Carrots planting and care in the open field on the tape

Carrots are one of the most common crops in any home garden. This is an unpretentious plant that gives a high yield even in the most unfavorable conditions. If agricultural technology is not followed, root crops develop slowly and lose their commercial qualities. In this article, we will look at the key features of planting and caring for carrots outdoors.

Variety selection

Depending on the shape of the root crop, all varieties of carrots are conventionally divided into cone-shaped, cylindrical and round. The first variety is the most common, more resistant to diseases and unpretentious in care. According to the ripening period, the varieties are divided into early, middle and late ripening.

When choosing carrots for planting in the open field, you need to focus on the climate in the region, the composition and quality of the soil, as well as the purpose of growing. For fresh consumption in summer, it is best to plant early varieties, and later varieties are suitable for long-term storage.

Seed preparation

Carrot seeds are small in size, which makes it difficult to comply with the sowing rate, and also do not germinate well even in fertile soil. Before planting, they must be processed.

Planting material preparation scheme:

1. Soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, changing the water several times throughout the day.
2. For stratification, the seeds after soaking must be placed in the refrigerator or put outside for 1-2 days.
3. To increase germination, seeds must first be treated in boiling water (up to 50 ° C) for several minutes, and then rinsed thoroughly with cold water.
4. It is recommended to carry out bubbling with growth stimulants. For this purpose, use Kornevin, Epin or Zircon.

Seeds are prepared for planting a few days before being directly placed in open ground. If a long time passes after the treatment, the effectiveness of the procedure is significantly reduced.

Landing dates

It is possible to sow seed into the soil when the earth warms up to 4-6 ° C, in conditions of middle latitudes this temperature is observed closer to the end of April, in colder regions planting can be postponed for several weeks, until the second decade of May.

Carrots are a frost-resistant crop, so seeds that have already been planted in the soil can survive night frosts down to -4 ° C, but to improve germination, the planting can be covered in case of a sharp cold snap.

It is also important to take into account the characteristics of the variety.For example, late to mid-late varieties should be planted slightly later than early varieties. The recommended planting period for them is mid-May.

Some varieties of root crops can be planted in late autumn, usually before the first snowfall. In this case, it must be taken into account that the variety is frost-resistant and late. This planting method allows you to get an early harvest by mid-summer.

Site selection and soil preparation

It is best to choose a site for planting carrots in a well-lit area, without a strong slope of the surface. It is not recommended to use beds where umbrella crops were previously located - parsley, cumin, dill and fennel. Failure to comply with crop rotation leads to the development of serious diseases. The best precursors are cucumbers, tomatoes, legumes, and grains.

Processing and feeding the soil on the site depends on the timing of planting. For spring planting, fertilizer must be applied in the fall. To do this, you need to dig a bed to the depth of a shovel bayonet, completely remove plant roots and weeds.

Carrots do not tolerate acidic soils, therefore, to adjust the acid balance, it is recommended to add wood ash, dolomite flour or lime at the rate of 0.5 kg per 1 m2. It is best to use potash or phosphorus compositions as mineral fertilizers, since nitrogen fertilization of the soil leads to the active growth of the green part, and not to the formation of a root crop.

How to plant?

After preparing the seeds and soil, you can start sowing carrots. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in the first half of the day in sunny weather.

How to grow and plant carrots:

1. Seeds are planted in rows with a distance of up to 20 cm from each other, the planting depth should not exceed 2 cm in heavy soil and 3 cm in loose fertile soil.
2. The optimal distance between seeds is 3-4 cm.
3. After planting the planting material in the ground, the rows are covered with soil and watered abundantly with water.
4. Mulching should be carried out to avoid weeds and root formation on the topsoil. The recommended thickness is 3-4 cm. Sawdust, peat or straw are used as material.

Since the seeds are very small, a roll planting method is used. To do this, drops of starch paste are applied to a narrow strip of toilet paper, and then planting material is placed on it at the rate of 2-3 seeds per drop of adhesive. After that, the tape is dried and placed in the ground. The subsequent landing algorithm is identical.

