High-yielding variety of Kuroda carrots with a long shelf life

Nowadays there are many varieties of carrots sold on the market. The gardener can only choose based on his preferences and climatic characteristics of the region.

The article will discuss the Kuroda variety - an unpretentious, productive and tasty vegetable, its advantages and cultivation characteristics.

Description of the Kuroda carrot variety

Kuroda carrots enjoy stable popularity among vegetable growers - they ripen early, the seeds germinate well, they are unpretentious and good stored for a long time.

Origin and development

The homeland of the Kuroda variety is Japan, where in 2004 the breeders of the Sakata company developed it on the basis of the popular French variety Chantane.

Since 2007, the variety under the full name Kuroda Shantane has been included in the state register of the Russian Federation.

Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins, beneficial properties

Kuroda is a vegetable rich in its composition. The chemical composition includes various vitamins and beneficial substances that make the plant a wonderful anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound healing and expectorant. Consumption of the root vegetable is recommended for anemia, bronchitis and other diseases.

Regular consumption of carrots makes it easier to combat fatigue, brittle nails, poor eyesight, and weak immunity.

100 g of Kuroda carrots contain:

• carotene - up to 20 mg;
• sugar - up to 5 g;
• dry matter - up to 10 g.

In addition, carrots are valued for their high content of vitamins and microelements.

100 g of raw carrots contain vitamins:

• beta-carotene - 9 mg;
• vitamin E - 0.63 mg;
• vitamin C - 5 mg;
• pyridoxine - 0.13 mg;
• biotin - 0.60 mg;
• niacin - 1 mg;
• folic acid - 9 mcg;
• pantothenic acid - 0.26 mg;
• riboflavin - 0.07 mg;
• thiamine - 0.06 mg.

If we talk about micro- and macroelements contained in carrots, then per 100 g there are:

• boron - 200 mg;
• aluminum - 325 mg;
• potassium - 199 mg;
• vanadium - 99.5 mg;
• chlorine - 63.3 mg;
• phosphorus - 56 mg;
• copper - 81 mg;
• fluorine - 54 mg;
• magnesium - 38.3 mg;
• calcium - 34 mg;
• sodium - 40 mg.

Nutritional value of carrots per 100 g:

Ripening period

Kuroda is an early ripening variety. From the emergence of seedlings to the first harvest, about two months or a little more pass, it all depends on weather conditions. After three months it is ready for full cleaning.

Productivity

Despite the short ripening period, the variety is high-yielding. Under normal growing conditions, from 23 to 42 tons of carrots can be harvested from 1 hectare.

Disease resistance

The Kuroda variety is distinguished by its stable immunity to most diseases. The crop is especially successful in resisting various types of rot.

Characteristics, description of appearance, taste

Kuroda carrots are distinguished by good seed germination and good marketability. The share of quality products ranges from 85% to 96% of the harvest. Root crops do not crack and do not go into arrows. Although the variety is classified as an early ripening variety, it has high shelf life.

Vegetable growers value the variety for its unpretentiousness to growing conditions and the environment.

The average size of the root crop is 15-18 cm, weight - from 90 to 160 g. The fruits are conical in shape with a blunt tip, bright orange in color.Carrot pulp is dense, tender and juicy, with a small core.

The Kuroda variety has excellent taste.

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

The geography of growing Kuroda carrots is extensive. According to the state register of the Russian Federation, the variety is approved for cultivation in the North Caucasus. The culture has proven itself well in the northern regions, in the Moscow and Leningrad regions. Also suitable for breeding in Ukraine and Moldova.

The variety is adapted to any growing conditions and is quite cold-resistant; it can be sown throughout Russia.

Main advantages and disadvantages

The Kuroda variety is relatively young, but has already won love and trust due to its advantages:

• high productivity;
• sweet taste;
• high resistance to the vast majority of diseases and especially rot;
• long shelf life;
• tolerance to growing conditions: temperature changes, heat, dryness.

According to not only experts, but also amateur gardeners, no significant shortcomings were identified in the variety.

What is the difference from other varieties

Compared to all other carrot varieties, Kuroda stands out with a number of characteristics:

• high content of sugar and provitamin A;
• juicy, wide core;
• significant size and straight shape;
• there is no tendency to accumulate solanine;
• a small number of lateral roots.

Features of planting and growing

Kuroda is quite unpretentious in cultivation; the process of sowing and care is no different from other varieties of crops.

Reference! The variety tolerates light frosts, so it makes no sense to sow it in a greenhouse.

Preparing for landing

About a week before planting, the seeds are placed on a damp cloth and stored in a warm place, moistening from time to time. This operation accelerates the appearance of roots; the seeds germinate within 2-3 days.

You can soak the seeds for 12 hours in a light solution of potassium permanganate. This method will also increase their germination rate.

Soil requirements

Kuroda grows on any soil with neutral pH (6-7). But humus-rich loams are considered the best for growing carrots. If heavy soil predominates on the site, it is pre-treated, that is, thoroughly loosened, without allowing lumps and compactions to pass through, using deep plowing to get rid of weeds and possible pests.

Predecessors

Experienced vegetable growers recommend making beds for carrots in places where grew up before her tomatoes, onions, garlic, lettuce or early potatoes.

Conversely, areas where umbrellas or greens were previously planted will be suitable for carrots no earlier than after four seasons.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Kuroda is sown in the same way as other varieties of carrots. It is better to do this in well-moistened soil.

