All about planting carrots in May

Carrots are one of the most unpretentious crops in terms of growing conditions; they can endure a short drought and a short cold snap. However, to get tasty and large fruits, you should adhere to the basic rules of agricultural technology. Today we will tell you about the features of planting carrots in May.

The weather in May is unpredictable - it can be hot, but return frosts can never be ruled out. Therefore, for planting in the last month of spring, the most resistant varieties and hybrids to unfavorable external factors are usually selected. They provide good fruiting and exceptional flavoring properties of the vegetable. Most often, the following varieties are planted at this time.

• "Nantes" - carrots 13–18 cm long. Easy to transport, highly keeping quality. Possesses exceptional taste and juiciness.
• "Berlicum Royal" - late-ripening variety, from sowing to harvesting of root crops takes about 4–5 months. Carrots are sweet, juicy. It has a smooth surface, due to which the root crop is quickly removed from the soil without adhering lumps of earth.
• Baby F1 - mid-season hybrid species, characterized by a high concentration of carotene. Possesses exceptional taste. It is used both for raw consumption and for preservation.
• "Children's" - belongs to the group of mid-early varieties, the harvest can be obtained within 2 months after planting. Most often it is used fresh and processed into natural juices.
• "Ripe red" - this variety is highly resistant to infectious and fungal diseases. Demonstrates high keeping quality. The length of carrots reaches 25 cm. It has a sweet taste, its application is universal.
• Napoli F1 - this hybrid was obtained by Dutch breeders, but it grows and develops well in our country. From sowing to harvesting 2-3 months pass, abundant fruiting.

The timing of planting carrots varies depending on natural and climatic factors.... In different regions, they differ by 14-21 days. Usually in the central part of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, in mid-May the weather is set as comfortable as possible for planting seeds. At this time, the average daytime temperature is kept at around 15 degrees, night - does not fall below 5 degrees. At the same time, the earth is warmed up by at least 8-10 cm in depth to a temperature of +10 degrees.

In the Kuban and other southern regions, carrots can be sown in the first half of May. In the Urals and Siberia, it will not be so late to carry out sowing work in the second half of the month and, perhaps, even at the end of spring. Carrot seeds are usually cold-resistant. Nevertheless, experienced gardeners advise to make sure that no return frosts are expected in the next two weeks, otherwise some of the seedlings will die. Many gardeners prefer to sow plants based on the lunar calendar. The influence of the earth's satellite on the growth and development of plants is divided into two stages: the Waxing and Waning Moon. It is the phases that are the basis for calculating periods favorable for planting certain crops.

It has been noticed that carrots planted on the Waning Moon emerge the fastest and grow best. It is she who contributes to the rapid growth and active formation of the underground parts of the plant, while the Growing one has a better effect on the aboveground parts.

Carrots are hard-emerging crops. Sometimes seedlings sit in the ground for up to 3 weeks before the first shoots appear.... This is due to the fact that the peel of the seeds contains a large amount of essential oils: they prevent the ingress of moisture and thereby delay the germination period. To accelerate germination, planting material must be properly prepared before being placed in the ground.

Processing includes several stages.

• Sorting - involves testing for germination. For this, the seeds are poured into a saline solution for 10-15 minutes. The material that has floated up is empty and unviable; it will not be possible to get a crop from it under any circumstances.
• Heat treatment - the seeds are soaked in water heated to 50-60 grams, and after 20 minutes they are placed in a cool liquid for a couple of minutes. This procedure is repeated three times.
• Activation - involves treatment with a growth stimulant. A good result is obtained by soaking the seedlings in a solution of "Zircon" or "Epin" for 24 hours. Such a measure will not only accelerate germination, but also increase the plant's immunity.
• Drying - after any kind of processing associated with soaking, the seeds are dried naturally, after which they are immediately planted in the ground.

It is best to keep them in a pale potassium permanganate solution for 5-10 minutes. It is not necessary to keep it longer, since in this case the seeds may become unviable. Shopkeepers do not need this measure, since the planting material is already undergoing antiseptic treatment.