Thinning of seedlings

All varieties of carrots show uneven germination, the difference between the appearance of seedlings can be more than a week. The first thinning and weeding is recommended when the seedlings have reached a height of up to 2-3 cm. Young plants are pulled out one piece at a time, trying to create the most even line. It is advisable to leave the distance between the remaining shoots no more than 2-3 cm.

The second thinning is best done when a small root crop and a healthy green portion of the carrot have developed. Severe neglect of sowing harms the yield, so you need to keep the distance between each plant. The optimal distance between carrot bushes after the second weeding is 4-5 cm.

Care

In addition to thinning, simple maintenance rules must be followed to increase yields and maintain plant health.

The main ones are:

1. Throughout the entire growth period, moderate watering is required at the rate of 10 liters of water per 1m2, a few weeks before harvesting it must be completely stopped.
2. Top dressing is carried out twice a season - during the formation of seedlings, and also for 2-3 months after planting. It is recommended to use a complex mixture. In 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp is diluted. l. nitrophosphate, 1 tbsp. wood ash, 20 g of potassium nitrate and 15 g of double superphosphate.
3. Weeding should be done as the weeds grow, usually 2-3 times per season. Using mulch reduces the growth of other plants in the garden.
4. Treatment from pests and diseases is carried out only in case of infection, since carrots have strong immunity, and also repels most insects. The most common diseases are bacteriosis, white and black rot, and septoria. The most dangerous pests are carrot flies and moles.

One of the important points of carrot care is loosening. Without this procedure, the roots grow small and twisted. Loosening is usually combined with weeding or thinning.

Carrots are one of the most widespread and important crops. It is a fast growing plant that takes root well in any soil. That is why most gardeners try to plant it with seeds in open ground. The quality and quantity of the crop depends not only on the variety, the correct preparation of the seeds, but also on the observance of agricultural technology.

One of the most popular and common types of vegetables is carrots. This root vegetable is among the ten most economically important and useful crops in our vast world. It is widely distributed in Mediterranean countries such as Africa, New Zealand, Australia and America, as well as throughout Europe.

Carrots are a biennial herb. Grows in height up to 30 cm. Possesses the most useful and medicinal propertiesessential for the human body. Its rich composition contains:

• vitamins: groups B, PP, C, E, K;
• the substance keratin, which in the human body turns into vitamin A.
• minerals necessary for the human body: potassium, iron, phosphorus, copper, iodine, etc.;
• essential oils that give the vegetable a strong flavor.

Soil preparation

This plant is unpretentious in cultivation, prefers non-acidic, loose, loamy and sandy soil. In such soil the root vegetable becomes sweet, juicy and tasty... Before planting carrots, the soil is cultivated twice a year - in the fall, after harvest, and in the spring, before planting.

In the autumn period, the earth is dug up to a depth of about 10 cm and at the same time leveled with a rake - this is necessary to saturate it with oxygen before wintering. In the spring, it is enough just to loosen the soil, after which it is saturated with organic matter... It is also important to choose the right place for sowing the crop, since this type of culture loves the sun very much, but does not like excessive moisture. Therefore, the best place is where there is access to the sun's rays.

The process of planting carrots on the tape

To facilitate planting, as well as for harvesting, gardeners can use ready-made planting paper. The material used for planting the vegetable is a paper strip that comes with the seeds of the root vegetable. In finished form, it is sold long and narrow at about 2 cm wide. This is convenient for optimal and high-quality development of the fruit, and besides, there is no need for thinning seedlings and laborious weeding. You can also make your own planting tape, while using, for example, toilet paper.

Using the landing tape

The finished planting belt is convenient because the seeds are located on it at an optimal distance from each other. This saves the gardener time when planting carrots. The tape must be placed in the ready-made grooves and sprinkled with earth.

Landing on toilet paper

Before planting carrots on toilet paper, you need to grease them with a paste that can be cooked from a mixture of starch and water or flour and hot water, then you need to sprinkle carrot seeds on toilet paper. Seeds pre washed with clean water and dried... This ready-made tape should be laid on grooves prepared in the ground with a distance of 20-25 cm from each other, while the depth should be about 3 cm.

