Growing carrots in the middle lane: an overview of the best varieties

Carrots are a tasty and healthy vegetable that every gardener grows on his site. It is a versatile product for salads, first and second courses.

Carrots are superior to other vegetables and fruits in terms of carotene content. Need a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber? Plant carrots. We will tell you how to do it correctly below.

Features of the climate of central Russia

The middle zone of Russia is an area with a temperate continental climate. Winter is characterized by moderate frosts and heavy snowfalls. Summers in the region are humid and relatively warm. The spring and autumn periods are pronounced.

March is also considered a winter month, snow melting falls on it. Dry and warm weather prevails in April and May. This helps the soil dry out. During this period, gardening work begins.

The middle lane has a long period of frost. They continue until the last days of May.

In the summer months, the maximum air temperature rises to + 36-39 ° С, sometimes there are droughts. The peculiarity of the summer period is in moderately warm, humid and changeable weather.

Autumn begins in September with a gradual decrease in air temperature and increasing precipitation. The rainiest months of the year are October and November. The first snowfalls often occur in October. In November, there may be constant rains or frosts.

Winter in the region is long. The highest air humidity in the year is in December, so it can be cold even in mild frosts. The coldest month of the year is January, the snowiest month is February.

Technology and timing of planting carrots in the middle lane

In central Russia, carrots are planted in open ground in April and May. They are guided by the soil temperature - not lower than 4-6 ° C.Planting seeds in the southern regions is possible in early April, in the northern ones in mid-May.

It is not recommended to plant carrot seeds in the same place more than once every 4 years, as well as after parsnips or celery. Favorable predecessors are tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini or cucumbers.

Carrots love loose loamy and sandy easily permeable soil. It is better if it is slightly acidic, with a pH of 5-6. To obtain a rich harvest, fertile soil is needed - this is what the humus content makes it. Its optimum concentration in the soil for carrots is at least 4%. It is better to place the bed in a place where the groundwater is deep, and the soil moisture is maintained moderate.

Another condition for the yield of carrots is good lighting. Before landing seeds are dug up, weeds are weeded and fertilizers are applied. Compost or humus, bone meal, potassium sulfate, superphosphate are suitable. After fertilization, the bed is dug again to a depth of 20-30 cm and thoroughly loosened. Two weeks before sowing, it is loosened again.

For the prevention of diseases, a week before sowing, the bed is spilled with "Fitosporin" and covered with foil. Carrot seeds are planted in pre-made grooves with a depth of 2-3 cm.The distance between them is at least 15-20 cm.

Finished grooves are first spilled with Fitosporin solution. Experienced gardeners are advised to sprinkle them with tobacco dust or wood ash to scare away pests.

Then the seeds are planted. The optimal distance between them is 2-3 cm. After planting, the seeds are covered with fertile soil and slightly compacted the soil in the grooves.To make them germinate faster, the bed is covered with agrofibre. This will keep the soil warm and moist.

Important! 1-2 weeks after germination of the seeds, the covering material is removed so that the sprouts do not rot under the film.

Carrots are sown with sand... To do this, mix ½ a bucket of dry river sand and 2 tbsp. l. seeds. The resulting mixture is scattered into the grooves, covered with a small layer of earth and watered.

Another way to plant carrots is on paper tape. Cut strips of tissue paper or use a regular toilet paper. First, prepare a paste: 1 tsp is poured into boiling water. starch for 1 tbsp. water. Stir and cool.

A paper tape is placed on the bottom of the grooves, smeared with paste and carrot seeds are placed on it at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. The grooves are covered with soil and watered abundantly.

What is the difference between carrots for the middle strip

Since the climate of central Russia is moderately warm, special attention is paid to the choice of carrot varieties... They must be productive and resistant to low temperatures.

Thinning is best done late. If you take out the first root crops in July, then the taproot may break off from the neighboring ones. At this time, the mass builds up and the risk of branching increases. As a result, a large percentage of branched root crops come out during harvesting.

Early harvesting of carrots in the middle lane is not recommended. At the beginning of September, the main increase in the mass of root crops occurs, so it is better to postpone the harvest until the end of the month.

The best varieties of carrots for the middle lane

All varieties of carrots are divided into two types according to the shape of the root crop: cylindrical and conical with a tapering to the bottom. The varieties also vary in color: from yellow and orange to purple.

Most varieties of carrots for growing in the middle lane are distinguished by high yields and taste. The geographical area allows the cultivation of early, late and mid-season varieties.

Early

Early varieties ripen 85-100 days after germination. The most popular ones are:

1. Carotel Parisian. The earliest variety. Root crops are short, orange, orbicular in shape.
2. Dragon. The color of the roots is bright purple, the core is orange. They have a specific odor that disappears after heat treatment.
3. Lagoon F1. Hybrid with the earliest ripeness. The maximum weight of root crops is 200 g. The color is bright orange, the shape is cylindrical.
4. Fairy. A universal early ripe variety. Root crops are cylindrical. Well suited for winter storage.
5. Bangor F1. It has long narrow roots weighing up to 200 g. It is well stored in winter.

Carrots, dug out of damp earth, are carefully dried, otherwise the shelf life will be reduced.

Mid-season

The ripening period of mid-season varieties is from 105 to 120 days.

The best mid-season varieties:

1. Viking... A variety with a high carotene content. The root vegetable has a conical shape, it has a juicy, tender pulp. The variety has good keeping quality.
2. Losinoostrovskaya 13. High-yielding variety with a high carotene content. Root crops are cylindrical, with red-orange flesh.
3. Nantes 4. The most popular carrot variety in Russia with excellent taste. The shape of the roots is cylindrical, the pulp is red-orange. Stores well until mid-winter.
4. Nectar F1. A high-yielding hybrid with long, cylindrical roots that are resistant to cracking. They are bright orange in color and have a sweet taste.
5. Moscow winter... A common fruitful variety for long storage, lays well until spring. Root crops are conical, juicy, with a sweet taste.

Late

Late varieties ripen after 125 days or more.

Yielding late varieties:

1. Select... A variety with a high carotene content. It has cylindrical roots up to 15 cm long.
2. Vita longa... Root vegetables are juicy and sweet and contain a lot of carotene. Suitable for juicing.
3. Olympus... A widespread high-yielding variety. Root crops are juicy, sweet, stored until spring.
4. Valeria 5. It has conical long roots with a yellow heart and red flesh. Produces a good harvest.

Carrot varieties with a high carotene content are suitable for baby food.

Reviews of the best varieties of Russia

Experienced gardeners choose the best varieties and willingly share their opinions.

Gennady, Tula: «I would recommend the Nantes carrot to everyone. It lays well until spring, does not flabby and does not deteriorate. The variety is unpretentious, grows well. When we salt cabbage, we do not add sugar, because with this carrot it is not needed. "

Valentina, Vologda: “I plant several varieties of carrots every year and love to experiment. But I always plant the Karotel variety, as it gives an excellent harvest. We love grated fresh carrots, and Karotel is sweet and juicy. "

Natalia, Rybinsk: “I plant late varieties of carrots, they are very juicy. My favorite variety is Olympus. I always collect a lot of strong good carrots. We have enough harvest until spring, and the carrots remain juicy. "

Conclusion

The climate of central Russia makes it possible to grow early, mid-season and late varieties. When choosing, pay attention to yield, keeping quality, vitamin content. Subject to the rules of cultivation, any of the varieties will delight you with a bountiful harvest and retain their qualities during long storage.