Carrot variety Karotel: description, photos and reviews

Carrot Karotel is known to gardeners in many countries. It has long become a classic, because it has a lot of advantages. Despite the fact that breeding work does not stand still, and new species appear, the Karotel variety is still in demand.

History of occurrence

Carrot Karotel (daucus carota subsp. sativus Karotel) was obtained by French breeders at the end of the 20th century. The incentive for the creation of the variety was the international congress of vegetable growers, at which scientists were given the task of improving the quality of carrots. Karotel has become a real standard of the famous root crop, combining excellent taste and excellent characteristics. The new variety fully satisfied all the wishes of vegetable growers, and although other variety types were obtained later, Karotel has remained one of the best so far. Despite the fact that the species was not included in the State Register, it has become widespread in the Federation when grown on farms and on private plots.

In a greenhouse, Karotel grows especially juicy and sweet.

Description of the Karotel carrot variety

The plant forms a powerful rosette of dissected dark green leaves. Its shape is semi-spreading, of medium height. Root crops have a shortened conical or cylindrical shape, the tip is rounded. Carrot length – no more than 14 cm, diameter – up to 8 cm. Average weight – 100-150 g. The flesh and skin are red-orange, the taste is delicate, sweet, juicy. The content of carotene per 100 g of root is 13%, sugar – up to 8%.

Characteristics of carrots Carotel

The variety is medium-early, it will take no more than 110 days for the root crops to reach technical ripeness, after which they are stored for storage. This is especially important in regions with short summers. Carrot Karotel is frost-resistant, it can be sown before winter, thanks to which they get a harvest a few weeks earlier than when planted in spring. The variety is universal, it is consumed fresh, used in cooking and for conservation.

Transportability and keeping quality of Carotel carrots are excellent

Ripening period

Sowing carrots in central Our Country begins in the third decade of April, when the soil is still quite wet and warmed up to +10 ⁰С. The first shoots appear after 7-10 days. From this moment until the harvest, it takes from 100 to 110 days. In regions with a warmer climate, the technical ripeness of root crops occurs ten days earlier than usual. If sowing was done before winter, the crop ripens by mid-August.

Productivity

You can get large, tasty root crops subject to a few rules:

1. Choose the right place.
2. Properly prepare the soil.
3. Avoid thickening of crops.
4. Carry out an annual crop rotation.
5. Fertilize plants regularly.
6. Maintain soil moisture.

With quality care from 1 m² you can get up to 10 kg of carrots. The average yield of the Karotel variety is 6-8 kg/m².

Disease and pest resistance

Carrots have an average resistance to most diseases, but violation of agricultural practices and adverse weather conditions lead to damage to plants by rot and brown spotting. The carrot fly is no less dangerous, the larvae of which gnaw the root crop and above-ground shoots.

Growing regions

Carrot Karotel is suitable for growing in most regions of the Federation. The variety shows the maximum yield in regions with a temperate climate. The plant is cultivated both in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages

Carrot Karotel differs from other varieties in the absence of a tendency to bloom. This is not its only advantage.

Root tops do not turn green because they do not protrude above the soil surface

Pros:

• attractive appearance;
• excellent taste;
• significant content of carotene and sugars;
• fast growth;
• high yield;
• resistance to cracking;
• good transportability;
• long-term storage;
• the possibility of sowing before winter.

Cons:

• medium resistance to diseases and damage by a carrot fly;
• high demands on the structure of the soil.

Features of planting and care

Carrot Karotel is grown in a seedless way, it is sown directly into the ground. For culture choose a well-lit place. The best predecessors are Legumes, Solanaceae, Cruciferous. Before sowing, the plot is dug up to the depth of a shovel bayonet, weeds are removed.

To improve the structure and fertility of the soil, rotted compost is added, planting it to a depth of 10-15 cm. Heavy clay soil is diluted with sand. If acidity is increased, dolomite flour or slaked lime is added.

On the finished ridges, grooves are made 2 cm deep, placing rows at 20 cm intervals. Seeding rate – 3 g per 1 m². After the emergence of seedlings, they are thinned out so that the root crops develop normally. The procedure is carried out twice more until a gap of at least 5 cm remains between the plants.

Watering Carotel carrots should be regular so that the soil does not dry out. After each moistening, the soil is loosened.

Humidity fluctuations lead to a deterioration in the quality of root crops – twisting, cracking, the formation of shoots

The first top dressing is carried out two weeks after germination. Use a solution of potassium magnesia (1 tsp per bucket of water). The second time fertilize with a mixture of ammonium nitrate (25 g) and double superphosphate (20 g), taken per 10 liters of water.

Pest and disease control

Carrot Karotel has an average resistance to diseases and pests. Insects are the most dangerous for the root crop:

1. Carrot fly – at the beginning of the lesion, bronze spots form on the tops of the leaves, later the larvae eat through passages in root crops.
   
   

   Carrot fly-damaged vegetables are not edible.

2. Ploshka – damage to the plant is caused by both larvae and adults, a severe defeat leads to terry foliage and its drying out.
   
   

   Spraying plants with tobacco infusion helps to get rid of psyllids

3. Aphid – dangerous in dry summers, lives on the underside of the foliage, damages it by sucking out the juice.
   
   

   To combat carrot aphids, they are treated with a mixture of ash and tobacco dust.

The most dangerous diseases for Karotel carrots include:

1. Phomosis is a fungal disease that causes rotting of root crops, gray sunken spots appear on them.
   
   

   Phomosis develops especially actively during storage of carrots.

2. Brown spot – the infection affects both young shoots and adult plants. The foliage curls, wilts, brown spots are visible on the roots.
   
   

   Fungicides are used to treat spotting, and the soil is regularly loosened for prevention.

Harvesting and storage of crops

The readiness of carrots can be judged by the state of the foliage. If she began to turn yellow and died, it’s time to start harvesting. Mature root crops have a bright orange-red color, their size corresponds to the varietal characteristics, and white hairs are visible on the surface.

A warm sunny day is chosen for harvesting. Root crops are carefully removed from the soil with a fork or a shovel, holding the carrots by the tops, cut off the foliage and lay out to dry under a canopy. Stored in a basement or cellar at a temperature of 0 ⁰С to +5 ⁰С at a humidity of 90% to 95%.

Conclusion

Carrot Karotel has been known to gardeners for a very long time. The secret of its popularity is unpretentiousness, disease resistance, excellent taste. Subject to agricultural technology and careful care, it is easy to get a decent harvest and provide yourself with a vitamin product until spring.

Reviews of gardeners about carrots Karotel