Favorable days for planting carrots in April 2024

As children, we all loved sweet young carrots from our grandmother's garden. Time passes, life changes... Now, to indulge in this delicacy, you first need to plant and grow them. Carrots can be sown as early as April if the weather is favorable. To help you choose the right dates according to the lunar cycle, we've prepared detailed information for you.

Growing conditions

This vitamin-rich vegetable is considered a frost-resistant crop. It can be sown before winter or in several stages, starting in early spring. In warm climates where winters are typically light on snow, seeds can be planted as early as February. In the Moscow region and central Russia, carrots are planted in the spring when stable daily temperatures arrive—in late March or early April. In the Urals and Siberia, sowing times are delayed by 2-3 weeks. Seeds germinate at temperatures as low as 5°C. However, for active growth, temperatures must rise above 16°C.

Carrots are a biennial crop. During the first season, nutritious root vegetables grow from the seeds. The following year, if the fruits are not removed from the ground or are planted in the spring, the part responsible for generation will develop. Farmers consider this vegetable to be one of the most profitable among root crops. This is due to its high yield and widespread use. Up to 100 tons of nutritious root vegetables can be harvested from a single hectare. Carrots are eaten raw, cooked, or pickled.

Suitable days

Agronomists have long observed that the relative positions of the Earth and the Moon influence the biological processes occurring in plants. Gardeners planning to carry out agricultural work in accordance with astrological recommendations should know the general techniques for determining optimal dates for gardening. Suitable days are calculated based on information about the Moon's position in the zodiac signs and its current phases.

When determining possible gardening activities, four periods are considered: the new and full moons, and the waxing and waning crescent moons. During the first period, astrologers do not recommend any manipulation of plants. The "lunar assistant" allows only watering, loosening, and mulching the soil. During the full moon, thinning, weeding, and treatment of crops against pests and diseases are recommended.

The energy of the waxing moon affects the above-ground parts of plants. During this period, it's best to sow and plant vegetables that grow above ground. You can also water the soil and feed root vegetables with mineral fertilizers. The waning moon affects the root system of plants.

Except sowing carrots, on these days they hold:

• thinning;
• treatment against diseases or pests;
• fertilizing with organic fertilizers;
• harvesting.

When determining sowing dates, farmers rely on their experience growing vegetables. It's difficult to pinpoint optimal dates in advance – everything depends on the crop variety, the region's climate, and the phase of the moon. Those planning to grow carrots for the first time should choose the best time to do so wisely. The most favorable days for carrots are April, but they can be sown in other months as well (depending on the weather).

Table: Planting days for carrots

Spring varieties

A variety of varieties offers the opportunity to obtain a magnificent harvest regardless of the weather. To choose the right variety, it's important to inquire about its characteristics. Based on the description, you can determine the desired root size, taste, yield, and disease resistance. There are currently many new varieties on the market that deliver excellent results, sometimes even unexpected ones. When choosing between a cultivar and a hybrid, it's important to understand the differences between them. The seeds of the latter have already undergone all processing stages and are ready for sowing. These varieties better withstand all weather conditions and are less susceptible to disease. Their germination rate approaches 100%, and the yield (with proper care) exceeds that of the average variety.

Gardeners prefer to grow universal varieties at their dachas. The most well-known include "Shantane," "Nantskaya-4," and "Karotelka." These are resilient and easy-to-grow varieties suitable for growing in virtually all regions of Russia. "Vitaminnaya-6," "Viking," "Sakharnaya Lakomka," and "Detskaya Sladost" are indispensable for children. These varieties have higher sugar and carotene content, and the latter stores well until the following season.

Crop rotation

Among other agricultural measures, agronomists clearly observe crop rotation rulesCarrots grow smooth and large in fertile soil. However, if nutrients are lacking, a good harvest will be impossible. Soil depletion occurs if crop rotation recommendations are not followed, and crops are grown in the same places year after year.

Rotating crops in the beds helps maintain soil fertility. However, haphazardly rotating locations will not lead to proper root development. Not all plants are suitable as predecessors for carrots. Parsley is the worst crop. It leaves behind a lot of pathogenic bacteria that attack root vegetables. Beds after cucumbers are good, but carrot seeds should only be sown there a season later. Such areas retain a lot of organic matter, which, when decomposed, can burn the fruits. Good predecessors:

• potato;
• onion;
• tomatoes;
• salad.

Features of cultivation

Carrots are an easy-to-grow and frost-resistant crop. Even a novice gardener can grow them. However, to ensure a good harvest, it's still necessary to carry out proper agricultural practices, prepare the beds and seeds before planting, and adhere to optimal planting times. To ensure the roots don't shrink and have the correct shape, follow these tips:

1. Do not grow the crop in swampy areas, near trees or in the shade.
2. Prepare deep, nutritious, air- and water-permeable soil for carrots. The presence of solids in the soil causes the roots to become crooked.
3. The crop is sown in deoxidized soil. The soil is prepared in advance by adding humus, chalk, lime, or dolomite flour.

Read alsoPlanting and caring for carrots in winter There are many benefits to planting carrots in the winter. But the most important is that this juicy, vitamin-rich root vegetable will ripen several weeks earlier than any spring…

Soil preparation

To grow carrots, select a level, well-lit area without slopes. It's best to plant the bed after squash, legumes, onions, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, or eggplant. Carrots should not be sown directly after carrots for four years. Celery, parsley, dill, and other umbelliferous plants are poor predecessors, as they leave behind numerous pathogenic bacteria.

