Experienced gardeners are preparing for planting carrots in advance. They know that without complying with certain agrotechnical methods and planting periods, a good harvest cannot be obtained.
When does sowing carrots begin in spring?
For sowing any vegetable requires optimum soil temperature. The optimal timing of work is determined by the conditions of climatic zones.
Sowing carrots in the spring for gardeners in the south of Russia began a long time ago: early carrots had to be planted in March, mid-season - in April, for winter storage - in early May.
In a climate of central Russia(Central Regions, Siberia, the Urals) the timing of the work should be approached reasonably and especially not in a hurry. Night frosts can damage plants or, at best, inhibit their germination.
A sign of soil readiness for planting carrotsserves its warming up to a temperature at night not lower than 4 degrees. Sowing carrots in the spring for a good harvest should be started, when the soil becomes loose enough, excess moisture leaves. If the earth remains a lump after compression in the hand, it should not be planted: after digging and loosening, too much moisture remains in the soil, which makes it difficult for oxygen to reach the seeds. After gradually warming up the soil, when the excess moisture leaves, and the night frosts pass, you can start planting carrots in the spring.
Sowing carrots in spring: calendar
The clues for the gardeners are the phases of the moon.It is believed that you can not engage in landing work during the new moon and full moon. In April-May-June 2015, the dates of the full moon are: April - 5, May - 6, June - 3; New Moon: April - 18, 19, May - 18, 19, 20, June - 16, 17, 18.
Root crops are planted in the phase of an aging (waning) moon, after a full moon.
Based on the calculations, it will be favorable to plant carrots in spring:
- in May from 8 to 18;
- in June from 4 to 15.
The optimal time for sowing carrots in spring is the first decade of May. The condition of the soil is close to ideal for working with root vegetables: there are no night frosts, there is still moisture in the soil.
Harder counting is carried out by the standing of the moon in the signs of the zodiac. This approach determines the following favorable dates for sowing carrots in spring 2015:
- end of April - 25, 28, 29, 30;
- May - 8, 9, from 12-17, 27;
- June - 4.5.
Given the lunar calendar and the condition of the soil in the garden, you can safely prepare for work.
Carrot seeds: where to get, how to buy?
Experienced gardeners prepare their seeds.
Seed organizations sell their breeding seeds, you can buy them online (it’s better to do it a month before planting) or in company stores.
Buying seeds in small chambers, in non-specialized departments of stores can cause a low yield: a bag may contain the wrong grade, a small amount, or expired seeds.
Buying seeds from random sellers, even observing the dates of sowing carrots in the spring, you can be without a crop.
Granules, seeds on a ribbon or in bulk: which is better?
Those gardeners who produce carrotsspring granules, they know that even though these seeds are more expensive, messing with them less. The composition of the granules include growth stimulants and trace elements. In order for them to “earn”, they should be kept wet in the soil all the time when they are sprouting: if such granules are dried, the carrot seeds will not germinate through the shell. If all agrotechnical methods are observed, the yield from the granules is higher, the labor costs for thinning are less: the seeds in the granules should be planted less frequently, since germination is better.
Seeds on tape:it is believed that this method is good for "lazy people", laid out strips, sprinkled with earth, poured - and a lot of carrots will grow, there is no need to thin out. Not so obvious! Purchased seeds on a tape are simply treated with an adhesive, their germination is absolutely the same as that of simple ones. Therefore, if the seed does not sprout - immediately "bald patch" in the line of germination. And if seed germination is not guaranteed, you have to put in the groove not one, but two, sometimes three tapes at once. Many gardeners prefer to plant the seeds on the tape "in its own performance." To do this, the paste is brewed, cooled, pre-prepared strips of thin paper (usually toilet paper) are coated with it, and the seeds are carefully poured.
Sowing carrots in the spring with ordinary seeds is the mosttraditional. Gardeners either prepare the seeds (soaking for several days in a canvas bag) or not. More often, even preparation is not needed: seeds are poured out of the bag (or their harvested ones) in the grooves, they are gently pressed, filled with a loose drainage layer (sand, peat with sand). It is believed that for a good harvest, even with bad (unknown) germination, you need to plant in five lines, making the rows after twenty centimeters.
