Every year, astrologers make recommendations for gardeners and gardeners, whether to follow them or not, everyone decides for themselves. But it is desirable to know for everyone who wants to get a good harvest.
Lunar calendar recommendations
Sowing
Astrologers recommend sowing carrots on the waning moon, on the days of the fertile signs of the zodiac.
In March, sowing carrots can be recommended for the southern regions, since in the northern regions at this time the soil has not yet thawed.
The northern regions usually plant carrots in April, when the soil is warm enough. You can focus on the temperature of the soil – carrot seeds begin to germinate at temperatures above 4 degrees, they are not afraid of lowering the temperature to -4 degrees. At temperatures below the seeds may freeze.
To plant carrots choose a dry sunny area. Carrots are very sensitive to nutrient deficiencies, but excess nitrogen can seriously damage the crop. Overfed carrots begin to branch, root crops are very poorly stored in winter. Therefore, before sowing carrots, it is necessary to introduce a complex of microelements without nitrogen, it is best to add it to the soil before planting the previous crop.
Beds are laid out in the prepared soil, the distance between the rows of carrots should be at least 10 cm. Carrots are sown in grooves 2-3 cm deep. To make the rows even, you can make grooves, focusing on a stretched tape.
Carrot seeds are quite small, it is quite difficult to sow them. Many gardeners sow carrot seeds, mixing them with various substances that can later serve as fertilizer. For these purposes, you can use:
- Sand;
- Humus;
- Starch;
- Ash
If you sow carrots with the addition of these substances, you can avoid dense plantings, saving seeds.
After sowing, the grooves are covered with soil, gently watered by sprinkling. Carrot seeds germinate for a long time, from 10 to 40 days. Maintaining the required humidity during this period is quite problematic. Therefore, it is possible to cover carrot crops with agrofiber or other dense material until germination.
In the northern regions, you can plant carrots in ridges or warm beds. So, the earth warms up faster, the roots do not suffer from excessive precipitation.
Ridges for sowing carrots are made high, up to 50 cm, grooves are made on the surface of the ridge. Before sowing carrots, the grooves are covered with a small layer of ash, which can protect seedlings from carrot flies. If the soil is heavily infested with this pest, it is necessary to treat it with chemicals.
Carrot seeds are sown when the soil is warmer than 4 degrees, heating the ridge to this temperature can be accelerated by covering the surface with a black film.
Warm beds are made in the fall. They consist of several layers:
- Drainage;
- organics;
- Nutrient soil.
You can plant carrots in warm beds without waiting for warming, just cover the crops with a black film. After the emergence of shoots of carrots, the film is changed to a transparent shelter.
Watering
You can water carrots both on a waning and on a growing moon, it is advisable to choose days that are under the auspices of the signs of the water element – Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Watering carrot beds should be done very carefully, its root system does not like excess moisture. Before the emergence of seedlings of carrots, the beds should be watered almost daily, after the appearance of the first true leaf in the sprouts, the watering of the carrots is reduced.
Water carrots only when necessary, the earth must dry out between waterings. In the spring, watering once a week is enough in the absence of precipitation. In summer, watering carrot beds can be increased up to 2 times a week.
In many regions, carrots are not watered at all, believing that it has enough moisture from precipitation. This can often lead to the loss of part of the crop, since carrots that are abundantly flooded after a drought can crack.
Weeding
For weeding beds with carrots, it is advisable to choose the day of the full moon, perennial weeds damaged on such a day will grow for a very long time. Also suitable days for work in the beds with carrots on the waning moon.
It is important to weed carrots in time, because at the beginning of development, carrots grow very slowly. Weed seeds grow quickly, robbing carrots of sunlight and nutrients. Carrots should be weeded carefully, the damaged seedling system is not restored. If the seedlings do not die, the fruits may grow deformed.
Application of fertilizers
It is advisable to fertilize carrots on the growing moon, on the days of the fertile signs of the Zodiac.
Fertilizers are applied in advance during digging, or when carrots are planted. You can use store-bought fertilizers or make your own. When deciding which fertilizer is best for carrots, you need to keep in mind that it is impossible to find out the exact amount in homemade fertilizers.
Potassium is necessary for carrots at all stages of growth, its deficiency is manifested in the yellowing of the lower leaves and growth retardation. The fruits of such carrots are bitter, because with a deficiency of potassium, the accumulation of sugars stops. Ash can serve as a natural source of potassium.
Magnesium is involved in many metabolic processes of the plant. With a lack of magnesium, the immune system of carrots suffers. Fruits can be affected by various types of rot, bacterial diseases. Carrots get magnesium from humus and other organic substances. Many regions are poor in magnesium, and even a large amount of humus is unable to make up for the deficiency; this element is best applied to the beds with carrots in the form of chelated fertilizers.
Iron, iodine, boron, phosphorus and other trace elements are also very important for photosynthesis during carrot growth. It is desirable to introduce substances that contain these elements every year. A natural source of these elements for feeding carrots can be an infusion of weeds.
To summarize
If you do not succeed in following the advice of the lunar calendar, you should not be upset. If you sow carrots in well-prepared beds, fertilize on time, protect from pests, you can get an excellent harvest.