Content
Carrots are a favorite vegetable of adults and children. Almost no dish is complete without bright carrots. And juice is considered a storehouse of vitamins and, most importantly, a supplier of carotene. How to grow such a useful root vegetable without much expense? You need to decide on the planting date, choose a good variety and become familiar with the nuances of agricultural technology. Carrots are divided into three groups according to ripening time:
- early ripening;
- mid-season;
- late ripening.
Mid-season carrots, varieties of which are sown in late spring or summer, deserve special attention.
Such root vegetables do not become coarse, store well and are suitable for winter consumption. Seeds are sown in late spring (May) - early summer (June) in moist soil. In dry weather, the soil will have to be moistened additionally.
When growing mid-season varieties, some features should be taken into account:
- Slow emergence. During this period, increased air dryness leads to the appearance of a crust on the soil surface and numerous weed. Experienced gardeners mix carrot seeds with “lighthouse” crops. This is the name given to plants that will sprout very quickly and mark rows. These include lettuce, radishes (in small quantities).
- Mandatory weeding and loosening of row spacing during seed germination. If the soil is loose, but there are a large number of weeds, then weeding is carried out. If a crust has formed and there are few shoots, carefully loosen the rows. This has a beneficial effect on the development of root crops. It is better to carry out the first loosening a week after the first shoots are noticed (depth 6-8 cm), the second time - two weeks after the first.
- Row thinning with thickened sowing.
Otherwise, growing mid-season varieties is similar to other types of carrots.
Choosing the best variety
Experienced gardeners try to select varieties that are ideal for the site. After all, the composition of the soil, climatic conditions, and lighting can vary significantly. The variety of modern types makes it easy to determine the optimal one for each request. There are average carrots that store well, and there are those that bear fruit well and do not bloom. Therefore, we will try to consider the most popular ones.
"Vitamin"
Another name is “Vitamin 6”. Carrots are ready for harvest 90-100 days after shoots appear. All mature root vegetables have a classic shape. For carrots, this is a cylinder, in this variety also with a blunt tip. They are almost completely immersed in the ground, reach a length of 15 cm and weigh on average 160 g. They have a beautiful orange color, a small core and delicate flesh. The core occupies no more than 20% of the diameter of the root crop and can be round or star-shaped.
Has excellent taste. These carrots are ideal for making juices and culinary dishes, as well as canning. Advantages:
- high yield (reaches up to 8 kg of vegetables per 1 sq. m);
- resistance to stemming;
- almost not affected by rot.
The disadvantage is the tendency of root crops to crack. But, with proper care, this can be completely avoided. The variety is very common, cold-resistant, suitable for sowing for the winter. In this case, it gives an earlier harvest.
"Boltex"
Good reliable variety. The harvest is harvested 110 -120 days after the seeds sprout. Root vegetables are distinguished by their smoothness and even cone shape. They have a rich orange color, length up to 16 cm and weight about 350g. Gives an excellent harvest on all types of soils, even on heavy black soils. The advantages of the variety are:
- increased carotene content;
- resistance to bolting and flowering;
- excellent taste and aroma of root vegetables;
- high productivity;
- good presentation and transportability;
- storage ability (can withstand until mid-winter).
Sowing of seeds is carried out according to the 20x4 pattern and up to 2 cm deep. The Boltex variety is suitable for growing under cover and directly in open ground. Root vegetables are enjoyed fresh by adults and children, and are also used for processing and storage.
"Incomparable"
Selective variety of large carrots. It is characterized by high productivity and keeping quality. The variety received its name for its high carotene content and nutritional value. After sowing, 130 days pass before harvesting. The plant is distinguished by a medium-sized semi-erect rosette. Root crops protrude slightly above the soil and are easily pulled out, which makes harvesting much easier.
The color of the root vegetables is bright orange over the entire surface and core. At commercial ripeness, the length of the vegetable reaches 17 cm, diameter - 5 cm, weight - 210 g. The yield of the variety is high - up to 7.2 kg per 1 sq. m. Advantages:
- resistance to cracking and discoloration;
- drought resistance;
- excellent taste.
Requires additional soil irrigation. Autumn sowing increases yield.
"Chance"
Popular mid-season variety. Root vegetables are very good in any form - fresh, processed, canned. They are orange-red in color, cone-shaped, but with a blunt tip. They grow to a weight of 200 g and a length of 20 cm. The pulp with a large core has a pleasant aroma, sweet taste, and ideal juiciness.
Recommended for baby food. Valued for its ability to be stored for long periods of time. Before sowing, it is advisable to treat the seeds with a growth stimulant, which will increase the yield and accelerate the ripening of root crops.
The usual ripening period is 120 days. The seed sowing depth is 3 cm, the classic pattern is 20 x 4 cm. It grows well in illuminated areas of loose, fertile soil.
"Nantes 4"
Mid-early selection variety. The harvest is harvested 85-100 days after the seeds sprout. Designed for outdoor cultivation and has high plasticity to growing conditions. The roots are cylindrical with a slightly concave head.
