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Both in large fields and in modest summer cottages, carrots are grown quite often. Without this vegetable, it is difficult to imagine the dishes beloved by s. Besides, carrots contain a lot of useful and unique substances, the most famous of which are carotene and vitamin A. For growing carrots, special soil, complex care and a special climate are not needed – this crop is quite unpretentious.
You can sow carrots before winter or in spring. The soil can be of any composition, the only requirement is that it must be loose. In the first 1,5 months after sowing, the culture grows slowly, the shoots are weak, so at this stage, carrots need to be protected from weeds and pests. Otherwise, plants only need moisture – 3 months after sowing the seeds, vegetables can be harvested from the garden.
Features of zoned varieties
Each region of the vast country has its own climate. Sometimes, the climatic features of different areas are so different that it is impossible to grow the same crop there.
In this regard, breeders have long been developing special varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops suitable for each specific region.
The same rule applies to carrots. There are varieties designed for:
- Siberia;
- Ural;
- Moscow region;
- central zone of Our Country and the Volga region.
Carrots of a zoned variety are acclimatized to certain weather conditions: humidity, maximum and minimum temperatures, fluctuations in night and day temperatures, soil composition.
Carrots zoned for Siberia
Carrots are so unpretentious that some of its varieties can be grown even in the harsh climate of Siberia. Seeds begin to germinate at a soil temperature of about 3-5 degrees, in most northern regions the earth warms up only by the end of May – the beginning of June.
Summer in Siberia is short and cool, the heat can last only a couple of months. Carrots are a vegetable with a long growing season (from 70 to 140 days). In order for the vegetables to ripen in such a short summer, you need to choose seeds of early ripening varieties that ripen on the 70-100th day after sowing the seeds.
However, early carrots do not have high palatability and do not tolerate storage well. Such vegetables are more suitable for cooking fresh dishes, snacks, salads. To enjoy fresh carrots all winter, it is also necessary to sow the seeds of mid-season varieties. Such vegetables will retain a beautiful appearance for a long time and all the nutritional properties, they will have an excellent taste and aroma.
“Losinoostrovskaya 13”
This crop belongs to the mid-season – mature vegetables can be harvested on the 95-100th day after sowing the seeds in the beds. Root crops have a cylindrical shape and rather large sizes. Their weight reaches 200 grams, and the length of each fruit is 17 cm.
“Losinoostrovskaya” carrot has an excellent presentation – fruits of the same shape and weight, beautiful rich orange color. Therefore, the variety is often cultivated commercially.
The culture tastes excellent – juicy and fragrant, contains a lot of useful substances. The variety is quite productive: from each square meter of the garden you can get up to 8 kg of fresh vegetables.
In order for the harvest to be high, you need to follow a few simple rules:
- before planting, the seeds should be germinated a little;
- plant seeds only in warm soil to a depth of about 3 cm;
- after the appearance of a pair of leaves, the plants need to be thinned out, leaving 5 cm between them;
- plants should be watered often (once a week) and plentifully;
- if the soil is “skinny”, it must be fertilized (but not with mineral fertilizers).
“Incomparable”
Another mid-early variety, the fruits of which become mature 95-115 days after planting the seeds. The shape of the root crop is cone-shaped, the end is blunt. Painted carrots in a red-orange uniform color. The core of the fruit is large, has a slightly lighter shade.
The fruits are juicy and fragrant, with a pleasant sweetish aftertaste. All root crops ripen at the same time, are considered large enough. The mass of one vegetable can range from 150 to 190 grams, and the length is often 17 cm.
Variety “Incomparable” is great for long-term storage – during the winter, the vegetable will not lose its beneficial properties and taste.
To grow a variety in Siberia, it is necessary to sow seeds in mid-May, special attention will have to be paid to thinning plants, as this variety quickly creates powerful root crops. In order for the carrot to grow normally, all weak and just extra shoots will have to be removed, leaving at least 5 cm between the bushes.
Like all varieties, “Incomparable” loves loose, sandy soils. Requires timely watering and loosening of row spacing.
A distinctive feature of this variety is its high content of sugars and beta-carotenes, which makes it a favorite dietary product for many. Root vegetables not only make excellent soups and sauces, they are often even used to make jam.
“Nantes”
Carrots of this variety are known in all corners of the country – the culture takes root perfectly in almost any weather conditions.
Ripe vegetables can be harvested already on the 100th day after sowing the seeds in the soil, which makes it possible to attribute the vegetable to medium-early crops.
Root crops are painted in bright orange color, have a cylindrical shape with a rounded end. The mass of each is approximately 120 grams, and the length is about 14 cm.
A feature of the growth of this crop is the incomplete immersion of the root crop into the ground, which is why the top of the fruit is often colored purple or green. The taste of carrots of the Nantes variety is excellent – the fruit is juicy and fragrant. The content of carotene is quite high, this vegetable is useful for people with poor eyesight.
With good care, about 6,5 kg of vegetables can be harvested from each meter of land. Fruits perfectly tolerate transportation and long-term storage. The culture is not capricious – it is able to withstand strong temperature fluctuations, which makes it suitable for growing in the northern regions of the country.
“Diana”
This mid-late variety was bred by Altai breeders, the roots ripen by the 120th day after planting the seeds.