Before planting, the land is leveled and loosened a couple of days before sowing, then watered with a small amount of water. It is imperative to control the moisture content of the soil, for this it is advisable to use a covering material.In this way, moisture and heat are retained, which is necessary for the growth of the root crop. And most importantly, no additional feeding is required in the process of growing a vegetable.

Carrot Tips

When the carrots begin to sprout, the covering material that was used to retain heat and moisture can be removed. After that, you need to carefully loosen the ground. Sprinkle moderately and evenly with water.

But if toilet paper was used, then thinning of the plant is also necessary, as soon as germinated plants have the first leaves... If necessary, this method is used to thin out young shoots of carrots several times. After this procedure, watered with a small amount of water and weeded periodically.

Harvesting and storage

There are different varieties of carrots depending on the timing of the harvest:

• Early variety;
• Medium grade;
• Late grade.

Carrot seeds with an early ripening period are sown before winter and harvesting is done closer to the middle of summer. Such a fruit can be harvested when it already reaches a diameter of about 1 cm. The vegetable thus turns out to be very sweet and juicy. To preserve the most useful properties and pleasant taste of an early harvest, you need to harvest it on time. The only drawback is that it is unsuitable for long storage.

Gross harvest of average fruit ripening harvested from 80 to 110 days, no more, since the root vegetable will be tasteless and friable. Another feature that speaks of the ripening of this variety is yellowed leaves.

Late harvest is considered closer to mid-September. The main thing is that after the root crop has been harvested, cut off the green tops, this is necessary for long storage.

There are many ways to store plants. In order to preserve the crop as best as possible, the main thing is to harvest it on time and then store it cool: in the refrigerator, cellar or on the balcony at approximately 0-5 degrees.

Vegetable pests and diseases

Unfortunately, the plant is exposed to various infectious diseases. For example, such as white rot, which destroys the entire plant, after which you cannot eat and store the vegetable... This type of rot, such as gray, causes diseases during the storage period of the root crop. Felt rot appears on carrots not only during storage, but also during ripening. And there are many other types of disease.

Carrots can be affected by several pests at the same time. This happens not only during the ripening period of the plant, but also after harvest and during storage of the vegetable... The most dangerous pests are carrot flies and their larvae, carrot flies and moths. Large insects can include a bear, naked slugs and a wireworm (yellow worm).

But if you follow certain rules when planting and caring for different varieties of vegetables, then the carrots will grow large, juicy, tasty, healthy and can be stored for a long time.

Carrots are a root vegetable found in the plots of even beginner gardeners. It is rich in vitamins and microelements, and in terms of keratin content it surpasses all vegetables and fruits (except for sea buckthorn). To grow large and even fruits, you should know the nuances of growing.

Conditions for growing carrots in the open field

Site location and illumination

For carrots, choose a well-lit area - direct sunlight throughout the day will benefit the plant. When grown in the shade, yield decreases, taste deteriorates.

Priming

The soil needs a loose, neutral or slightly acidic reaction. Light sandy loam or loamy soils are suitable. In dense loam, the fruits grow small, quickly rot during storage.

How to prepare the land for planting carrots

Prepare the site in the fall so that the soil is settled by the spring. For looseness, if the soil is heavy loamy, add peat or sand for digging. Fertilize depleted soil with humus (6-8 kg per 1 m²).

Predecessors

It is advisable to change the place for carrot beds annually. Do not plant carrots after parsley, dill, parsnips, celery. The ideal precursors for carrots are cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, potatoes, and cabbage.

Dates for planting carrots in open ground with seeds

The yield of root crops directly depends on the timing of sowing. Different varieties differ in the duration of ripening (the information should be indicated on the package with the seeds). Also focus on the timing of the desired harvest.

When to plant carrots before winter

To obtain early carrots or the so-called bundle products, crops are sown before winter or early spring. The first option is possible only in warm climatic zones - even under a thick layer of covering material, the seeds freeze out under harsh conditions.