The soil in the garden bed for future sowing is prepared in the fall. It is dug to the depth of a spade, a complex fertilizer (chloride-free) is added, large clods of soil are broken up, and the surface is leveled with a rake. Do not use acidifiers and fertilizers at the same time. Their application should be staggered. Ideally, the soil acidity should be adjusted to normal in the fall, and then fertilized with organic matter in the spring (2-3 weeks before sowing).

Seeds

Carrot seeds, like those of other umbelliferous plants, are rightly considered among the slowest to germinate. This is due to the presence of essential oils in the seeds, which prevent swelling and germination. To speed up germination, they are pre-soaked in room-temperature water for 24 hours. During this time, the water is changed several times. Warming can speed up the process. The seeds are soaked in hot water (50-55°C) for about 20 minutes, then briefly dipped in cold water and dried.

In addition to standard soaking, gardeners use the bubbling method. This method involves saturating the liquid in which the seeds are soaked with oxygen and leaching out essential oils. The seeds are placed in a container of water, and a hose from an aquarium compressor is inserted into the bottom, pumping air into the container. This process continues for about a day, changing the liquid periodically.

Sowing technology

Gardeners use a variety of techniques when planting seeds in the soil. The variety of methods is explained by both the characteristics of the seeds and the sowing methods. The most common is the classic method:

1. 7-10 days before sowing, the bed is generously watered with warm water and covered with film to retain moisture and warm the soil.
2. Before sowing, the prepared area is uncovered. Furrows 2-3 cm deep are cut into the soil, spaced 20 cm apart. This sowing pattern will allow the plants to thrive, and will ensure sufficient light and airflow, even in the center rows.
3. The grooves are watered with warm water and lightly sprinkled with wood ash and tobacco dust.
4. Place seeds on the bottom at intervals of 2-3 cm. Don't plant too close together, as the seedlings will need to be thinned out further later.
5. The furrows are filled with fertile soil and lightly compacted to improve seed-soil contact.
6. The bed is covered with polyethylene or spunbond to retain moisture, but when the first shoots appear, the cover is removed so that the tender sprouts do not rot.

Gardeners use all sorts of tricks to evenly distribute seeds in furrows. They use jelly as a filler, secure the seeds on paper, or buy ready-made tapes. These methods significantly save time and produce beautiful seedlings with even spacing between plants.

Secrets of care

Beginning gardeners often produce carrots of poor quality. The roots don't reach the average size of the variety, are misshapen, and crack. To ensure a good harvest at the end of the season, it's not enough to prepare the seeds and sow them correctly. Appropriate agricultural practices are essential. The plant requires regular watering, fertilizing, weed control, and protection from diseases and pests.

Watering

The crop is very demanding when it comes to moisture. If there's too little or too much, the roots will grow irregularly shaped, with multiple shoots, or they will crack. Watering guidelines:

1. Until the seedlings appear, the bed does not need to be watered – there is already enough moisture in the soil for the development and growth of the crop.
2. After the first true leaves form, water regularly. During the initial growth stage, carrots poorly extract moisture from the soil, but evaporate it rapidly.
3. Once the crop's roots have formed, irrigation intensity is reduced. Water the beds as the soil dries out.
4. Stop watering 15-20 days before harvest. Watering during this period will cause the carrots to crack.

Top dressing

All necessary fertilizers and micronutrients are added to the soil when preparing the beds. Fertilizing during active growth promotes the accumulation of nitrates in the roots, causing them to crack and deform. However, if the seeds were sown into unprepared soil, fertilization can be achieved with liquid solutions or infusions:

1. At the beginning of the growing season, nitrogen-rich fertilizers are applied.
2. After root formation, fertilize with potassium and phosphorus complexes.

Protection

The main pest of the crop is the carrot fly. The insect lays eggs in moist soil near growing root vegetables. The hatched larvae feed on the carrots, boring extensive tunnels into them. Insecticides are used to control the insects. The manufacturer specifies the application instructions on the packaging. In addition to insects, plants are susceptible to damage by phoma, bacterial blight, and various rots (white and black, mainly during storage). However, compared to insect infestations, these are rare. Disease prevention is accomplished with appropriate treatments.

Tips from vegetable growers

Mistakes made by novice vegetable growers lead to reduced yields, smaller, and deformed roots. To produce high-quality carrots, it's important to maintain proper irrigation regimes, promptly remove weeds, and loosen the soil. Proper preparation of the beds for future crops is essential. The site should be prepared in the fall to ensure even distribution of nutrients throughout the soil.

To obtain large, well-shaped roots, carrot crops are thinned several times. The first thinning is done when the plant has formed 2-3 leaves. Individual plants are removed by pinching them by hand or cutting them with scissors. Pulling the plants out is not recommended to avoid damaging the root systems of neighboring crops. After 15-20 days, the crops are thinned again, leaving 6 cm between plants. Plant debris is placed away to avoid attracting carrot flies.

By following the recommendations and implementing the necessary agricultural practices, a novice gardener can easily sow carrots in open ground. The main tasks are to properly prepare the bed, treat the seeds, and choose the right sowing method. Of course, to get a good harvest, you'll also need to care for the seedlings and dig up the roots in a timely manner.