The shape of the fruit is cylindrical, the tip is slightly pointed. The shade of the vegetable is bright orange. The mass of one carrot is about 160 grams. The taste of root crops is excellent, the pulp is juicy and tender, the structure is uniform.
With good watering and frequent loosening of the soil, about 9 kg of crop can be obtained from each square meter of the garden. You need to store the crop in a cool place, then it will last until the next season and retain all its useful qualities.
This variety is ideal for processing – carrots are often used to make mashed potatoes and juices.
Carrots for the Urals
We can say that all those varieties of carrots that can be grown in Siberia are also excellent for the climatic features of the Urals. In the southern part of the Urals, you can even grow carrots that are intended for central Our Country – the climate here is quite warm and mild.
But in the center and in the northern regions of the Urals, it is better to plant carrots that are more resistant to cold and bad weather.
The landing method is no different from other cases:
- the earth needs to be dug deep in the fall;
- apply fertilizer;
- it is better to soak the seeds for several days before planting;
- thin out plants;
- regularly push and water the earth.
“Altai shortened”
This resistant variety is suitable for growing in the climate of the Urals – the root crop ripens by the 120th day after sowing the seeds in the beds. The variety belongs to mid-season, so the root crops are perfectly stored for a long period and have an excellent taste.
The shape of the vegetable is cylindrical, the average weight is 150 grams. The color of the skin and flesh is bright orange.
Carrots “Altai shortened” are suitable for any purpose: canning, processing, fresh consumption, salads and various dishes. This variety can be cultivated on an industrial scale – root crops are suitable for mechanized harvesting.
The culture tolerates low temperatures well, is resistant to flowering, and with proper care gives high yields.
“Nasten”
Root crops of this variety ripen already on the 80-105th day after planting in the soil. Carrots have a very regular shape – an even and smooth cylinder with a slightly blunt tip.
The length of the root crop is 18 cm, and its weight reaches 150 grams. Both the core and the peel are evenly colored, in a rich orange hue. The pulp is juicy, pleasant to the taste.
The culture is resistant to flowering, which allows you to plant seeds in the winter, respectively – to get an earlier harvest. The yield of the Nastena variety is up to 6,5 kgm². The crop is well stored without loss of taste and nutritional qualities.
In the Urals, carrots of this variety can be sown in mid-April – early May, when the temperature stabilizes. Before planting, the seeds must be soaked, it is better to use growth stimulants.
A vegetable of this variety is perfect for any purpose: you can cook diet meals from it, make juices and mashed potatoes for children, preserve and eat fresh.
“Nevis”
Carrots of this variety are medium-late, so it is better to grow them in the south of the Urals. In the northern part, root crops may not ripen until the first frost.
The shape of the root crop is a cylinder of small diameter with a slightly blunt tip. The color of the fruit is bright orange, the surface is smooth.
The length of each carrot can reach 18 cm, and the weight ranges from 110 to 170 grams. The taste of the vegetable is so pleasant that it is often used fresh. However, the variety is excellent for both processing and canning.
The Nevis hybrid has a high yield – up to 9 kg. The culture is resistant to most diseases, is not afraid of pest attacks. Root crops can be stored for a very long time – until the appearance of fresh vegetables of the next season.
There will be no problems with growing carrots. Seeds are most often granulated, so they do not need special preparation and can be planted directly into the soil.
Carrots for the Moscow region and central Our Country
It is not difficult to choose a zoned carrot variety for central Our Country with a temperate climate and peaty, loose soils. Almost all varieties of this crop are suitable for such growing conditions.
In these parts of the country, you can grow both early-ripening and mid-ripening varieties, and late-ripening carrots.
“Vitamin”
The representative of mid-season varieties – “Vitaminnaya” carrots ripen on the 110th day after planting in the soil. Root crops of this variety have the shape of a cylinder of large diameter, the tip of the carrot is rounded. The size of the fruits is medium: their weight ranges from 70 to 170 cm, and the length is often 13 cm.
The carrot is painted in a standard bright orange shade. The taste is good, rich. Root crops contain the maximum amount of useful sugars and carotene.
The only possible problem is root cracking. From rot, flowering, stalking and other diseases, the culture of the “Vitamin” variety is protected. Fruits tolerate long-term storage well, retaining most of their useful properties. The yield of the variety is about 6 kg per square meter.
“Moscow winter”
Carrots of this variety are intended for peat soils in Moscow and the Moscow region, and also grow well in any loose soil.
The variety belongs to the middle-early – the fruits ripen on the 70-90th day after sowing carrot seeds into the soil. The shape of the root crop is conical, the tip is slightly blunt. The color of the vegetable is bright orange. The mass of one carrot is often 150 grams, and the length is 16 cm.
The Moscow Winter culture is recommended for growing before winter, while the seeds should be sown to a depth of about two centimeters, and mulched on top.
Root crops perfectly tolerate storage, can be used in any form.
How to choose the best seeds
When buying zoned carrot seeds, you need to pay attention to the recommendations. Each package of seeds should have clear instructions for growing carrots. Most often, the seeds need to be soaked for several days for better germination. But there is granular seed material that does not require additional actions on the part of the gardener – the seeds are simply sown in the ground.
With a competent approach, any variety of carrots will give high and stable yields.