The recommended planting pattern looks like this:

• the direction of the beds is north-south;
• the interval between rows is at least 20 cm;
• the interval between adjacent root crops is 6-8 cm;
• seed depth is 1-2 cm.

If carrots are sown in April, then in mid-summer you can already harvest. In warm regions, it is possible to harvest two carrot crops if you re-sow the seeds in mid-July.

Kuroda can be sown before winter to get an earlier harvest.

Features of cultivation

Choose a sunny place for planting, and the prepared seeds are sown directly into the ground.You can sow in any convenient way - by hand in a row, on paper, with special devices that dispense seeds, etc.

Important! Water carefully, using a watering can with small holes so that the soil does not wash away.

Nuances of care

Caring for these carrots is not particularly difficult.

Water as needed. During rainy seasons, you can do without watering at all. If the summer is dry, water once a week.

The variety is drought-resistant and does not crack due to lack of water.

Thinning and weed control

After the carrots sprout, they are thinned out. Dense plantings will affect the quality and presentation of the future harvest. During the season, two thinnings can be carried out - when two leaves appear and when the root crops have already formed, but have not yet reached the desired size.

Weeding and cleaning of weeds is carried out as needed.

Top dressing

It is better to fertilize by changing organic and mineral fertilizers. During the season, no more than four feedings are carried out with a break of 2-3 weeks.

The first fertilizing is done three weeks after emergence. 20 g of potassium sulfate and 30 g of superphosphate mixed with 5 g of urea are diluted into a bucket of water.

After another two weeks, a complex fertilizer for vegetables is used for fertilizing, for example, “Biohumus” (2 tablespoons of fertilizer per 10 liters of water). You can also feed with ash, it is scattered between the rows and carefully loosened.

Important! Organic fertilizers cannot be used more than twice per season.

After another two weeks, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are applied.

Disease and pest control

Carrot pests and diseases spoil the appearance and taste of the plant.

Carrot diseases:

• dry rot - manifests itself in the form of brown spots on the root crop, which grow, forming voids;
• white rot - the fungus covers the root crop with a whitish coating, the affected areas loosen, and the vegetable becomes watery;
• black rot — the tops darken, curl and dry out, young shoots can die en masse;
• powdery mildew - spoils the appearance of root crops.

To avoid infection, in the early stages of the growing season they are treated with fungicidal biological products, such as TNTD or Abita-PIK.

In addition to diseases, crop pests cause great harm to carrots.

The main enemy of carrots is the carrot fly.. This is indicated by the bronze tint of the tops. In the fight against flies, the chemicals “Decis”, “Arrivo” or “Aklelic” are used. Before sowing, the seeds are treated with special means: “Azoto-fit”, “Trichdermin” or “Phytocid-r”. Deep plowing is used as preventive measures. It kills pest larvae overwintering in the ground.

Harvest and storage

Experienced gardeners do not recommend leaving carrots in the ground for longer than expected; the vegetable may overgrow and lose its excellent qualities.

How and when to collect

Kuroda can be harvested throughout the summer as it grows for fresh consumption and after the required ripening period (90 days) for winter storage.

The harvest is harvested in dry weather. Dug carrots should not be left in the sun for a long time; in just a few hours they will become soft. The tops cannot be left; they are completely removed from the root crop.

Storage features and shelf life

Kuroda variety good stored. Optimal storage conditions for the variety: humidity - 85-95% and temperature - 0...+2°C. It is better to store in boxes or baskets, sprinkled with damp sand.

There is also an alternative storage recipe: the tops of root vegetables are cut off, the vegetables are washed and dried, then the carrots are portioned out into plastic bags, tied tightly and stored in a cool place - a basement, cellar or refrigerator.

What difficulties may there be when growing

Kuroda is valued for its unpretentiousness and does not create any special problems for gardeners. The main thing is to follow the rules of agricultural technology and ensure that the plant is not attacked by pests and diseases.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Experienced vegetable growers who have been growing Kuroda carrots for more than one year recommend:

1. To prevent carrots from cracking, in dry weather they are regularly spilled to a depth of 20-25 cm.
2. To ensure that the root crops grow large and even, the plantings are thinned twice. The first time, an interval of up to 3 cm is left between the seedlings, the second - 5 cm.
3. To protect carrots from carrot flies, marigolds or calendula are planted around the perimeter of the bed.
4. A couple of times a season, carrots are fed with vegetable ash.
5. Periodically, carefully loosen the soil, trying not to touch the root crops.

Reviews of Kuroda carrots

Almost all consumers note the excellent taste of the variety, high yield and good shelf life.

Olga, Kazan: «This is not the first year I have been sowing Kuroda carrots, I always harvest an excellent harvest, I store it in the cellar, it keeps well until spring.”

Natalya, Kirov: “My favorite carrot variety is Kuroda. I like the keeping quality and juiciness. Carrots aligned. One day I accidentally stayed in the garden bed in the winter and it also went off with a bang. I plant all the other carrots in a bag, and this one – three at once.”

Conclusion

Not only an experienced vegetable grower, but also a novice amateur gardener can grow and get an excellent harvest of Kuroda carrots.The variety is early and resistant to drought and frost. Plant before winter for an early harvest, or in the spring and harvest your first carrots within two months. Follow our recommendations and the result will not disappoint you.