Soil preparation
For carrots, a good fertile soil is needed, and its layer should be higher than the size of carrots (preferably not less than half a meter).
Fresh manure under carrots can not be made.
The best predecessors: beans, onions, cucumbers.
С осени можно вскопать грядку, подготовив ее к planting carrots in the spring. The methods of organic farming make it possible not to dig the ground, but to confine ourselves to the processing of a flat cutter. You can leave the bed untreated, if there is a catastrophic lack of time.
In the spring you need to prepare a bed:it is better to cultivate the soil to a sufficient depth with the same Fokin flat-cutter, choosing weeds, especially perennial ones. A shovel cuts the roots of weeds, thereby increasing their number. The introduction of humus before processing gives positive results.
Formed bed should stand at least a day, so that the soil is slightly compacted.
How to sow carrots?
On the surface of the beds are marked transverse grooves, laying them in 20-25 cm.
Some gardeners prefer to sow carrots on narrow (50 cm) long ridges, having grooves not across, but along.
At the bottom of the groove, you can pour a light layer of sand - this will facilitate the review of the spread out seeds.
If necessary, shed if the soil is dry.
Seeds of granulated carrots should be carefully spread out after 1-2 cm, sprinkled with a layer of either river sand or a mixture of peat and sand.
Seeds on the tape to lay in the grooves needgently, immediately securing the ends of the ribbons. Otherwise, the wind can shift them, then the seeds will come off. In the furrow you need to lay several ribbons at once (preferably three) in 1 cm. Sprinkle with earth (peat and sand), shed.
Ordinary seeds are poured into the grooves, slightly pressed down, filled with a loose drainage layer (sand, peat and sand).
Cover or not cover crops of carrots?
Если выбрано раннее время посева моркови весной, That beds usually cover. For the shelter you need two layers: lutrasil (spunbond) and on top of the film. Non-woven material protects crops from the greenhouse effect and overheating, and the film - from hypothermia.
Shelter must be lifted from the soil:a snug fit will not allow the shoots to rise to the desired height. You can do it this way: lay out bars or narrow boards on the edges of the beds, put shelter on them, and tuck the edges under them. In order for the shelter not to be blown away, you need to crush the edges with something heavy (bricks).
In the case of late sowing, when there is no threat of light frosts and cold snaps, it is better to put a layer of mulch on the grooves (needles, straw). It is necessary that when watering the seeds themselves are not washed out.
When should we expect the emergence of seedlings?
Carrot sprouts appear unfriendly, firstcan climb in 10 days, the bulk in 14-16 days. The plant has a long growing season (early carrot - 90 days, mid-ripening - 110, medium-late - 130, late ripening - 150), weeds and pests without appropriate treatments can significantly reduce the yield.
Sowing carrots in spring involves a three-stepweed control (weeding) and double thinning. The first stage is immediately after the identification of plants, that is, when they can be distinguished from weeds. Weeds are removed very carefully, taking care not to damage the carrots. The second time - a month and a half after planting, then the roots are thinned the first time. When thinning, try to keep the plants at least 1 cm apart. When sowing with ribbons and granules, the first thinning can be skipped.
The second thinning, combined with the third weeding, should be done two or two and a half months after planting, then the plants are left at a distance of 3-4 cm.
When weeding and thinning one must not forget to mulch the plants with peat and “dust” with wood ash.
Sealing landings
Experienced gardeners knowing that carrots are not yetSoon it will rise, planting in between the plants with a short vegetation period. Most often planted onions on the feather. By the time the carrots grow, there will be no onion in the garden. This neighborhood is very useful for carrots: the carrot fly (the most malicious pest of carrots) does not tolerate the smell of onions.
Planting garlic from seeds (first year) on the head will be a good seal. The onion fly doesn't like him either.