During ripeness it acquires a greenish or purple color. The core is round and small. The pulp is juicy and tender, sweet with a high content of carotene. Productivity is high - up to 6.5 kg/m². It stores well and is not affected by mold or rot during storage. Carrots are valued for:
- high carotene content;
- preservation of taste in winter;
- high-quality presentation;
- excellent seed germination.
At the stage of technical ripeness, the root crops protrude slightly above the ground. It is advisable to grow in a plot with deep plowing. This allows you to get beautiful root vegetables. It is considered an excellent variety for its resistance to flowering and disease.
"Moscow winter"
A very common variety. It gets good reviews for its consistently high yield. After just 100 days, carrots are at the stage of technical ripeness. The shape of the root crops is conical with a blunt tip. The length of one carrot reaches 16 cm, weight – 175 g.
The root crop may contain thread-like lateral roots in small quantities. The vegetable is completely immersed in the soil. Productivity is good - up to 7 kg per 1 sq. m. It is perfectly stored in winter for a long time. Recommended for growing in all climatic zones in the open air.
"Losinoostrovskaya 13"
It is resistant to cold, so it is successfully grown in cold regions. The second unique property of carrots of this variety is the ability for long-term storage without loss of nutritional value and taste. The amount of carotene decreases very slightly even when root vegetables are cooked.
It has an orange-red color and a small core. The weight of one carrot is 120 g, length is 15 cm. It is completely immersed in the soil, has good resistance to flowering, and has a high yield (7.7 kg/m²). After 100-120 days, the root crops are completely ready for harvesting. They are used both fresh and canned. Withstands processing very well. Recommended for all types of sowing - spring and winter. Can be grown under film cover and in open ground. The variety requires regular watering and good lighting. It is recommended to fertilize the soil before sowing.
Mid-season hybrid varieties
"Viking F1"
Recommended for growing in open ground. Ripening period is 115-130 days. Root vegetables are orange in color, cylindrical in shape, up to 20 cm long. The pulp is juicy, bright, with good taste. The weight of one carrot reaches 170g. Valued for:
- excellent storage ability;
- high yield (up to 9 kg per 1 sq. m);
- disease resistance.
Can be consumed fresh or processed, suitable for canning. A special feature of the hybrid is its excellent storage ability, which is very valuable for mid-season carrot varieties. Seeds are sown in March to a depth of 1.5 - 2 cm according to a 20x4 cm pattern. The best predecessors are cucumbers, onions, early potatoes, tomatoes and cabbage.
"Altair F1"
Mid-season hybrid with roots completely immersed in the soil. It has excellent taste and storage ability. Carrots are cylindrical in shape with a blunt tip. It has a high content of carotene and dry matter. The weight of one vegetable reaches 170 g, the core is round and orange.
Demanding on light, looseness and soil fertility. Sowing is carried out in rows with a distance of 15 cm to a depth of 1 cm. They begin to sow seeds in late April - early May. The harvest is harvested in 100 - 110 days. The total yield is 7.5 kg per 1 sq.m. The hybrid was bred with average resistance to gray and white rot, as well as Phoma. A feature of the variety is cold resistance. Has excellent commercial qualities.
"Callisto F1"
A hybrid with a high carotene content and excellent taste. Root vegetables are practically without core, have a cylindrical shape, intense orange color. The surface is smooth, the length of one vegetable reaches up to 22 cm. It is consumed fresh and is also suitable for storage, processing and canning. Due to its high nutrient content, it is recommended for baby food and people with impaired vision.
"Nelly F1"
It is considered a mid-early variety for growing on private plots and farms.Very good for early production and storage. Used fresh in cooking and dietary nutrition, as well as for freezing and processing. Root crops are ready for harvest 90 days after germination. They have a good length - up to 25 cm, weight - 110 g, the type of root crop is a cylinder with a pointed tip. The taste of carrots is excellent. The variety is demanding on soil fertility. It is recommended to grow on high ridges. Productivity is stable – up to 6 kg/m². The peculiarity of the variety is good uniformity of fruits.
"Nectar F1"
A modern hybrid of mid-season carrots. A very high-yielding variety with large, even root crops. One carrot reaches a size of 22 cm and a weight of 200 g. The core is small, bright orange, and has the same color as the pulp. Root vegetables are juicy, tasty, resistant to cracking, breaking and disease.
The variety is very popular for its worthy qualities. It can also be grown to produce bunched products. In this case, it is necessary to start sowing in mid-April or carry out winter sowing at the end of October. If the carrots are intended for storage, then the deadline is postponed to the end of May. The seeds are sown directly into the soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm with a row spacing of 25-30 cm. In order for the root crops to reach their maximum size, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving at least 2 cm between plants.
Conclusion
Mid-season carrot varieties are the most popular. They allow you to grow early products that are capable of long-term storage. The appointment can be adjusted by the boarding date. At the same time, such varieties are excellent for winter sowing. They can withstand low temperatures, shoots appear earlier in spring and can be harvested in early summer.