Podzimny sowing of carrots is carried out at the end of October, when warming is no longer expected. If the seeds hatch and sprout in the fall, frost will destroy them. Therefore, they try to postpone the sowing dates as far as possible by the end of autumn.

Planting carrots in the open ground in the spring

Sowing carrots in spring as soon as the topsoil warms up to a temperature of 4-6 ° C. In the middle lane, this is approximately the end of April. Remember: an earlier planting of carrots and a return cold snap negatively affects the keeping quality of fruits and provokes the active laying of flower arrows, but this is not an obstacle to growing early ripening varieties that are immediately eaten and not stored in winter.

Long-term varieties are excellent for long-term storage. Sow them out at real heat (15-18 ° C).

Preparing carrot seeds for planting in spring

Preparing carrot seeds for planting in spring soaking

How to properly process carrot seeds before planting

First, select high-quality seeds: place them in a solution of edible salt for 3-5 minutes, floating to the surface are not suitable for sowing. Rinse the rest under running water, keep it in a damp cloth soaked in a solution of a growth stimulator for 24 hours. Before sowing, the seeds are dried until flowable and sown immediately.

Is it possible to germinate carrot seeds before planting

Some gardeners do the following to speed up germination. The seeds are placed on a damp cloth and kept at a temperature of 20-24 ° C for 5-6 days. It is important that the seeds only swell, but do not germinate, otherwise the sprouts will be damaged during transplantation and the seeds will not sprout. Before sowing, the seeds are slightly dried until flowable and sown immediately.

Carrot seeds can also be prepared for sowing in an unusual way: they are wrapped in cloth and dug deeper into the garden until the time when the earth is ripe (about the size of a shovel's bayonet). Leave them in the ground for 10 days. The seeds will not hatch, but they will prepare well for a quick germination. Dry them a little and sow immediately.

How to plant carrots with seeds in the ground

How to sow carrots outdoors photo

Distance between carrot seeds when planting

Make shallow grooves in the area, water well. Cover the seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm. Observe the distance between the rows of 15-20 cm, try to place individual seeds at a distance of about 2 cm from each other.

Scheme for planting carrots in the open field

On an industrial scale, it is more convenient to plant carrots in double rows: the distance between two rows is 15-20 cm, a wide row spacing is 40-50 cm.

It is convenient to make the ridges not wide (approximately 1.3-1.5 m), so that you can reach with your hands from both sides to weed the rows. It is better to place the rows perpendicular to the long side of the bed, so it is more convenient to sow, break through and water the plants. Row spacing 15-20 cm. Make bumpers along the edges of the beds to prevent water from running off.

Do I need to water the carrots after planting?

If the weather is cool, wet, there is no need for watering. On warm sunny days, the soil dries out quickly, in this case, moderate watering will not be superfluous.However, remember that too much moisture will cause an earthy crust to form, which is even worse than not watering. Therefore, moisturize carefully, only lightly spraying the bed. Watering is repeated every morning until shoots appear. After that, it will be possible to loosen the row-spacing and water less often, after 1-2 days, with the obligatory loosening of the row-spacings, until they are closed by the grown tops.

How many carrot seeds sprout?

In warm weather, the seeds will sprout in about a week. Germination time is doubled if the air temperature is below 12 ° C. Replenish the empty spaces with additional crops.

Before winter, seeds are sown at soil temperatures below +5 ° C. Deepen the seeds by 2 cm. The thickness of the mulch layer should be 3-4 cm. If the snow cover is insignificant, additionally cover with spruce branches, increasing the layer to half a meter.

Taking care of carrots after planting outdoors

Planting carrots in the ground with seeds and further care

Thinning

To grow large roots, you should regulate the level of plant thickening. Carry out the first thinning with the appearance of real leaves. The sprouts are very tender, so that they are well removed, it is necessary to water abundantly, after drying, slightly loosen the soil.

Remove plants one at a time, leaving a distance of 2-3 cm between individual plants. It is better to carry out the procedure in the daytime - in the evening you can attract a carrot fly to the pest site. Do not leave the tops in the garden. Press down a little around the plants to keep the plants upright. After 20 days, re-thinning, doubling the distance.

