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It is generally accepted that hybrid vegetables are somewhat worse than varietal ones. At the same time, every gardener knows about the undeniable advantages of a hybrid (yield, durability, and others). What kind of carrot seeds to buy for the next season: varietal or hybrid? This article will describe the advantages and disadvantages of each of these subspecies, as well as consider popular varieties and hybrids of carrots.
What is the strength of the hybrid
Breeding scientists are engaged in the breeding of hybrids. Getting a new carrot hybrid is not an easy task. To do this, you need to cross several varieties of vegetables, and do this for 7-10 seasons. Only after a few generations can you get a worthy carrot hybrid that has the best qualities of its “parents”.
Hybrid varieties of carrots are good because they are created specifically for certain conditions. So, there are vegetables adapted to the southern climate, and there are those that can withstand even sub-zero temperatures and grow in the North.
In addition to climatic features, a hybrid can be “grafted” with productivity, resistance to certain diseases, the ability to tolerate moisture or drought.
In general, the useful qualities of a hybrid look like this:
- higher yield;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- the best commercial qualities (color, shape, size of root crops);
- early ripening;
- less “capriciousness” in relation to growing conditions (watering, loosening, top dressing);
- a short growing season (the crop ripens in record time, which allows you to enjoy a vitamin and healthy vegetable earlier).
Why hybrid carrots are bad
Experienced gardeners and summer residents note that with all the pluses, hybrid carrots also have their weaknesses. The disadvantages of hybrid varieties, as a rule, include:
- the worst taste;
- shorter storage times.
However, even these few shortcomings are very conditional. A modern assortment of seeds and varieties allows you to choose those that have no weaknesses.
It cannot be said that some kind of hybrid carrot is bad, but some is good. Each of the hybrids is bred for a specific purpose: early ripening, high yields or unpretentiousness.
Each gardener or farmer chooses for himself what is more important for him: to get a plentiful harvest in a short time and sell it, or to grow fragrant late-ripening carrots that last until the next season and will not lose their usefulness.
Early ripe carrots
The group of early-ripening carrots includes varieties and hybrids that yield on the 70-100th day after the appearance of the first sprouts.
Carrots of early varieties can be harvested as early as late May – early July, it all depends on the timing of sowing seeds.
You should not hope for very plentiful harvests of early ripe carrots – productivity is not one of the strengths of such varieties. However, there are hybrids that give sufficiently high (from 20 to 40 tons per hectare) yields, which makes it possible to successfully grow early-ripening carrots for commercial purposes.
“Amsterdamskaya”
Harvest carrots of this variety can be harvested as early as 85 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The fruits grow small – their weight rarely exceeds 75 grams, and the length reaches only 16 cm. The carrot is painted in bright orange, the core also has the same shade.
The taste of the root crop is excellent: the pulp is juicy and crispy, sweet. The shape of the fruit is cylindrical, the tip is blunt.
This variety loves moisture and light soil, so the area must be carefully dug up or plowed before sowing seeds. With good care, about 6 kg of carrots can be harvested from each meter of the garden.
“Orange Muscat”
One of the most popular varieties – carrots “Orange Muscat” also belongs to the early ripening. Root crops are painted in a rich orange color, their length reaches 20 cm, and their weight often exceeds 130 grams.
Carrots have practically no core – the pulp is homogeneous and juicy. The fruits are suitable for both fresh consumption and canning. Such a carrot can be stored, it is quite lying.
It is necessary to sow “Orange Muscat” in late April or early May. Between adjacent rows leave at least 20 cm, and after the emergence of seedlings, the plants are thinned out, the gaps between them should be about 5 cm.
With good care, the variety gives consistently high yields – up to 5,5 kg per meter.
«Minicore F1»
One of the early ripening hybrids that allows you to harvest 90 days after sowing the seeds. Root crops grow small, their weight reaches only 90 grams, and the length is 16 cm. The shape of the fruit is cylindrical, leveled. Color is orange.
This carrot is very tasty and healthy, it is recommended for children and diet food.
Most often, this hybrid is grown for individual use, but you can also sell root crops of the Minicor F1 variety. The only thing is that the fruits cannot be stored for a long time, they quickly lose their presentation.
«Lydia F1»
Mid-early hybrid carrot ripens by the 100th day after the appearance of the first shoots. Root crops are very long – it can reach 30 cm. At the same time, the diameter of the fruit is small – up to 2,5 cm. The mass is also average – about 100 grams. The shape of the root crop is conical-cylindrical. Orange color.
