Growing Carrots in the Open Ground: Planting and Care

Carrots: Planting and caring for them outdoors requires specific knowledge. We don't grow carrot seedlings first, so the seeds are planted directly in the ground. Because the seeds contain a lot of essential oils, they don't germinate well without special preparation.

Therefore, before planting (and then caring for) carrots in open ground, the seeds should be soaked. Ordinary water at room temperature will do. Allow the seeds to swell. After planting, the first sprouts will appear within three weeks, provided no pre-planting treatment (other than soaking) was performed.

General information about growing

To get a good carrot harvest, plant the seeds only in fertile soil. The soil should be free of weeds. Good drainage is essential. Excellent neighbors for carrots in the beds There will be legumes, also tomatoes, cabbage, and potatoes.

Prepare carrot beds in the fall. Be sure to dig the soil and leave it there until spring. If the soil is highly acidic, add a cup of chalk (dolomite flour can be substituted) per square meter. Carrots: Planting and caring for them outdoors in spring requires fertilizing. You can use mineral or organic fertilizers.

Important! Fresh manure is absolutely not suitable as fertilizer for carrots.

Timing of seed planting

A high-quality harvest depends on the correct timing of seed planting. This should be done early, while the soil still retains sufficient moisture. Delayed sowing results in seeds growing slowly in dry soil, and the sprouts appear sparse and weak. May is the optimal month for planting carrot seeds.

How to prepare beds

Before sowing, the beds, even if they were prepared in the fall, need to be loosened and watered again. Next, make furrows no more than two centimeters deep. Water the furrows with water and a potassium permanganate solution (to kill pest larvae). Plant the seeds in moist soil.

Once the carrots are planted, the beds should be carefully watered and covered with plastic wrap. The first shoots should appear within a week. Once they appear, remove the plastic wrap.

We provide proper care

Carrots need to be regularly weeded, the soil loosened, and weeded. It's also important to provide fertilizer when planting and caring for carrots outdoors. The soil should always be moist, and loosening and weeding are necessary on a regular basis, especially after rain.

Water regularly but moderately. If it's warm and sunny, young carrots should be watered twice a week. As the roots grow, the watering rate should be increased. The optimal watering rate at this stage is 20 liters of water per square meter. As carrots fill out in the fall, water them biweekly with 10 liters per square meter (assuming no rain).

As for specific timing of fertilizing, it should be done twice during the root crop's growth period. The first feeding is done a month after the first shoots appear. The second feeding is done two weeks later. The ideal fertilizer is a tablespoon of nitrophoska diluted in ten liters. Apply five liters of fertilizer per square meter.

Harvesting

Gardeners work long and hard to one day harvest their crops. Carrots, on the other hand, need to be harvested before the first frost. They are carefully pulled from the ground (digging is possible, but there's a risk of damaging the roots with a shovel). Harvesting should take place in warm weather so that the carrots, moist and fresh from the ground, can be dried in the sun.

Small carrots can be saved for immediate consumption. Larger root vegetables should be placed in sand-filled boxes and stored until winter. Carrots can be stored in a basement or cellar, provided they are kept free of excessive humidity. If stored properly, carrots can be eaten until the next harvest season.

Carrots: Planting and care in open ground are carried out according to the instructions described in this article. It's important to understand that carrots prefer moisture, but not overwatering. Ensure the soil is consistently moist. Also, be sure to loosen the soil to allow more air to reach the roots. With this care, you can expect a bountiful harvest of delicious carrots.