Watering carrots after planting and in the future

The juiciness and sweet taste of root vegetables depends on watering. Provide regular watering at all stages of carrot growth. The soil should be soaked to a depth according to the size of the root crop. Water the garden bed with adult carrots so that the soil is drenched by 30 cm. Due to lack of moisture, the fruits are sluggish, with a bitter taste.

Water after 3-4 days, adding 30-40 liters of water per 1 m² to provide moisture for the formation of root crops. Medium-sized roots are able to find moisture on their own - add 10-20 liters of water per 1 m² once a week. From the end of August, 8-10 liters of water per 1 m² are enough every 1.5-2 weeks. Soak the carrots without watering 2 weeks before harvest.

Sharp changes from drying out of the soil to excess moisture lead to cracking of the fruits, which worsens their keeping quality.

Loosen the aisles regularly, weed the plantings from weeds.

Top dressing

Carrots should be fed twice a season. Carry out the first feeding 3-4 weeks after germination, the second after a couple of months. Apply the fertilizer in liquid form. For 10 liters of water, add at your choice: 2 glasses of wood ash; 1 tbsp. l. nitrophosphate; 20 g of potassium nitrate, 15 g of double superphosphate and urea.

Diseases and pests of carrots

The carrot fly is the main enemy of the plant. It appears with thickened plantings, in the presence of weeds, from excessive soil moisture. You will understand that the plantation is affected by a carrot fly by the following signs: the leaves will begin to curl and dry. An insecticide treatment should be carried out urgently.

To protect against carrot flies, marigolds are planted next to carrot beds, the smell of which repels pests.

Carrots are weakly susceptible to diseases. Possible defeat by fomoz, alternariosis. The risk of disease is reduced by treating the beds with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Harvesting carrots

How to clean and store carrots

Carrots are not afraid of cold weather, but low air temperature (below +8 ° C) promotes the conversion of starch into sugar, which will negatively affect keeping quality. In the middle lane, the carrot should be harvested at the end of September. Do this in dry weather. Dig up the carrots, shake the roots off the ground, hold them in the air (not in direct sunlight) for about 1.5-2 hours, then cut off the tops.Sort the crop, put even fruits without damage in ventilated boxes, store in a cool, dark place.

Carrots for planting in open ground: the best varieties

Choosing carrot seeds: the best varieties for outdoor use. Among the many varieties, you can easily choose the best option for both spring and autumn sowing.

Consider the most productive varieties:

Carrot alenka photo

Alenka is an early ripening variety, you can harvest after 50 days of growth. With a root crop length of 12-15 cm, the weight is 145 g.

Carrot Touchon photo

Tushon is an early ripening variety, its fruits are ready for harvest after 2 months of growth. Weight - 150 g, length - 20 cm.

Carrots of Nantes photo

Nantes is a mid-season variety with a ripening period of 85-90 days. The average length of a blunt-pointed root crop is 16 cm with a weight of 165 g.

Carrot Vitamin photo

Vitamin - the root crops of the variety are ready to be harvested after 110-112 days of growth. Weight - 150 g, root crop length - about 15 cm.

Carrot Queen Autumn photo

The Queen of Autumn is a late variety, ripening 125-135 days. Ideal for winter storage. With a root crop length of 20 cm, it weighs about 160 g.

Flakke carrots photo

Flakke - belongs to the late varieties. Harvesting is possible after 100-120 days of growth. A root crop with a length of 30 cm weighs about 150-170 g.

This year, in order to make it easier for ourselves, we decided to sow carrots using a sowing belt. I loved this idea because planting carrots on paper makes the garden very easy!

There is no need to do thinning under the scorching sun, but in summer it is very tiring and takes a lot of time, which can be spent on rest ...

Background

Last year I was so unhappy with the germination of carrots, I even said to myself that this year I don’t want to plant them at all, but spring came and I wanted to have my own young carrots in July - after all, it’s sweeter from my garden once every 100 🙂

And one more point in favor of the sowing tape - if after planting the carrots there is a good downpour, then the carrots sown just like that, may "leak" - most likely this is what happened with me last year (after planting it rained for several days).

