2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16
Carrot is a fruit rich in vitamins and microelements. At the moment, there are many excellent types of carrots and its hybrids. Considering what good varieties of carrots are, you need to take into account that an impeccable harvest of large vegetables can only be obtained on well-loosened plots of land. It should be understood that domestic species in terms of yield absolutely do not lose to foreign ones, but in terms of carotene levels, taste and storage properties, they often significantly exceed them.
According to the ripening period, carrot varieties are divided into categories:
- Early-ripening - it will take about 100 days until harvest.
- Mid-ripening - will bring a crop in the range from 105 to 120 days.
- Late-ripening - will need more than 125 days.
It must be remembered that most varieties and hybrids of foreign selectionbred in order to obtain, first of all, an attractive appearance of carrots - even in diameter and length, smooth, and their taste and nutritional properties are reduced. In the fruits of the main foreign varieties, the level of carotene is lower than in domestic ones, and a significant number of them remain much worse in our conditions.
For early sowing, varieties of carrots (we will consider the description below) with small rhizomes may well be suitable. Such vegetables ripen in a shorter period. Round species also ripen quite quickly, but give little harvest. The most optimal is a short carrot, which makes better use of the garden bed.
Foreign hybrids are the most suitable option for getting early products for sale. In stores today, the choice of such varieties of carrot seeds is very rich. And for long-term storage, domestic varieties are better suited, as they are adapted to the characteristics of the climate and perfectly retain their original appearance.
How to grow carrots
Carrot is an undemanding vegetable crop. The whole process from the moment of acquiring seeds to the first harvest is quite simple and does not require any special skills. Any soil is suitable for carrots, systematic watering is not required.
Sown by seed immediately in an open area. After the formation of shoots, the beds are thinned out so that the gap between them is about 5 cm.
Carrots will grow in anysoil: sandy, black earth or clay. Vegetables do not require any special fertilizers, they are less susceptible to diseases and pests than other crops.
On the open area for carrots, you can choose any place. The only thing is that the soil should not be very moist, otherwise carrots are absolutely undemanding.
For loose soil, long carrot seeds are suitable, but for hard and impenetrable soil, short varieties should be preferred.
How to choose seeds
To determine the type of carrot you need, you need to focus on:
- Soil variety and composition.
- How quickly you need to get a harvest.
- How will the carrots be used (sold, stored, used for cooking or eaten fresh).
- Crop size.
- Distinctive flavor characteristics of carrots.
Obviously, when choosing a variety of carrot seeds, all circumstances must be taken into account, deciding on the most suitable of them.
In particular, foreign hybrids are often grown for the purpose of sale. They bring a stable crop with fruits of equal size. But these vegetables do not have high taste qualities, unlike domestic counterparts. Consider the best varieties of carrots, reviews and photos.
Tushon
Like all early-maturing varieties, Tushon is grown for both fresh consumption and various types of processing. It is frozen, canned, cooked from itall kinds of dishes. Vegetables ripen approximately 80 days after the seeds are planted in the soil.
Ripe carrots are shaped like an oblong cylinder, about 20 cm long. There are small “eyes” on the surface, and they look smooth. The color of the root crop is rich orange. The form is correct, the same.
By weight, one carrot can be from 90 to 150 grams. The central part is dense, saturated with juice, bright orange. The taste of this early variety of carrots, according to gardeners, is simply excellent. The vegetable has a high level of carotene. The variety has a good yield - up to 4.5 kg per 1 sq.m. site. Thanks to these qualities, it is very popular among summer residents.
Alenka
Many choose this variety of carrots for planting because of the rich harvest. Rhizomes ripen 100 days after planting, which is why they are considered mid-ripening. Carrot grows up to 15 cm long, up to 4 cm in diameter.
For every 1 sq. m. it turns out 10 kg of crop. According to summer residents, the properties of this variety are excellent: carrots are saturated with juice, crispy, suitable for long storage, while not spoiling, not susceptible to diseases.
Alenka carrots can be grown in all regions of the country.
Carotel
One of the famous varieties - Karotel. Harvest appears 90 days after landing on the site. The variety is considered high-yielding - you can get 7 kg of vegetables from 1 sq. m.
Vegetables are unpretentious and practical - can be grown in any region of the country.
Carrot is differentcylindrical shape with a rounded tip. It grows about 15 cm long, weighing up to 100 g. The most important distinguishing feature is its excellent taste. Karoteli's juicy flesh has a strong aroma and flavor.
Excellent variety of carrots for storage (can be stored up to 1 year). The vegetable is rich in vitamins, so it is often used for the production of baby food and diet food. Reviews are only positive.
Nantes 4
One of the popular and widespread varieties is Nantes carrot 4. They ripen approximately 3 months after planting.
Mature carrots are cylindrical in shape with a rounded tip. The color is bright orange, the surface is even and smooth. Rhizomes grow up to 16 cm in size, weight up to 120 g.
According to reviews, this variety of carrots for open ground has many advantages. The pulp is saturated with juice, tasty, rich in carotene and fiber. This variety is suitable for long storage.
Samson
According to the characteristics, this variety of carrots is similar to Nantes. It is considered undemanding in cultivation and care.
The shape of a carrot is like a cylinder with an elongated tip. The color of the vegetable is orange, the surface is smooth. By weight, each fruit can reach 150 g.
Due to its attractive appearance, this variety is most grown for sale. Carrots are also excellent tasting, long-lasting and fresh.
Vitamin 6
Refers to carrot seeds of the best varieties for open ground. Ripens approximately100 days after planting, therefore, refers to mid-season. Vegetables of this variety are immune to diseases, unpretentious in care.