They love the Lydia F1 variety, first of all, for its taste – it is considered one of the most delicious. Vegetables can be canned, frozen, or eaten fresh, but this variety of carrots will not last long, so they are not suitable for long-term storage.
You need to plant a hybrid on high beds with nutritious and light soil. Most of all it suits the climatic conditions of the south and the center of the country.
“Artek”
Another early ripe variety of carrots. The fruits ripen very quickly – on the 65th-85th day after sowing the seeds into the soil, they are distinguished by friendly growth.
Root crops are painted in a red-orange hue, have a cylindrical shape, the tip is slightly rounded. The weight of each varies from 80 to 140 grams, the length can reach 16 cm. The fruits are quite voluminous – the diameter is about 4 mm. The surface of the fruit is smooth, without large “eyes”.
Carrots grow completely in the ground, have a large amount of carotene and a large core of bright orange color.
The variety is excellent for growing for sale – the commercial qualities of carrots are at their best. It can be planted not only in spring, but also in winter, then the harvest will appear very early.
“Belladonna”
Another popular variety of early ripe carrots is Krasavka. The fruits ripen on the 90th day after planting the seeds. A mature root crop is colored red-orange in color, has a large core.
The shape of the carrot is conical, the surface is smooth. The fruits are considered large, their weight reaches 200 grams, and the length is 20 cm. The taste is good, they contain a lot of sugar and carotene.
Carrots are completely immersed in the soil, suitable for growing in the central and northern regions of Our Country. The direct purpose of the variety is canning and fresh consumption. But “Krasavka” tolerates long-term storage well.
High yield – more than 70 tons per hectare of land – allows you to grow this variety on farmer’s fields, and not just in household plots.
“The Bureau”
A hybrid of foreign selection is considered ultra-early – you can harvest already on the 65th day after the emergence of carrot seedlings.
Root crops grow large – up to 19 cm long. They are painted bright orange, the core is small. The shape of the carrot is conical, tapering towards the end.
Hybrid “Bureau” is distinguished by high palatability, it is recommended for fresh consumption. Also suitable for processing and canning.
“Fun”
The hybrid is selected for cultivation in the northern regions of the country. The terms of ripening of root crops are from 80 to 100 days.
The fruits grow large, their length often exceeds 20 cm, and the weight reaches 230 grams. The taste of carrots is juicy and sweet, has a pleasant aroma.
Harvest can be consumed fresh, processed or left in the basement for the winter. With timely watering from one meter of the garden, you can get up to 6 kg of vegetables.
Medium-ripening varieties
Planting mid-ripening carrots on the site means killing two birds with one stone. The family will be provided with fresh vegetables in the summer, and such carrots can be stored for a long time.
If the plot of land is large, then, of course, you can plant all types of vegetables (early, mid-ripening and late), each of them is used for its intended purpose. In small areas, you can limit yourself to mid-ripening varieties of carrots. The growing season for such vegetables ranges from 110 to 130 days, which will allow you to harvest before the onset of autumn cold and frost.
Such carrots can be grown in any region: in the south, in the center, and in the northern regions. Almost all varieties and hybrids are distinguished by high palatability, can be used for processing or fresh consumption, as well as for long-term storage.
“Shantana”
The variety, by right, is considered one of the best. A mature crop can be harvested on the 110th day after emergence in the beds.
Root crops have the shape of a truncated cone with a blunt end. The color of vegetables is deep orange. The mass of each fruit ranges from 90 to 230 grams, the length of the carrot is up to 14 cm, but the diameter is quite large – up to 6 cm.
With proper care, about 9 kg of carrots can be collected per square meter of the site. Its taste qualities are considered the best: the pulp is juicy and crispy, contains a lot of nutrients and vitamins, has a rich “carrot” flavor.
Harvest can be processed in any way: eat fresh, add to various dishes and salads, preserve, store in the winter.
The Shantane variety is not afraid of high soil moisture – the roots are not prone to cracking and rot.
“Paris Cartel”
The main quality of this mid-season variety is unpretentiousness. Carrot “Paris Carotel” can be planted in any soil, it is not afraid of difficult climatic conditions.
Medium-sized root crops – weighing up to 120 grams, up to 13 cm long. The pulp has an orange tint, turning into red.
You can sow carrots in April to get an early harvest. If you plant the seeds in late May or early June, the roots will be more suitable for long-term storage. Another way to land is in frozen soil, in late autumn. It is important to ensure that the seeds during this planting are dry.
“Callisto F1”
The pride of domestic breeders is the Callisto F1 carrot. The variety has excellent taste and long shelf life.