I think that many gardeners are now trying to sow carrots on tape, and I decided to deepen this issue not only for myself, but also for you, dear readers. So how do you use the seed band correctly for the best germination result? And are there any alternatives to tape? We'll figure out…

Preliminary soil preparation

Properly prepared soil is very important for the germination of carrots. And our beds will have to be prepared two weeks before planting, and not according to the principle - I arrived at the dacha, dug up, loosened up, planted, and all this in two days off.

A week before planting, or better for two, it is necessary to loosen the soil to a depth of 10 cm, after which we must immediately take a rake and level the bed. Of course, this means the earth dug up in the fall on the bayonet of a shovel.

Laying the tape with seeds

Immediately before sowing, we loosen the bed again, make shallow grooves - two centimeters, and put the sowing tape in the furrow. Then gently pour a small amount of water and cover it with earth. It is very easy to level the ground and water it again - carefully so as not to wash the soil off the tape.

Gardener's Secret: with the help of ripe compost, laid in a layer of half a centimeter, you can significantly increase germination!

We glue carrot seeds on paper ourselves

Another find recipe is that you can make your own seeding tape with carrot seeds! To do this, we take paper with a loose texture (toilet paper or newspaper is well suited), cut it lengthwise into strips 2 cm wide.

From each half we make a seeding tape as follows: we brew a paste of starch or flour, drip onto paper and put carrot seeds in 2.5 cm increments.

The paste is made like this - for 1 glass of water 1 tsp. starch or flour.

There is also a tricky way - take two-layer toilet paper, peel it a little from the edge and put seeds between the layers.

Planting carrots on toilet paper

There was also an interesting proposal from one summer resident on the forum - do not cut the roll of toilet paper lengthwise, but simply fold the paper in half, sticking the seeds, gradually winding the roll, see the photo below ... It saves time and making the tape itself, and planting!

You can additionally fertilize our sowing tape - add mineral fertilizers to the water for making the paste. The ratio is - based on 1 liter of water, a tablespoon of mineral fertilizer.

You can glue the seeds in winter, before the start of the summer season. You must admit that in winter there is usually nothing much to do, so there is more than enough free time.

Planting carrots on napkins

I found another interesting option for planting carrots - on napkins. The principle is similar to ribbons, with the only difference that you immediately form a bed by gluing the seeds in the way your roots will grow.

At home, prepare napkins by sticking carrot seeds in 5 cm increments in a row and between rows.

Well, on the garden bed you are already laying out your napkins and sprinkle with a layer of soil. It turns out an immediately formed bed that does not need to be thinned out.

What carrot seeds to take

For gluing, it is better to take high-quality, varietal seeds, their germination will be better, and the result will please in the fall. And this method of gluing seeds on paper will save them from disappearing, so to speak, in vain 🙂

Dragee carrot seeds are also on sale, they are easier to stick, but they require more watering at first, since the seed is, as it were, inside a pea made of fertilizers and filler.They need some time to swell and give moisture to the seed inside. But on the other hand, the plus is that the sprout will immediately have nutrition and the growth of the seedling will be optimal.

conclusions

In the same way, you can make a sowing tape with seeds of other vegetables and herbs with small seeds, for example, lettuce, dill, celery. Than in the summer in a kneeling position to do thinning, it is better to make a paper tape with seeds in advance and not know grief 🙂 Winter is long, what else to do if not prepare for the sowing season.

These are the tricks I learned about planting carrots on toilet paper. As you can see, there are more expensive options - and more economical, with more labor costs (which, of course, will pay off later) and with less! We approach the garden creatively, comrades! We enjoy, so to speak, the process! 🙂

Video instructions - planting carrots on toilet paper

In this video, an experienced summer resident Yulia Menyaeva shows how to glue carrots onto toilet paper tapes using a flour talker.

In conclusion, watch the video which shows how to plant carrot seeds on a ribbon in the ground.