Carrots are included in the main list of crops grown by Russian summer residents and gardeners. Like all root crops, this plant is not particularly demanding on the conditions of development, however, to get a rich harvest, it will not be out of place to initially determine what soil carrots love and correlate its needs with the capabilities of a particular site. In addition, the orange root crop can be adjacent to other plantings. In particular, carrot beds are often combined with beets, which have approximately the same soil nutrition requirements. This can also include onions with dill, but, again, paying attention to the recommendations for their cultivation.
Soil for carrots
The most favorable for growing carrots are loamy loose and sandy types of easily permeable soils. Another factor in the good development of the root crop will be the presence of humus (preferably a content of 4%), which will additionally nourish carrots. What soil this plant likes in terms of acidity is not hard to guess. This percentage should be minimal. With a deviation from the norm, carrots lose their ability to resist diseases. It is important to consider what crops were grown on the site before carrots. As practice shows, the root crop shows good development in places where tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, legumes and greens used to bear fruit. It is also worth noting that carrots can be planted on the former soil only after 4 years.
Optimal Growth Conditions
Carrots do not belong to light-loving crops, however, a minimum level of illumination should be ensured. If you grow this plant in the shade, then the development of the fruit will be slow, and the yield itself will noticeably decrease. If the soil is being prepared for carrots in the open ground, it is necessary to provide for the absence of sudden changes and slopes. The optimum density of the soil layer is 0.65 grams per 1 cm3. In a very dense and insufficiently cultivated land, carrots bear the fruits of non-standard branched forms, while the yield is also reduced, not to mention the taste.
Moisture values are also significant. Unlike many vegetable crops, carrots do not tolerate excessive moisture. This affects the root system, which under such conditions is exposed to disease. Determining what soil is needed for carrots in this regard, you can immediately turn to the level of groundwater. If it is high, then the beds should be made appropriate - with a minimum height of 35 cm.
Preparing the soil for carrots
The soil for sowing root crops should be prepared in August. On 1 m 2 it is necessary to lay about 3 kg of sawdust, which, before use, was infused in a urea solution. The calculation should be done in this way: 1 matchbox of urea per 1 bucket of water, as well as half a bucket of sand and ventilated peat. In addition, granular superphosphate (2 matchboxes), lime (100 g), potassium fertilizers (1 box) and a half-box of sodium nitrate should be added. It should be borne in mind that the soil for carrots in the open ground must be properly digged before sowing. This should be done with a bayonet-shovel to full depth, and then level the surface with a rake, sprinkle with ash and moisten a little.
On sandy soil, it is also recommended to add one bucket of peat, humus and loamy turf land per 1 m 2 . Poor soils must be fertilized with humus in the fall with the addition of potassium chloride and superphosphate. This is the only way to get a more or less worthy crop on it. And now let's move on to a detailed description of the fertilizers that are used for carrots on different types of soil.
Fertilizers for soil under carrots
Peat, compost and humus can be added to the list of the most favorable soil fertilizers for carrots. The basis is a mineral supplement, due to which the question of what kind of soil is needed for carrots will disappear. A properly prepared composition will endow any earth with the necessary trace elements. So, mineral fertilizer includes 1 tsp. carbamide or sodium nitrate, 1 tbsp. l powdered superphosphate in powder form and potassium chloride. When applying this fertilizer, the soil should be dug up at a depth of about 30 cm. Then the beds need to be compacted and leveled. The following additives should also be used, depending on the type of soil:
- Peat soil - half a bucket of coarse sand (preferably river), 4 kg of compost and a bucket of sod.
- Clay soil is a bucket of peat with coarse sand and 4 kg of humus.
- Light loamy soil is a clay-like composition of peat and humus (without sand).
- Sandy soil - half a bucket of humus, 2 buckets of turf with peat and 1 tbsp. l specialized fertilizer with humic substances and microelements.
- Black soil - you can do without fertilizers, but the introduction of 2 tbsp. l powder superphosphate will not be superfluous.
