Large carrot variety Red Giant

Among the variety of carrot varieties, the Red Giant variety stands out due to its productivity and sweetness. It is grown in all regions of Russia. Carrots are widely known for their size and versatility of use. Find out further what its features and advantages are.

Description of the Red Giant variety

Red giant is a mid-season variety. When planted in May, the harvest is harvested in August. The variety has high yields. It is distinguished by large, sweet root vegetables.

Origin and development

Red giant is one of the new varieties of carrots. Its removal was carried out by employees of the Moscow LLC AGROFIRMA AELITA. The variety was included in the state register in 2015. It is recommended for cultivation in the Central region of Russia, but its actual geography covers almost the entire country.

Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins, beneficial properties

The Red Giant variety is characterized by a high content vitamins, micro- and macroelements. 100 g of carrots contain fructose - 17-21 mg, carotene - 8-9%.

Macronutrients:

• potassium – 205 mg;
• calcium – 22.7 mg;
• phosphorus – 44 mg;
• magnesium – 35.8 mg;
• sodium – 16.2 mg;
• sulfur – 4.7 mg.

Microelements:

• iron – 0.9 mg;
• zinc – 0.33 mg;
• aluminum – 0.2 mg;
• manganese – 0.22 mg;
• boron – 0.21 mg;
• copper – 0.68 mg;
• fluoride – 0.45 mg.

Vitamins:

• A – 0.93 mg;
• B1 – 0.06 mg;
• B2 – 0.05 mg;
• B9 – 0.14 mg;
• C – 0.46 mg;
• RR – 1.23 mg;
• E – 0.76 mg.

Carrots are certainly beneficial for the human body.Eating vegetables has a beneficial effect on vision, the immune system, and metabolic processes. Carrots help eliminate intestinal dysbiosis, normalize the gastrointestinal tract, and improve the condition of blood vessels.

Features of application

The red giant is intended for cultivation in private farms. The variety is versatile in application. The preparation of first courses and various culinary products. Juices and baby vegetable purees are made from the juicy fruits.

Ripening time and yield

The variety is mid-season - full ripening occurs 100-110 days after planting the seeds.

The yield of the variety is quite high: from 1 sq. m harvest 4-6 kg of carrots.

Disease resistance

The variety has high resistance to powdery mildew, brown spot, and bacteriosis. It resists attacks from psyllids and umbrella moths.

Characteristics and description of the appearance of the bush, fruit, taste

The variety has a tall, spreading rosette of rich green leaves dissected along the edges. The root vegetables are red-orange in color, shaped like an oblong cone with a blunt tip. Their length reaches 25 cm, width at the base - 6 cm. Average weight - 120-150 g. The core is medium in size, the flesh is juicy and sweet.

For which regions is it best suited and what are the climate requirements?

The variety is frost-resistant and is suitable for cultivation in almost all regions of Russia.

The main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The advantages of the variety include:

• high productivity;
• sugar taste and juiciness;
• cold resistance, possibility of sowing before winter;
• long shelf life;
• high resistance to many diseases and pests.

The disadvantage of the variety is its average resistance to carrot fly damage.

What is the difference from other varieties

Carrots differ from other varieties:

• large sizes;
• tolerates light frosts well;
• vegetables are not prone to cracking.

Features of planting and growing

Red giant carrots are cold-resistant varieties, so they can be sown before winter in early November. During winter planting, the beds are insulated with sawdust and straw.

Preparing for landing

For better germination, seeds require preparation before planting. First, the seeds are soaked in a container of water for two hours. During this time, high-quality seeds will settle to the bottom, unsuitable ones will float and are thrown away.

The remaining seeds are disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for an hour and washed with water. Then they are laid out between layers of damp cloth and germinated for 6-7 days in a warm place. The fabric can be moistened with growth stimulants “Zircon” and “Epin”, diluted in the amount of 4 drops per 1 liter of warm water.

Important! When planting in winter, the seeds are not germinated.

Soil requirements

To plant the variety, choose an area with loamy, sandy loam soil. The soil should be loose, allowing moisture and air to pass well to the roots. The site is prepared in the fall, carefully removing plant debris and stones. Then deep digging is carried out with the simultaneous application of organic matter, charcoal, and complex mineral fertilizers.

Predecessors

The best predecessors of carrots: potatoes, legumes, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage.

Attention! It is not recommended to plant carrots after beets, dill, parsley, and celery.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Germinated seeds are planted in open ground at the end of April - beginning of May, when the soil warms up to +7...+9°C.In the prepared area, make grooves 1.5-2 cm deep and water them with warm water. A distance of 18-20 cm is maintained between rows.

The seeds are placed at a distance of 2 cm. The grooves with the seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of earth and lightly compacted.

Reference. Planting seeds before winter is carried out at the end of October - beginning of November, when the soil temperature drops to +5°C.

Features of cultivation

For planting crops, choose a sunny area, since in the shade the seedlings grow much slower, the root crops are not large enough and less sweet.

The variety produces long root crops, so when choosing a site, you must first check the presence of nearby groundwater. In waterlogged areas, root crops will begin to rot.

Nuances of care

To protect the seedlings from return frosts, the beds are initially covered with a transparent film until the sprouts appear.

After the emergence of seedlings, they loosen the soil, preventing the formation of an earthen crust, while removing fast-growing weeds.

Watering mode

When seedlings appear, the beds are watered twice a week. During severe drought, drip irrigation is additionally used. Watering is carried out in the morning and evening hours. When root crops are forming, the beds are watered once a week. As the vegetables grow, increase the volume of liquid. Watering should be carried out regularly - with long breaks the carrots may crack.

