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Dutch selection seeds well known by farmers all over the world. They are famous for their excellent germination, high yield, excellent external and taste qualities of the fruit, and plant resistance to diseases. So, when choosing even such a common crop as carrots, it would be useful to pay attention to the seeds of this foreign producer. One of the brightest representatives of the Bejo breeding company, located in the Netherlands, is the Baltimore F1 carrot. The main characteristics and description of the variety are given below.
Description of the root vegetable
All varieties of carrots are usually classified according to variety types, in accordance with the external description, shape and taste of the root crop. Thus, the “Baltimore F1” variety is classified as a Berlicum/Nantes variety type, since it combines the following characteristics:
- conical shape with a rounded tip;
- root length from 20 to 25 cm;
- cross-sectional diameter is 3-5 cm;
- average fruit weight 200-220 g;
- the surface is smooth, the skin is thin;
- carrots have a perfectly even shape and uniformity;
- the pulp is moderately dense, juicy, with a high content of carotene, sugar, and dry substances;
- carrots are bright orange in color and have a thin core;
- The root vegetable is used in the preparation of dietary and baby food, vitamin juices, and cooking.
Additional characteristics of the Baltimore F1 variety can be found in the video:
It is worth noting that “Baltimore F1” is a first-generation hybrid and was obtained by crossing two varieties. Thanks largely to this, the root vegetable has not only excellent external, but also taste, as well as some additional advantages. "Baltimore F1" is an improved analogue of the famous hybrid "Nandrin F1".
Agrotechnical features
The carrot variety "Baltimore F1" is zoned for the central and northern regions of Russia. It is recommended to grow it on light, well-drained soils, such as sandy loam or loam. If necessary, you can lighten the soil by adding sand, peat, or processed sawdust.
Rough, compacted soil does not allow the root crop to form properly and leads to deformations. Therefore, high beds should be used for sowing carrot seeds. In this case, the thickness of the soil should exceed the length of the root crop (20-25 cm). At subsequent stages of cultivation, carrots of the Baltimore F1 variety require regular loosening of the soil.
When choosing a place to grow carrots, special attention should be paid to lighting, since without sufficient sunlight the vegetable grows light and frail. At the same time, the best predecessors for carrots are cabbage, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and cucumbers. The optimal scheme for sowing the seed of the "Baltimore F1" variety involves the formation of rows, maintaining a distance between them of at least 20 cm. Seeds should be sown at intervals of 4 cm. The depth of planting the seed in the soil should be equal to 2-3 cm. Compliance with this sowing scheme will allow you to grow large, smooth, long root vegetables.
Crop care
Planting carrot seeds in the ground is not enough to get a rich harvest. So, during the growing process, the root crop needs watering, loosening and thinning. Watering must be done at regular intervals, approximately once every 2-3 days. The volume of water used must be sufficient to moisten the soil to the depth of root germination. Following these watering rules will allow carrots to grow juicy, sweet and without cracking.
Thinning must be carried out twice during the growing period of carrots:
- the first time 12-14 days after emergence;
- the second time 10 days after the first thinning.
Excess growth should be removed carefully so as not to harm the plants remaining in the ground. It is convenient to combine the thinning and weeding procedure with loosening the carrots. During the cultivation period, carrots do not need additional feeding, provided that fertilizers are applied in the autumn. The high (up to 40 cm) and strong tops testify to the usefulness and health of the carrots grown.
One of the advantages of the Dutch hybrid is its high yield, which can reach 10 kg/m2.
This feature, combined with high yield, makes the Baltimore F1 variety especially in demand among farmers.
Features of sowing seeds before winter
Many farmers prefer to sow carrot seeds before winter.This allows the seeds to begin growing in early spring, when the soil is as saturated with moisture as possible. With the help of such non-traditional cultivation, you can get an early harvest of high-quality carrots in large quantities.
In order to successfully grow, the following rules must be observed:
- Seeds should be sown in mid-November, when there is no likelihood of prolonged warming. This will prevent the seed from germinating prematurely;
- furrows with seeds should be filled with dry, warm soil;
- the finished ridge must be covered with a layer (2 cm thick) of peat or humus;
- when snow falls, form an artificial snow “cap” on the ridge;
- in the spring, snow can be removed to quickly warm up the soil and allow early shoots to appear;
- Also, to speed up the germination of shoots, the ridges can be covered with polyethylene or geotextile;
- In the spring, the heated soil should be slightly loosened without harming the rows of crops.
You can find out more about sowing carrots before winter from the video:
The Baltimore F1 variety has excellent taste and external characteristics of the root crop and excellent agricultural technology. The yield of this hybrid is record high, which makes the crop especially in demand for cultivation by farmers. Such high qualities of carrots, combined with excellent taste, allow us to reasonably say that the Baltimore F1 variety, bred in Holland, is one of the best. That is why every year he has more and more admirers from among experienced and novice gardeners.
