Tips for farmers: How to grow carrots?
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan informs that specialists of the branch of the Russian Agricultural Center for the Republic of Tatarstan have prepared recommendations for growing carrots on school plots and in private subsidiary farms of citizens.
Carrots are one of the most commonly consumed vegetables in raw, fried and boiled forms. It is used in the preparation of first and second courses, as well as juices. It is difficult to imagine an infield or dacha plot, a vegetable garden where this popular vegetable crop would not be grown.
Carrots grow well in loose, fertile, medium-loamy and sandy loam soil. The soil should be moisture-intensive and not form a soil layer in form of a crust. Its acidity (pH) level should be 5.5–6.5.
Simultaneously with digging, humus or compost is added to the soil according to the following standards:
– if the soil is poor, apply 10-15 kg / sq. m;
– if the soil is normal, then apply 4-5 kg/sq. m.
As mineral fertilizers, you can use superphosphate and potassium nitrate at a rate of 20 g / sq. m and 10-15 g / sq. m respectively.
Cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes and legumes are considered good precursors of carrots. Next to the carrots, you can plant onions, garlic, beans, cucumbers and beets. Crop rotation returns in 3-4 years.
It is best to plant the crop in the early spring, when the average daily temperature of the soil at the depth of sowing will be at least +8 °C and the winter sowing in the fall, when the soil is slightly frozen. Only light sandy and sandy loam soils are suitable for this purpose. The distance between the plants in a row should be 3-4 cm, the distance between the rows should not be less than 20 cm.
The depth of sowing in rainy weather and on heavy soils is 1.5-2 cm, in dry weather and on light soils - 2-3 cm (in extreme cases up to 4 cm).
Carrots need regular, frequent and moderate watering. It is best to water it in the evening.
It is not recommended to water the crop two weeks before harvest. The fruit will not crack and will be better preserved. Water should soak the entire root layer of the soil (up to 20 cm). Insufficient watering will lead to a decrease in taste, surface appearance of deformed root crops. With abundant, but irregular watering, carrots crack and grow "tailed".
Top dressing should be carried out with nitrogen fertilizers (3-5 g/m2) 20-25 days after germination and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (6-9 g/m2) 15-20 days after the first top dressing.
The harvest of carrots (for fresh consumption) is collected in August, for storage - at the end of September. In September, the content of dry substances increases in root crops, sugars and carotenoids accumulate, which increases the quality and keeping quality of carrots. When cleaning, you should not shake off the soil, hitting the carrots against each other or on the ground, you need to clean it carefully with your hands.