Carrots - a plant with a two-year development cycle, belonging to the family of celery (umbrella). It is grown for the sake of a healthy root crop, the taste of which depends on many factors: the planting location, soil structure and acidity, fertilizers applied, care, etc.
This culture prefers light neutral soils. The beds for sowing carrots should be placed in well-lit places, as the lack of sunlight adversely affects the crop.
Plant to fertilizer undemanding. A high concentration of nitrogenous substances contained in unripened compost or manure impairs the taste of root crops. It is advisable to sow carrots on the ridges where cabbage grew in the previous season, under which a lot of compost was added. After cabbage (it consumes a lot of nitrogen), phosphorus and potassium remain, which is what carrots require.
The sowing of carrots depends on the estimated time of consumption of root crops. Timing varies greatly between regions. It is believed that cold-resistant crops should be sown as early as possible. This is not entirely true. Carrot seeds are tight, and the lower the temperature, the longer it will take to germinate. Later sowing is preferable in that before the introduction of seeds into the soil, you can weed 1-2 times and loosen the beds. For the crop, this is very important, since its seedlings are weak and grow slowly, easily clogged with stronger weeds.
To plant carrots was productive, you need to check the quality of planting material. To do this, a pinch of seeds must be rubbed with your fingers, if the aroma characteristic of the plant floats around the room, then they are of high quality.
If the seeds are coated (treated with a special color composition), then they are sown dry. Grooves are made with a depth of about 1 cm, if necessary, they are shed with water (preferably with a warm solution of potassium permanganate), seeds are distributed and sprinkled with loose soil. After slightly compacted with a board or hand, to improve the contact of seeds with the soil.
If you add radish seeds to carrot seeds, then the rows are indicated very quickly. This allows weeding row spacing to seedlings of the main culture. Harvesting radishes, which is carried out in a month and a half, will replace the first thinning of carrots and will allow you to postpone the second until the root crops become suitable for food.
For those who do not want to bother with thinning seedlings, the following preparation of carrot seeds for sowing may be suitable. In a cotton bag, you need to sprinkle the seeds, drop it in a cold, moist soil, putting a designating element, so as not to forget. Every day, pour the place with the “prikop” cold water. On the 5th day, check whether the seeds are hatching or not. If sprouted, then they need to be moved from the bag to the cooked and cooled jelly (it is boiled from 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of starch) and gently mix. Pour this jelly into the kettle.
Pour a little ash into the prepared grooves on the beds and pour from the kettle. Sprinkle with loose earth, slap a little with your hand. All sowing carrots is completed. This method has several advantages: saving seeds, no need for thinning, quick emergence of seedlings, planting can be done while sitting, which is important for those who have sore legs.
Carrots are not the most difficult crop to cultivate. Knowing her preferences and requirements, you can grow an excellent crop.