Mature root crops can be harvested on the 110th day after planting the seeds in the soil. Carrot has the shape of an elongated cone and a standard orange color. Inside the fruit is reddish flesh with a narrow core. The mass of one root crop reaches 200 grams, length – 20 cm. Carrots in diameter – up to 4 cm.
This variety contains a large amount of carotene, therefore it is recommended for children. The crop tolerates transportation and storage well until next spring.
“Alenka”
A mid-season carrot variety suitable for growing in fertile and loose soils. On poor, hard ground, carrots will not produce a good harvest.
Root crops are large in size. A cylindrical vegetable has a blunt end. The mass of each carrot can reach 350 grams, and the length, most often, does not exceed 15 cm.
The color of the root crop is bright orange both inside and out. Taste qualities are excellent. From each square meter of land, you can get about 8 kg of vegetables.
Carrot “Alenka” is distinguished by the fact that for a long period it retains not only a presentable appearance, but also juicy pulp, and all useful substances.
“Calgary”
The Dutch hybrid is mid-season, mature fruits can be harvested on the 120th day after sowing the seeds. The variety is most suitable for growing in the central part of Our Country.
The fruits grow medium in size, have the shape of a thick cone. The mass of each root crop ranges from 80 to 180 grams. The peel and core are painted in the same color – orange.
Hybrid carrots “Calgary” are valued for their high yield (up to 60 tons per hectare), excellent taste, good keeping quality. This variety is suitable for industrial cultivation and mechanized harvesting.
“Camaran”
Another hybrid of the Dutch selection gives consistently high yields, which can be harvested on the 132nd day after sowing the seeds into the soil.
With good care and timely watering, you can get up to 43 tons of crops, you can grow a crop in the central and northern parts of the country.
The root crop has a standard shape and color, differs in medium size – weight up to 130 grams.
The fruits are resistant to cracking; too dry or too moist soils are not dangerous for the hybrid. The variety is suitable for cultivation in large farm fields and mechanized harvesting.
Late-ripening varieties
As a rule, all late-ripening crops have the longest growing season. That is, not only do they need to be sown later than the others, but such crops will also take longer to mature.
You can choose late-ripening varieties for those summer residents and gardeners who plan to eat raw vegetables until next spring. Such carrots will retain most of the nutrients, remain juicy and tasty.
But not in all regions of Our Country it is possible to grow late-ripening carrots. The growing season for such varieties takes from 130 to 150 days, so in a short summer it simply does not have time to ripen.
It is best to grow late-ripening carrots in the southern and central regions with long and warm summers.
Late carrots contain the largest amount of carotene and vitamins. Such root crops are best stored in the winter, have high taste qualities.
Boltex
Hybrid carrots ripen on the 130th day after sowing the seeds in the soil. It has excellent taste and high yield – with good watering, it will be up to 7 kg per square meter.
Root crops have the shape of a cone, painted in a rich orange color. The length of each is 13 cm, and the weight can reach 330 grams. The taste of carrots is very high.
Root crops of this hybrid are suitable for fresh consumption, canning and long-term storage.
“Autumn King”
The variety is best suited for canning or long-term storage. Carrots contain a large amount of carotene, which remains in the fruit until spring.
Root crops are spindle-shaped with a blunt end, painted in an orange hue. The mass of each vegetable reaches 180 grams.
Depending on the composition of the soil and growing conditions, from 4 to 8 kg of crop can be obtained from each square meter of land.
“Sirkana F1”
A good hybrid for commercial cultivation. Root crops are approximately the same in size, the yield is about 6 kgm² of plot. It takes about 135 days for the fruit to fully ripen.
The ripe fruit is colored orange, both outside and inside. The shape of the root crop is cylindrical, the dimensions are large. The mass of each carrot lies in the range of 70-140 grams. The length reaches a maximum of 20 cm.
The hybrid is unpretentious to the composition of the soil – in any conditions gives a stable crop. Suitable for growing before winter, can withstand frosts down to -4 degrees.
Carrot “Sirkana F1” contains a large amount of carotene, can be used in any way, including suitable for long-term storage – up to 8 months.
Conclusions and recommendations
Each carrot hybrid has its own strengths. Choosing the best one, you need to analyze the growing conditions of the vegetable, as well as decide on the purpose of the crop.
For each region of Our Country with a certain climate, there is a special carrot hybrid – and not just one. It is preferable to buy seeds of just such adapted varieties. Then the yield will be at the level, and the vegetables will be stored better.
