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Carrots are one of the healthiest and most nutritious vegetables. This root vegetable was first found in Asia; that carrot was colored purple and was completely unsuitable for eating. Only carrot seeds were used; they were considered healthy and even medicinal. Later varieties already resembled a modern vegetable - they had an orange color and juicy, crispy flesh.
Different varieties of carrots are grown almost all over the world. There are more heat-loving crops, cold-resistant species. Popular carrot varieties in 2019 with photos and descriptions will be discussed in this article.
How to grow carrots
Carrots are an unpretentious crop. Buying seeds and growing this vegetable is very easy. Carrots do not require any special soil composition; they do not need regular and frequent watering.
Sow carrots with seeds directly into the ground (the crop is not grown in seedlings). After germination, the plants are thinned out so that the distance between seedlings is at least 5 cm.
You can plant carrots in any soil: sandy, black soil or clay. The plant does not require special feeding; it rarely becomes a “target” for pests and diseases.
In a country house or garden, almost any area is suitable for carrots.There should not be high humidity; otherwise, carrots are unpretentious.
Which seeds to choose for planting
The choice of carrot varieties for planting largely depends on the climatic characteristics of the region. But this is not the only factor. No less important:
- type of soil on the site;
- required speed of fruit ripening (early, medium or late carrots);
- purpose of the crop (processing, sale, storage, fresh consumption);
- harvest volumes;
- taste qualities of carrots.
It is clear that when choosing seeds, you need to take into account all these factors, deciding on the highest priority ones.
For example, foreign hybrids are most often grown for commercial purposes - they produce stable yields and have identical and even fruits. However, such vegetables do not have high taste qualities; their taste is less pronounced than that of their domestic counterparts.
In order to provide your own family with fresh vegetables, you can choose varieties and hybrids of Russian selection. Such crops are more adapted to the local climate, have the best taste, and can be stored for a long period.
For those for whom the speed of ripening is important, seeds of early ripening vegetables are suitable. But it must be remembered that Early carrots will not keep very well - they cannot be stored for a long time. Mid-season and late varieties are more suitable for winter stocks. By the way, such carrots will preserve not only their appearance, but also their beneficial vitamins.
New varieties of carrots may appear in 2019, but the varieties of this vegetable that exist today are quite sufficient.
"Touchon"
Like all early ripening varieties, “Tushon” is intended for fresh consumption and processing (freezing, canning, preparing various dishes). Vegetables ripen approximately 80 days after the seeds are sown in the soil.
Mature fruits have a cylindrical shape, elongated - their length is about 20 cm. The peel has many small “eyes”, its surface is smooth. The color of the root vegetable is deep orange. The fruit shape is correct and identical.
The weight of each root crop ranges from 90 to 150 grams. The carrot core is dense, juicy, and colored the same orange as the peel. The taste characteristics of the Tushon variety are good - the fruits can be added to various dishes or eaten raw.
Carrots contain a large amount of carotene and produce high yields - up to 4.5 kg per square meter of land.
"Alenka"
One of the most productive varieties of carrots ripens on the 100th day after planting the seeds, and therefore is classified as mid-season. The fruits grow small - their length is about 15 cm and their diameter reaches 4 cm.
But from each square meter you can get up to 10 kg of root vegetables. Moreover, their quality is excellent: the carrots are juicy and crispy, suitable for long-term use. storage, root crops do not crack, and are resistant to most diseases characteristic of carrots.
Carrots of the “Alenka” variety are suitable for growing in any region of the country: both in the south and in the Urals.
"Vitamin 6"
In the ranking of the best root vegetables one cannot fail to include the well-known variety “Vitaminnaya 6”. Carrots ripen approximately 100 days after sowing the seeds and are classified as mid-season. The plant is resistant to major diseases and easy to care for.
The fruits are colored red-orange, their skin is smooth, with small “eyes”. The shape of the root crop is cylindrical, regular, with a blunt end. The length of the carrot is about 18 cm, weight – up to 170 grams.
The fruits contain a very large amount of carotene and other vitamins; after winter storage, the vegetables retain most of the nutrients.
"Karotel"
One of the most famous varieties is “Karotel”. The crop begins to bear fruit on the 90th day after sowing the seeds in the soil. The variety is characterized by high yield - up to 7 kg per square meter.
The culture is unpretentious and universal - suitable for growing in any region of the country.
Root vegetables have the shape of a blunt-ended cylinder, short ones - up to 15 cm. The weight of one vegetable reaches only 100 grams. The main feature of the variety is its taste. “Karotel” has juicy pulp with a characteristic “carrot” aroma and a pronounced taste.
The harvest can be stored until the next gardening season. Root vegetables contain so many vitamins that they are often used to make baby food and diet food.
"Nantes 4"
One of the most common table varieties is Nantes 4 carrots. Root crops become mature approximately three months after sowing the seeds in the ground.
The fruits are cylindrical in shape, the tip of the root is rounded. The carrots are orange in color and the skin is smooth. Each vegetable weighs about 120 grams and is up to 16 cm long.
