What varieties of carrots are best suited for growing in the Urals
Carrots are a sought-after vegetable in any kitchen. It is needed in first and second courses, in salads, in the preparation of winter preparations, lecho and sauces. Not a single plot of land is complete without planting this crop. Almost all regions of the country, including the Urals, are suitable for growing carrots. However, to obtain a rich harvest, it is necessary to choose the right variety suitable for the harsh climate and create favorable conditions for its cultivation.
Features of the climate in the Urals
Weather conditions in the Urals are quite varied. The length of the Ural mountain range is more than 2,300 km, stretching from north to south through central Russia. That's why The climate in different parts of the Urals differs significantly.
In the central and southern regions, carrots are grown according to the usual pattern, which differs from the planting rules in the northern part.
Many farmers are interested in the possibility of growing carrots in the northern Urals. The northern Urals are characterized by a harsh climate with severe frosts, cold winds and few sunny days.
To get the best results, you must first choose a variety that is frost-resistant and adapts to sudden temperature changes. And most importantly, the variety must have time to produce a harvest before the onset of frost, that is, be early ripening.
High-quality crop care will help the plant grow and mature under unfavorable weather conditions in this region.
Carrot planting technology in the Urals
Regardless of the region, the soil begins to be prepared in the fall. If the soil on the site is heavy, in the fall it is dug up with sand and neutral peat at the rate of 2.5-3 kg of peat per square meter. m. To improve the nutritional properties, wood ash is added to the soil when digging. If the soil is highly acidic, it is dug up with the addition of lime, dolomite flour, adding 0.5 kg per square meter. m.
When digging, remove all plant debris, which insect pests use as winter shelters. For disinfection, it is useful to water the soil with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. To nourish the soil during the winter, mineral fertilizers are added to it. Prepare a solution consisting of 30 g of superphosphate, 20 g of urea, 20 g of potassium sulfate in 10 liters of water, and spill the soil. The area is leveled with a rake and left until spring.
In the spring, before sowing carrots, the soil is loosened, thereby eliminating the soil crust formed over the winter. When loosening, compost or humus is added to the soil.
Rules for growing carrots in the Urals
The crop is planted when the soil warms up to a temperature of 8-10°C.. In the central and southern parts of the Urals, planting begins at the end of April. In the northern part, planting dates are delayed until mid-May. The air temperature during the day should be within +10...+15°С, at night - not lower than +5...+7°С.
At this time, the likelihood of night frosts is minimal.
In autumn, they rarely plant in the north of the Urals, since in winter the air temperature in these areas drops to -35°C. Not every variety is able to withstand such frosts.
When choosing a carrot variety, take into account for which areas of the Urals it is recommended to plant seeds.
Important! In the northern part of the Urals, autumn comes quickly, so choose a variety that will have time to ripen during the short summer.
Choose a sunny area for planting crops, which is especially important in the northern Urals, where sunny days are rare. The site should not be located in a lowland, as water will accumulate there after rains. Choose a place protected from the strong winds characteristic of the macroregion.
Carrot seeds are pre-prepared. First, strong seeds are selected, discarding deformed seeds. Then they are immersed in a container of water for two hours. During this time, empty seeds will float to the surface and are thrown away. The remaining seeds are disinfected in a solution of “Fitosporin”: 2 g of dry preparation per 1 liter of water. Then they are germinated by wrapping them in damp cloth. You can germinate in the Epin solution: 4 drops per 1 liter of water. After 5-6 days, the seeds are planted in the ground.
In the prepared area, make grooves 2-2.5 cm deep. The sprouted seeds are placed in them at a distance of 2-3 cm. 20 cm are left between the rows. The seeds are carefully sprinkled with soil, and the bed is watered with a watering can so that the stream of water does not wash away the soil. Then the surface of the soil is slightly compacted to increase the contact of the seeds with the moistened soil.
Shoots begin to appear as soon as the soil warms up to 8-10°C. In the northern Urals this happens in early June.
At first, the beds are watered with a small amount of water. every three days depending on weather conditions. As soon as the seedlings grow to 15-20 cm, watering is reduced to once a week, but made more abundant.
When the seedlings have two pairs of leaves, thinning is carried out, removing weak instances. Further thinning is carried out as the seedlings grow. A distance of 6-7 cm is left between adult plants.
Weeds are removed simultaneously with thinning and loosen the soil to improve oxygen access to the roots.
During the growth of the crop, three feedings are performed. The first is carried out 20 days after emergence. To do this, use solutions:
- 10 g of nitrophoska and 10 liters of water;
- 15 g of potassium sulfate, 15 g of superphosphate, 10 g of urea per bucket of water.
Attention! Fertilizing is carried out only on pre-moistened soil.
It is recommended to water the roots with fertilizers in the morning.
The second feeding is performed 14-20 days after the first. In this case, the main components are added: potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus. Prepare a solution consisting of 10 g of potassium sulfate, 10 g of ammophosphate and 10 liters of water.
During the third feeding, nitrogen is added by watering the crop with a solution of wood ash: 200 g of ash is poured with warm water, left for a day and watered at the root. Feeding is carried out three weeks after the second.
