60th day, and full-scale harvests can be harvested on the 70-75th day.Thanks to its tasty and juicy, slightly sweet-tasting pulp, Boltex carrots can be grown both for fresh consumption and for cooking. The fruits have a smooth cylindrical shape, the skin is painted in a rich orange color. Distinctive features of the Boltex variety are that even if the fruits ripen in the ground, they do not crack or become bitter. The plant is resistant to low air temperatures, so it is suitable for growing in central Russia, the Urals and Siberia.
The Bureau
This early productive variety has an enviable long shelf life and does not lose its taste at all. Early carrots "Bureau" have a ripening period of 75-80 days. The root crop is elongated, slightly elongated, smooth. The fruit can reach a length of 18-20 cm. The skin is smooth, dense, and colored bright orange. The plant is highly resistant to bolting.
Mango
An early variety with small round, cone-shaped fruits. It has good taste and high resistance to long-term storage. Having prepared “Mango” for the winter, even in early spring you can eat fruits that are no different in taste and presentation from the original ones. The size of carrots is up to 15 cm, and the average weight is 100-120 g. The ripening period begins at 75-80 days. “Mangoes are planted in early and mid-spring, and in order to prepare fruits for the winter, they plant later - mid or late July.
Nantes-4
An excellent early hybrid with a very early growing season. The fruits can be harvested already 50-55 days from the first shoot. Carrots are perfectly preserved in the ground, do not crack or overgrow, therefore, to harvest fruits for the winter, it is recommended to keep “Nantes-4” in the ground for up to 2.5-3 months.The length of carrots during the harvest period is no more than 12 cm, with an average fruit weight of up to 120 grams. The skin is dense, smooth, painted in a rich orange color; when harvesting for the winter, planting material is sown in the second half of summer.
Red Ace
Since this variety is a mid-early variety, the fruits can be dug up already 95-100 days after seed germination. “Red AS” is a universal variety, therefore it is widely used for salads, culinary processing and winter storage. A distinctive feature of “Red Asa” is its high yield and excellent taste. The variety is resistant to low temperatures and bolting.
Touchon
This is the most popular early variety among gardeners, the seeds of which are adapted for sowing in open ground in early spring. Each carrot during the ripening period can reach a length of 20-22 cm, and weigh from 150 grams and more. The skin of carrots is dense, with small symmetrical eyes. The fruit has a bright orange color, dense structure and sweet juicy taste. Used for preparing salads, side dishes, and preparing food for the winter.
Shantanay
This is a mid-early carrot variety that has excellent yields with large, classically shaped root crops. Carrots of the “Chantane” variety at full maturity can reach sizes of 20-25 cm, with an average fruit weight of 250-300 g. Ripening occurs 90-95 days after seedlings emerge. A distinctive feature of the fruit is certain storage and transportation conditions. The best place to store root vegetables is dry sand in boxes.
Artek
Another bright representative of early-ripening carrots, intended for growing in greenhouses and open ground. The variety is adapted for planting seeds in open ground already in mid-spring, and the first carrots can be dug already on the 60th day.Root vegetables are smooth, cylindrical in shape, with rounded tips. Carrots rarely grow more than 15-16 cm, and their weight does not exceed 150 grams. The main features of the variety include the fact that “Artek” is the most capricious variety of early carrots, requiring timely digging. It is not recommended to keep carrots in the ground - the skin will crack and the fruits will lose their presentation.
Vitamin
The variety that has received such a sonorous name is indeed distinguished by its high content of sugar and carotene. Carrots reach quite large sizes during the ripening period. The average weight of one “Vitamin” carrot can reach from 150 to 200 grams. The skin has a bright orange color and small eyes, the fruits are smooth, cylindrical with rounded tips.
To learn how to choose a carrot variety and properly plant seeds in open ground, watch the video:
