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Among all vegetables, carrots are the most popular. The preparation of the first and second courses, as well as fresh juices, baby food, etc., is rarely done without it. But a simple, at first glance, root crop is not quite easy to grow. Carrots love medium loamy and sandy loamy soil, and they should be loose and not crusted. Today we will look at the best varieties of carrots for open ground, and also learn a few secrets of the proper cultivation of a vegetable.
A few secrets to getting a good harvest
The seed material on hand, even of the best varieties, if planted incorrectly, will not bring the desired harvest. When choosing the time of sowing, you need to know that there are seeds that are planted in late autumn before winter. This allows you to get an early harvest by the end of spring. However, such root crops are not subject to long-term storage.
To get a harvest closer to autumn that can be stored all winter, it is better to sow the appropriate varieties at the end of April. When landing, you need to make sure that the ground is warm enough, at least up to +8оC, and also passed the period of night frosts.
There are several important rules that are the key to a good harvest:
- A bed with growing carrots needs to be opened to sunlight as best as possible. In shady areas, the harvest will be weak.
- On the packaging of seeds of some varieties, you can see the inscription that the root crop does not crack with heavy watering. Even if this is true, excess moisture will not be in favor. The coarsened pulp of the carrot will become fodder.
- The vegetable loves the weak acidity of the soil. The lower this indicator, the sweeter the pulp.
- Before sowing seeds, the soil of an open bed must be well fertilized with manure. Loamy soil must be loosened with sawdust.
Adhering to at least these simple rules, it will be possible to grow a good harvest of carrots on the open field.
The video shows how to plant carrots in open ground with seeds:
Overview of the best varieties of different ripening periods
It is time to select the seeds of the best varieties of carrots for open ground, which we will do now, breaking them down by ripening periods.
Early varieties
A vegetable of an early ripening period, in relation to late-ripening root crops, has a lower sugar content, such varieties bring a smaller yield and are not suitable for winter storage. However, early varieties have one advantage, already two and a half months after sowing the grains in the garden, their own fresh carrots will grow.
Lady
A mature crop can be harvested after 3 months. Very tasty pulp contains a lot of carotene. The shape of the root crop resembles an elongated cylinder 20 cm long. The skin is smooth, the color of the pulp is more inclined to red. The variety is considered high-yielding. Carrots do not crack, the aboveground and underground parts are resistant to diseases. The vegetable is acclimatized to any weather conditions, which allows it to be grown even in the Urals.
Fun F1
The birth of this hybrid was made possible thanks to the work of Siberian breeders. A mature crop can be obtained approximately 3 months after seed germination. Carrots grow large, 20 cm long and weighing about 200 g. Despite the fact that the pulp is very dense, it is very tasty and juicy. The root crop tends to keep well in the basement.
Nantes 4
A long-known and popular domestic variety brings a harvest in about 80 days, but different growing conditions can extend this period up to 10 days. Carrots grow medium in size up to 14 cm long. The pulp contains a high percentage of carotene. The orange-colored, cylindrical root crop has a rounded tip. The mass of a mature vegetable is about 160 g. The harvested crop is subject to short-term storage. Carrots are adapted to any climatic conditions.
sugar finger
This variety allows you to get a very early harvest already 65 days after seed germination. Cylindrical-shaped carrots are drawn to a maximum of 12 cm in length. The pulp with a juicy core contains a lot of sugar and carotene. Carrots are great for juices, purees, and other fresh dishes.
Video about the right choice of varieties:
Medium varieties
For carrots of these varieties, all the best features of early and late ripening root crops are characteristic. Such a crop goes well for storage. Carrots ripen approximately 105–120 days after seed germination.
Losinoostrovskaya
Surprisingly, the longer carrots are stored in the basement, the more it accumulates carotene and vitamins. A cylindrical vegetable with a rounded tip has a tender pulp, highly saturated with juice. Carrots are suitable for winter crops. The root crop does not like sandy and clay soils, and with a lack of moisture, it requires abundant watering. A mature crop is considered after 100 days after seed germination.
Boltex
A very high-yielding variety brings a mature harvest no earlier than 120 days after germination. Carrots about 19 cm long are covered with a smooth skin. The advantage of the variety lies in high-quality seed material. Grains germinate well on loamy soils and chernozems. The vegetable is great for fresh juices and purees.
Vitamin 6
After the appearance of the first shoots, the crop is considered mature after 100 days. Cylindrical, slightly elongated carrots with a rounded tip grow up to 19 cm long. The mass of the vegetable is approximately 165 g. The root crop is completely immersed in the ground, which does not green the skin. The harvested crop is excellent for long-term storage.
Carotel
In terms of yield, this carrot occupies a leading position, bringing at least 7 kg / m2 root crops. You can harvest the crop 100 days after friendly shoots. The vegetable is perfectly adapted to the climate of all regions. Carrots have the shape of an elongated cylinder with a rounded end, grow 14 cm long. The pulp is very tender, highly saturated with juice. The mass of the vegetable is approximately 100 g. Root crops can be stored in the basement until the next harvest.
Samson
Carrots are more adapted to the Central region. Harvest ripening occurs 110 days after friendly shoots. The shape of the vegetable resembles an elongated cylinder with a sharp end. The pulp is very sweet. The mass of one root crop is about 150 g. The crop lends itself well to long-term storage. The purpose of carrots is universal.
Late varieties
The ripening time ranges from 110 to 130 days after seed germination. Root crops can be stored for a long time and at the same time retain all the vitamins.
The Red Giant
A variety of German selection brings a harvest 110 days after friendly shoots. Cone-shaped carrots grow up to a maximum length of 24 cm. The color of the flesh and the core are red. The root crop weighs approximately 100 g. The yield is 3,7 kg / m2. Carrots are perfectly stored for a long time without loss of taste.
The Queen of Autumn
This variety can be attributed to the medium-late ripening period. It is advisable to start harvesting 4 months after germination. Carrots reach a maximum of 22 cm in length. The flesh with a reddish tint is highly saturated with sweet juice. Seeds of this variety can be sown before winter. Productivity is very high up to 9 kg/m2.
Unparalleled
Harvesting is possible after 130 days after seed germination. Carrots grow to a maximum length of 17 cm and weigh about 200 g. The vegetable is perfectly stored all winter until a new crop appears. Carrot seeds can be sown for the winter.
Bayadere
A late variety allows you to get a harvest in about 130 days after germination. Carrots grow very large, with a maximum length of 30 cm. The fruits are considered to be of universal use, are perfectly stored, and are suitable for preparing many dishes.
Karlena
A late-maturing variety brings root crops no earlier than 130 days after germination. The seed material is very sensitive to the soil, so loose fertile soil is optimal for good yields. Timely watering is very important. Carrots are perfectly stored for a long time without loss of taste.
Varieties that bring colorful carrots
Traditionally, everyone is used to seeing orange carrots. In extreme cases, darker, lighter and reddish shades are welcome. However, this vegetable is not limited to these colors and can be yellow and even purple. This must be taken into account when buying seeds and see the description on the package.
In general, the amount of carotene is determined by the brightness of the carrot pulp. The brighter the carrot, the greater the content of this substance. And it is the orange color that is responsible for the presence of carotene in the pulp. There is another useful substance – anthocyanin, which serves to protect the human body from cancer. The purple color of the carrot speaks of his presence. White carrots do not contain any pigments, but are good for the gastrointestinal tract.
Varieties that bring multi-colored root crops are not very popular among domestic gardeners. If they are grown, then in small quantities. Multi-colored root crops brings a variety “Rainbow mix” and hybrid “Rainbow F1”. Purple carrots can be obtained from a variety with the corresponding name “Purple”.
Conclusion
Our review, of course, greatly limits the variety of varieties. There are a huge number of them, the main thing is to choose the right seeds that are suitable for the climate of a particular region and observe the agricultural technology of cultivation.