Carrot pulp is juicy, tasty, and contains a lot of carotene and fiber.The fruits tolerate transportation and long-term storage well.
"Samson"
Very similar to the previous variety - Nantes carrots. This vegetable is better suited to the climate of Central Russia.
The fruits are cylindrical in shape, the tip of each is slightly pointed. The root color is orange, the surface is smooth. The weight of each vegetable can reach 150 grams.
Aligned, beautiful fruits are simply meant for sale. However, this variety is not only attractive in appearance - carrots are also tasty and can be stored for a long time or eaten fresh.
"Chantenay Royal"
This carrot can also be classified as a mid-season variety - the fruits can be harvested 120 days after sowing the seeds in the soil. The variety is universal, it can be grown in any region, any type of soil is suitable for this.
The fruits are bright orange and have a cone shape. The length of each reaches 17 cm, and the diameter is 5 cm. The surface of the root crop is smooth, the shape is leveled.
The culture is resistant to most diseases, including flowering.
The carrot harvest can be stored for up to 9 months, consumed fresh, added to preserves and various dishes.
"Queen of Autumn"
To get an early harvest of this variety, you need to plant the seeds in the fall. With regular (not winter) planting, the crop bears fruit three months after the appearance of the first shoots.
The fruits are very even, cylindrical in shape, with a smooth surface. The length of the carrot reaches 22 cm, weight – 170 grams. The inside of the fruit is juicy and aromatic. High commercial qualities allow the “Queen of Autumn” to be grown en masse for sale.
The plant is resistant to low temperatures, the most common “carrot” diseases, and has a good yield - up to 9 kg per meter.
"September"
Carrots of this variety are harvested at the end of summer, when about 120 days have passed from the time of sowing. The fruits grow quite large: their weight is, on average, 300 grams, and their length is 25 cm.
The root crop is painted in a standard orange color, the surface is smooth, and the shape is elongated cone-shaped. This vegetable is great for fresh consumption, cooking various dishes, and canning. But it is better not to leave “Sentyabrina” for winter storage - there will be practically no useful substances and vitamins left in the root vegetables.
"Abaco"
Quite capricious hybrid created on the basis of several well-known varieties of carrots. The culture is very dependent on external conditions: temperature and humidity. To get a high and high-quality harvest of root crops, you will have to water the plants frequently and abundantly, planting seeds only after the air temperature has become constant around 15-17 degrees.
If the carrot does not have enough moisture, it will crack, change shape, and lose its presentation. The length of the root crop is 20 cm, the core has a rich orange color.
The vegetable is very tasty, great for preparing salads, cooking, and canning. For a long time storage Abaco carrots are not suitable.
"Emperor"
Hybrid carrots can vary significantly depending on the seed manufacturer. Some vegetables of this variety are very surprising sweet pulp, others are striking in their increased fragility - they break at the slightest pressure.
The root vegetables are colored deep orange and have a pointed downward shape. The maximum weight of each vegetable can reach 550 grams, and the length can be 35 cm.
The taste of the variety is also quite unusual, different from the standard “carrot” taste.
"Nandrin"
Carrots of the “Nandrin” variety belong to the early-ripening subspecies, however, they are distinguished by the fact that they are perfectly stored for a long period. The culture is unpretentious - it feels great both on a modest summer cottage and on a huge farm field.
The fruits are quite large - up to 25 cm in length, colored orange, and have a cone shape. The vegetable is juicy and aromatic.
Non-standard carrots
In addition to the well-known orange carrot, there are many other varieties of this vegetable. Of these we can name:
- White carrots – in shape it resembles a regular one, the difference is that the vegetable has no pigment, therefore it is painted white. The root vegetable tastes very appetizing and juicy, and contains a lot of useful substances. For a long time, white carrots were used as a fodder vegetable (for livestock), but today they are a favorite variety of many summer residents and gardeners. The fruits are stored for a long time and are used to prepare various dishes.
- Red carrot – champion among all types in terms of lycopene content. This pigment is responsible for cleansing the body of harmful toxins and waste, preventing the appearance of tumors, including cancer. You can store red carrots for a long time, but they will lose more than half of the substances they contain.
- Black - a very unusual variety, different from the others not only in appearance. Pulp black carrots tender and juicy, has a pronounced vanilla taste. Such root vegetables are not afraid of low temperatures; even with slight frost, the vegetables will remain undamaged. Another feature of this species is its yellow inflorescences, which emit a pleasant exotic smell.
- Yellow carrot contains more nutrients than any other type.Xanthophyll is responsible for blood vessels and the heart, and the substance lutein protects the eyes from exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Growing yellow carrots is not difficult; they only need timely watering. Root crop yields are quite high.
- Feed varieties designed for feeding domestic animals (cows, pigs, rabbits, poultry). These root vegetables do not have a pleasant taste, but they contain a lot of nutritious fiber and nutrients.
The choice of carrot variety for the 2019 gardening season should be based on several important factors. To obtain a large quantity of high-quality product, it is better to choose hybrids of domestic and foreign selection, and for growing carrots for your own needs, proven varieties of local selection are sufficient.