Important! It is recommended to stop watering 2-3 weeks before harvest.

Thinning and weed control

Much attention is paid to thinning. In dense plantings the fruits will be small. The first thinning is carried out when the seedlings reach 8-10 cm. The weakest sprouts are removed, and the distance between the seedlings increases.

The second time the crop is thinned out during the formation of root crops, increasing the distance between the bushes to 3-4 cm.

As the vegetables grow, thinning is repeated, removing less developed specimens. Between grown bushes the distance should be at least 7-8 cm.

Weed removal is carried out throughout the entire growth of the crop until harvest. Weeds deplete the soil, carrot bushes will grow weakened. Therefore, much attention is paid to weeding.

Top dressing

Two weeks after germination, complex fertilizers are applied.. The following composition is prepared: 15 g of double superphosphate, 20 g of urea, 20 g of potassium nitrate per 10 liters of water.

During fruit formation, fertilizing is applied, consisting of 15 g of potassium sulfate, 20 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water.

A month before the carrots are fully ripened, boron and manganese are added to improve the taste: 2 g of potassium permanganate and 5 g of boric acid are diluted in 10 liters of water. Ash fertilizers are also used: a glass of ash is infused for 3-4 days in 10 liters of water.

Attention! Before fertilizing, the plants are watered with a small amount of clean water.

Disease and pest control

The variety has good immunity to diseases, but if agricultural practices are violated, some problems may arise. illnesses.

Alternaria (black rot)

The first sign of the disease is the appearance of dark brown spots on the leaves. On young shoots the tops turn black. Dry black rot appears on root crops. You can get rid of black rot using the drugs “Rovral” and “Falcon”.

For prevention in the spring, before sowing seeds, the area is treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Fomoz (dry rot)

Fungal infection of the plant. First, the fungus appears on the tops, the leaves become covered with red-brown spots, then dry out. After this, the disease spreads to the root crop, forming gray spots on it, in which the process of rotting begins.

To prevent the disease, areas are fertilized with potassium compounds, and plants are sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. At the initial stages of the disease, a solution of the drug “Maxim” (1:1) is used.

White rot

Affects root crops during storage. They become soft, covered with a white fluffy coating, and gradually rot. White rot spreads through contaminated soil, so the beds are treated with copper-based preparations (copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture).

Carrot plantings are attacked by wireworms. The pest feeds on root crops, gnawing numerous tunnels in them. The plant is stunted, the tops wither, and the root crops cannot be stored or eaten. To destroy wireworms, traps are used and green manure is planted. The soil is treated with the preparations “Aktara” and “Bazudin”.

The carrot fly lays eggs on leaves. The emerging larvae destroy the tops. The plant dries out. When pests appear, the bushes are sprinkled with ash and tobacco. When insects reproduce, the drug “Intavir” is used.

Harvest and storage

The red giant is a mid-season variety, so the harvest is carried out in August. When sowing in winter, root crops are harvested in July.

How and when to collect

As soon as the lower leaves of the tops turn yellow, harvesting begins.

Carrots are pulled out of the ground, holding onto the tops. If necessary, use a shovel or pitchfork. Root crops are cleared of soil by tapping them on the ground, the tops are cut with a knife or rolled.

After this, the carrots are laid out on a dry surface indoors to dry. After 4-5 days it is sorted: damaged vegetables are taken for processing. Good root vegetables are transferred to storage.

Storage features and keeping quality of the variety

A microclimate is created in the vegetable storage with an air temperature of +1...+4°C, and humidity in the storage is in the range of 87-90%. The room must be constantly ventilated. If the recommended storage rules are followed, the keeping quality of the variety reaches 97%.

What difficulties may there be when growing

To prevent the base of the root crops from rising above the soil, the beds are raised slightly. This should be done after watering, when water erodes the soil.

When applying nitrogen fertilizers, it is important to correctly calculate the amount of nitrogen. Its increased content in the soil leads to increased growth of tops to the detriment of the formation of root crops.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Experienced gardeners advise planting seeds in the ground to a depth of at least 3 cm when planting in autumn.

To prevent thickening of carrot plantings, vegetable growers recommend buying seeds on a tape. Manufacturers immediately fix the seeds at the required distance on the tape. The beds with such seeds need to be loosened regularly to prevent the formation of a soil crust.

Gardeners recommend that if there is heavy soil on the site, dilute it with sand or peat.

Also, experienced summer residents advise using drip irrigation when seedlings appear. This will prevent the water pressure during irrigation from washing the seeds out of the soil.

Reviews of the Red Giant carrot variety

Reviews about the variety are mostly positive.

Nina, Ryazan: «I tried to plant Red Giant carrots first in the fall, then in the spring. Autumn shoots appeared two weeks earlier. We grew up equally together.I liked the harvest, the fruits were even, there were no small ones. The carrots are delicious and crunchy.”

Irina, Tula: “I’ve been planting the Red Giant variety for two years in a row. There were no problems in growing and caring for them. I stored the harvest in the cellar in a box with sand. Until spring I got dense, limp, crispy vegetables.”

Oleg, Omsk: “I purchased the variety on the advice of the seller. I liked the germination of the seeds. I didn’t make any special efforts during cultivation, the main thing was to thin out and remove weeds in a timely manner. The harvest was collected in mid-September. The carrots grew smooth, very tasty, and sweet.”

Conclusion

Farmers and summer residents fell in love with the Red Giant variety for its large, juicy and tasty fruits. The variety is easy to care for and is grown in areas with different climatic conditions. Carrots keep well throughout the winter. If desired, you can plant carrots in the fall.