Reference! Nitrogen fertilizers are not used during the third feeding.
Harvest time depends on the region and variety. In the northern parts of the Urals, the crop is planted later, so the harvest dates also shift by as much as the later the variety was planted.
For the Urals, varieties that ripen before the onset of cold weather are best suited. For this purpose, biologists have developed varieties that are distinguished by early ripening and resistance to low temperatures.
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Early varieties for the Urals
Bred for cultivation in the harsh climatic conditions of the Urals carrot varieties that have time to ripen during a short summer:
Amsterdam – ripening period 90 days. Root vegetables are cylindrical in shape with a rounded tip. Vegetable length – 15-17 cm, weight – 120-150 g. The pulp is sweet, crispy. The variety does not lose its external and taste characteristics with excess moisture.Productivity – 6-7 kg per square meter. m.- Hybrid Victoria F1 (pictured) – ripening period 80 days. The root vegetables are red-orange in color, cylindrical in shape, rounded at the end, the length of the vegetables is 18-20 cm. The variety is suitable for growing in all types of soil.
- Alenka – ripens in 70-80 days. The fruits are cone-shaped with a blunt tip, smooth, 12-16 cm long. The weight of the vegetables reaches 300-400 g. The pulp is sweet, with a pleasant aroma. Excellent keeping quality.
- Boltex – ripening period – 80-88 days. Root crops are short -11-15 cm, have a cone shape. The pulp is juicy and sweet. The yield of the variety is 8-10 kg per square meter. m. Can be used for winter sowing.
Mid-season varieties for the Ural region
These varieties have medium ripening times:
Vitamin 6 – ripening period 120-130 days. The fruits are cylindrical-shaped with a rounded tip, red-orange in color, length 14-15 cm, weight 100-160 g. The surface of the vegetable is smooth, the eyes are small, the core is thin. The variety is suitable for winter sowing.- Altai shortened - a resistant variety suitable for the climate of the Urals. Ripening occurs 120 days after sowing the seeds. Cylindrical root vegetables, weight 140-150 g. Sweet taste, suitable for any dish. The variety tolerates low temperatures well. Cultivation on an industrial scale is possible.
- Callisto F1 – ripening period 90-110 days. Root crops are cylindrical in shape, length 20–22 cm, weighing 80–130 g. Small eyes on the surface. The pulp is reddish in color. The yield of the variety is 2.5–4 kg per square meter. m. Suitable for long-term storage.
- Nantes 4 – ripens in 95-110 days. Root crops are 16-17 cm long, weight 160-170 g. Productivity – 6-6.5 kg per square meter. m. The pulp is sweet, juicy. It has good keeping quality.
Late varieties
Late carrot varieties and hybrids are designed for long-term storage:
Totem F1 – ripening period 130-140 days. The root crop is cone-shaped, with a pointed tip, length 20-25 cm, weight 115-140 g. The skin and pulp are reddish in color. The pulp is juicy and crispy. Productivity – 5-6.5 kg per square meter. m.- Shantanay 2461 – ripens in 130-145 days. The fruits are smooth, tapering towards the tip. The length of the vegetables is 13-15 cm, weight 190-240 g. The core is yellow, thick, dense. Productivity 4-8 kg per square meter. m. Good keeping quality.
- Tinga F1 – ripening period 135 days. The root crop is long, the shape of a pointed cone, the skin is red-orange, the flesh is dense. The weight of vegetables is 105-125 g. The yield is 4.5-5.5 kg per square meter. m. The taste is excellent.
Other varieties of carrots:
Storage Features
In the conditions of the short and cool summer of the northern Urals, late varieties do not always have time to ripen, so Early ripening crops are more suitable for growing in the Urals. However, keep in mind that early carrots have a short shelf life. Therefore, mid-season varieties characterized by increased shelf life are sown for winter storage.
To prevent root vegetables from spoiling during storage, comply with basic requirements:
- For planting, zoned varieties are chosen, that is, recommended for specific climatic conditions.
- After harvesting, the vegetables are sorted and the tops are cut off. Damaged fruits are not suitable for long-term storage; they will begin to rot and spoil neighboring root crops.
- Root crops are dried before being placed in storage.
- It is recommended to pre-wash the storage area with disinfecting solutions and antiseptics.
- Carrots are best stored in containers filled with sand.
- The room must be well ventilated.
- The temperature is maintained at 1-4°C, humidity – 85-90%.
Stored vegetables are systematically checked. Root vegetables with areas of rot are immediately removed so that neighboring vegetables do not spoil.
If all conditions are met, carrots will be stored until the new season.
Conclusion
Planting carrots in the central and southern regions of the Urals is almost no different from growing other regions. To grow crops in the north of the macroregion, it is recommended to select carrot varieties that can withstand unfavorable climatic conditions with sudden temperature changes, recurrent frosts in the spring, cold winds, and short summers. If you follow the planting dates and growing conditions recommended for the Urals, you will receive a decent harvest of healthy vegetables.