Carrots: growing and caring. Tips for beginners

Carrots are a valuable source of carotene, yielding only pepper in its quantity. Also in the composition of carrots include vitamins B1, B2, K, C, folic acid, calcium salts, phosphorus, iron, iodine. Carrot juice is widely used in folk medicine. For example, it is shown to drink in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, liver and kidney diseases.

If you decide to have a vegetable garden in the country, then do not forget to plant carrots. Growing and caring for it is not difficult, but the harvested crop is sure to come in handy. Carrots can be eaten raw, fried, boiled, added to salads, soups, etc.

The technology of growing carrots allows to grow it in the open ground and in greenhouses. True, in summer conditions, it is easiest to drop carrots on the beds.

Carrots, cultivation and care

This type of vegetable is somewhat demanding in conditions of growth. Carrots love sunny places and, most importantly, loose ground. Due to the latter property, it grows long and smooth. The fact that this or that kind of soil is not suitable for growing a crop, says its ugly appearance. Preparation of the soil for planting is carried out in the autumn. It must be dug, then fertilizers and humus are applied.

Particular attention should be paid to preparing the seeds for planting. The fact is that the carrot seeds contain essential oils in their composition, which retain and do not allow moisture, thus inhibiting the germination of the culture. To avoid this, the seeds are soaked in water until sprouts appear. Usually it takes about 10 days.

Cultivation of carrots in the open ground should be started as early as possible, especially if the seeds are not germinated beforehand. Approximate figures: April 20-25 for early varieties and April 25-May 5 for later ones.

Before planting, the beds must be loosened, while removing roots, weeds and large stones. Sowing can occur in two ways. You can simply pour the seeds into the grooves, not watching the distance between them. In this case, when the carrot is growing, it will be necessary to make the thinning in such a way that between each plant there is a distance of 20-22 cm. The distance between the rows is about 12 cm. The second method is when the seeds are already sown at a given distance, Then they will not need thinning. Before laying seeds, grooves must be watered (you can use a solution of red potassium permanganate ), do not add humicum to them. If possible, the carrot bed should be covered with a film so that there is a short distance between the ground and the material. The film can be removed when the first real leaves appear.

Caring for the uprooted carrot is reduced to irrigation, weed removal, thinning (if necessary), fertilizing and pest control. Carrots, growing and caring for which were right, yields a good harvest. That is why it is important to ensure that it does not overgrow, does not need moisture and nutrients. Watering is moderate, depending on the weather conditions. It should be ensured that carrots do not overgrow with grass, otherwise the yield will be extremely low. Loosening the ground, and doing it better after watering, enriches carrots with oxygen. If we talk about feeding, then it should be done twice a season. The first fertilizing is carried out about a month after the shoots appear, and the second fertilizing - about two weeks after the first. The nutrient solution can be as follows: for 10 liters of water 1 st.lozhka nitroammofoski or nitrofoski. Watering at the rate of 5 liters per 1 m2. Closer to the autumn, you can start harvesting. Carrots, cultivation and care for which were correct, with all the necessary conditions being met, will yield a good harvest, even from a small plot. If something does not like this culture, then all the "roots" will be crooked and small, devoid of nutrients and vitamins.