Beet soil
Successful growth of beets will provide loam saturated with humus. But you can recall what soil carrots love if it is properly fertilized - its development is possible on any land with suitable conditions. The same is true for beets. The only type that impedes its growth is heavy clay soil. Without abundant watering, root crops will be very bitter, so it is important to control the level of moisture. In general, beetroot is not particularly demanding on the soil - moderate nutrition of trace elements is sufficient for it, provided the acidity is not too high. For example, a good crop is possible on slightly acidic soil.
To prepare the soil, it is necessary to carry out a deep digging in the fall. At the same time, the processing should be carried out in two stages: first, to search, and after a month - to plow. By spring, the earth should be loosened and leveled. Floodplain soil for carrots and beets requires additional surface digging. In this case, the beds are also made high due to the close passage of groundwater.
Fertilizers for beet soil
Nutritional supply of the soil is also done with the help of mineral fertilizers in the spring. For 1 m 2 you will need about 35 g of powder superphosphate, 15 g of ammonium nitrate and the same amount of potassium chloride. Poor soil is recommended to fill with organic additives, but this is already in the fall. This fertilizer is long-term, therefore, beets can be sown only after 2 years. Otherwise, root crops will not receive enough nutrition.
Speaking about what soil carrots and beets love, it is important to note the differences in approaches to fertilizing these root crops. So, one of the basic components of fertilizer in the case of carrots is manure. For beets, it is not recommended. But this plant, like carrots, prefers moderate lighting and does not like shade.
Onion soil
Sunny places are also suitable for onions. However, from the hopelessness of the beds with it, you can arrange in light partial shade, the main thing is to avoid lowlands. It is very important that the soil has the ability to warm up and be fertile. The best option for onions is a moderately moist, breathable and non-acidic loam. Once again, one can turn to the question of what soil carrots love and in what conditions it develops better. The main enemy is acid soil. It is the same with onions, for planting of which land with high acidity must be lime 2-3 years before use.
When choosing a planting location for this plant, crop rotation is also quite significant. The most favorable predecessors include tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, as well as other crops for which suitable fertilizer was used. If we talk about the neighborhood, it is better not to find carrots for this role for onions. Calculation of which soil for carrots is suitable in the context of compatibility with onions is simple - you can stop on loam with the appropriate fertilizer. As a result, the combination will provide good yield and mutual protection against pests.
Soil fertilizer for onions
Fertilizers of organic origin should be applied in the fall: 5 kg of compost with humus and 1 kg of ash are seasoned on 1 m 2 . Also, this additive can be combined with mineral components. Like beets, onions do not like fresh manure, so you should exclude it if carrots are planted nearby. It is already clear what soil the onion likes - it is loam, so emphasis should be placed on complex fertilizers. For example, use a combination of 20 g of powder superphosphate and 10 g of potassium in the autumn, and in the springtime as a supplement, reinforce the composition with ammonium nitrate. It is advisable to add the mineral components shallow, since the root system of the onion may simply not receive the necessary substances.
Soil for dill
Loose neutral soil is suitable for dill, while heavy soil is not recommended. Preparation of the bed should begin in the fall - this will create conditions for early sowing in the spring. You should also dig the earth 20 cm in depth. If plantings are planned next to root crops, then it is worth considering what soil carrots or beets love. Dill also prefers a flat surface with 2-centimeter grooves, while between rows it is necessary to leave 20 cm. It is recommended to moisten the soil before sowing, and sprinkle loose soil on top, making a small compaction. In the future, it is not necessary to water the seeds, since water can carry them inside the soil.
Fertilizer for soil under dill
Even before sowing, fertilizer must be introduced into the ground: half a bucket of humus per 1 m 2 with the addition of nitrophoska. When choosing other compounds, it is necessary to consider what soil carrots, onions, dill and beets love, of course, if they are planned to be grown on one site. The fact is that dill does not tolerate calcareous earth and additives in the form of ash, which are often used when filling the soil for root crops. For optimal dressing, you should look for universal fertilizer recipes that will not harm the neighbors in the bed and at the same time can ensure a good development of dill. For example, humus, which is not recommended for onions, can be replaced with mullein diluted with water. You can do the same with other components - there is always an alternative.