The roots are red-orange in color, their surface is even, with small "eyes". The shape of the carrot resembles a cylinder with a rounded tip. Reach sizes up to 18 cm, weight 170 g.
Carrots are rich in carotene and other useful microelements, after storage it also remains useful. According to reviews, this variety of carrots is sweet and tasty.
Chantenay Royal
Classified as mid-season species. Harvest appears 120 days after sowing. The variety is practical, suitable for growing in regions with any soil.
Roots bright orange, cone-shaped. Carrot grows 17 cm long, up to 5 cm in diameter. Carrot peel is even, regular shape. Vegetables are unpretentious to many diseases.
Suitable for storage for up to 9 months, used fresh, or for cooking various dishes. Many summer residents consider these seeds to be the best variety of carrots.
Autumn Queen
This variety is planted in autumn. Harvest appears after 3 months.
The roots are smooth, cylindrical in shape, and the peel is even. Carrots grow up to 22 cm long and weigh up to 170 g. Carrots have juice-rich pulp, excellent aroma and taste. The appearance of vegetables allows you to grow the "Queen of Autumn" for the purpose of sale.
The variety is resistant to cool climates, many diseases, stands out for its high yield. From 1 sq. m. yields up to 9 kg of crop.
September
This variety begins to bear fruit after 120 days from the date of planting. The carrot turns out to be large - weighing up to 300 g, and it can grow about 25 cm long.
Rhizomes of a standard orange shade, the surface is even, the shape is similar to a cone. Vegetables are suitable for fresh consumption, cooking various dishes, canning. If carrots are left for long storage, then there will be almost no vitamins and nutrients left in it, so it is better not to use them for storage.
Abaco
It is considered a rather capricious variety, created on the basis of several common species at once. Culture is subject to natural conditions: temperature and humidity. To get a significant and high-quality carrot crop, systematic and generous watering is necessary. Seeds are planted exclusively in stable warm weather, the air temperature should be about 15-17 degrees.
If the carrots are not watered enough, the fruits will crack, deform and become unsightly. Mature carrots reach a length of about 20 cm, and the hue is bright orange.
According to reviews, the vegetable is very pleasant in taste, perfect for cooking salads, cooking, canning. Abaco is not suitable for long-term storage.
Emperor
Modified carrots vary considerably depending on the seed producer. Some vegetables of this type have a sweetish pulp, others are fragile - they break apart with little physical impact.
Carrots of a bright orange hue, shaped with a sharptip. By weight, carrots can grow up to 550 g, and about 35 cm long.
The taste of root crops is also very unusual, different from the standard and usual "carrot" taste.
Nandrine
Nandrin carrots are early maturing, but differ in that they keep well for a long time. The vegetable is unpretentious - it does not require frequent watering and at the same time grows well.
Mature carrots are quite large - up to 25 cm long, orange in color, cone-shaped, saturated with juice and very fragrant.
Let's consider further non-standard varieties of carrots, description, reviews of gardeners about them.
Custom varieties
In addition to the common orange-colored carrot, there are other varieties of this vegetable.
Depending on the content of substances such as anthocyanin and beta-carotene in the root, carrots can be of various shades - red, yellow, purple, cherry, green, pinkish and even black. It is noteworthy that initially the shade of "cultivated" carrots was yellow (contains carotene) and purple (contains anthocyanin), the rest of the colors are the result of selection. It is believed that this culture began to conquer the world in the western and eastern direction from Afghanistan and Iran. Moreover, the “eastern” carrot has a red tint, while the “western”, European, was yellow, and later became more orange.
Unusual types of carrots are:
White carrot. In structure, such carrots are similar to ordinary ones. A distinctive feature is that the vegetable does not contain pigment, therefore it hassuch a shade. The taste of carrots is pronounced, the pulp is saturated with juice, rich in vitamins and microelements. For a long period, such carrots were used for livestock feed, but today many are grown for human consumption. The fruits of white carrots are suitable for long storage, used for cooking a variety of dishes
Red carrot. Red carrots have an intense color due to the pigment lycopene, also found in tomatoes and watermelons. For a person, lycopene is very useful: it protects the body from the formation of cancer cells, removes toxins from the body, and helps to normalize the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. A distinctive feature of all varieties of red carrots is an increased level of carotene. And also carrots contain many nutrients, making up to 15% of the total weight of the fruit. The obtained types and modifications of red carrots have excellent appearance and excellent taste
Black carrot. Quite a special look, stands out among others in appearance and other characteristics. The pulp of black carrots is saturated with juice, has an excellent taste with a slight hint of vanilla. This vegetable is unpretentious to low temperatures, can easily endure small frosts. Another distinctive feature of black carrots is that when flowering, beautiful yellow inflorescences with an exotic aroma are formed. Due to its bright pigmentation, black carrot extract is actively used as a natural dye in cooking
Yellow carrot. Yellow carrots were not deliberately bred by breeders; they exist in nature for a long time. Significant impact onThe color of carrots is provided by the accumulation of coloring pigments - xanthophyll, carotene, anthocyanin. This variety has a higher content of useful elements than any other species. Xanthophyll supports the work of the heart and blood vessels, lutein protects the eyes from ultraviolet radiation. Brings a rich harvest and requires regular watering
There are also special fodder varieties. They are intended for feeding livestock, as well as small animals and birds. The fruits do not stand out with a noble taste, but at the same time they contain a lot of nutrients, trace elements and fiber.
When choosing the seeds of the best varieties of carrots for open ground, it is worth focusing on some important points. To get a plentiful harvest for sale, you should choose foreign and domestic hybrids, and tested varieties of local selection are suitable for your own garden.
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