To accelerate germination, seedlings are pre-soaked. To do this, they are laid out on gauze soaked in water, covered from above and kept at a temperature of 21 to 25 grams, making sure that the fabric does not dry out. Usually 5-6 days is enough for the seedlings to swell, but at the same time do not germinate. This is important, because if thin sprouts appear, then during transplantation they will most likely be damaged, and then there will be no more seedlings.

Experienced gardeners use the "grandmother's" recipe. Carrot seeds are poured into a linen bag and in early spring, when the snow begins to melt, they bury it to a depth of 10–20 cm. The earth at this time is wet, but not yet warmed up. They are kept in this form for about 2 weeks, and during these days the seedlings acquire high immunity, "get drunk" with melt water and swell. Before planting, a bag of seeds is taken out of the ground, dried and transferred to the garden bed.

When choosing a place for growing carrots, you must ensure that the following requirements are met.

• Illumination... Carrots require an area well lit by the sun's rays. If there is not enough light, then the tops will be stunted, and the vegetables themselves will be thin and tasteless. It is advisable that the sun shines on the garden throughout the day.
• Priming... Carrots grow and develop more successfully on slightly acidic or neutral lands - alkaline and acidified ones are absolutely not suitable. The maximum yield can be harvested on loams with a high sand content, as well as on sandy loam soils. On dense loam, the carrot grows too small, moreover, during storage, it begins to rot. The land should be moisture-absorbing, drained and aerated. With oxygen deficiency and high humidity, the risk of fungal infections of the culture increases significantly.

Sites with a large slope are not suitable for planting carrots.

The preparation of the garden is best done in the fall. Then, during the winter, moisture and useful additives will be absorbed into the soil and provide the maximum nutrient medium. Agrotechnics includes several steps.

• Digging of soil, removal of solid debris, stones and rhizomes of weeds. Digging is carried out to a depth of 1.5 shovel bayonets, this will allow root crops to actively grow deeper. In addition, deep plowing greatly simplifies the subsequent harvesting of carrots, since it will be easier to pull them out of the loose soil.
• In the fall, it is necessary to add sand or peat to the ground at the rate of 1 kg / sq. m. Humus or manure must be added to sandy soil. The first will also be required for infertile soils, in this case, a bucket of fertilizer is applied for each square meter. If this was not done in the fall, then you can add organics in the spring (before planting).
• If the soil is excessively acidic, then lime or chalk is added to it at the rate of 1 glass per square meter.

If the land was prepared correctly, then in the spring it will only be enough to bake it and form a bed. Planting depth is determined taking into account the weather. So:

• if the spring is wet and warm - it is better to lay seedlings shallow;
• if the spring is late, and the amount of precipitation is not happy - it is better to form the landing holes deeper.

Also, the type of substrate affects the depth of the bed:

• for chernozems, 2-3 cm will be enough;
• the depth on loams should not be more than 1–2 cm.

In this case, beds less than 1 cm deep do not need to be done, just as you should not plant seeds deeper than 3 centimeters, especially if the soil is dry. For areas with a close groundwater level, it is best to form a high bed, since excessive stagnation of moisture can lead to decay of the root crop.

The algorithm for planting carrots in May is as follows:

• for a start, a planting bed is being prepared, all weeds are removed from the ground, minerals are introduced;
• a successful day according to the lunar calendar is selected;
• grooves are formed on the selected area so that the row spacing is 15–25 cm;
• the bottom of the groove is abundantly irrigated and a little sprinkled with ash;
• after that, the seeds are laid out with a step of 10-15 cm and covered with earth.

Carrots are one of the most unpretentious crops. However, there are a number of conditions that must be adhered to, otherwise you are unlikely to get a good harvest.

• In order for the root crop to grow, it needs moisture. Do not allow the earthen coma to dry out. But it is better to avoid stagnation of moisture, otherwise the fruits will begin to rot in the ground.
• After irrigation, when the soil is covered with a crust, loosening is performed... It is required by the plant in order to ensure the flow of oxygen to the lower layers of the substrate.
• After the main part of the crops has sprouted - thin out... Remove the weakest specimens. A good root crop will not grow out of them, but they will interfere with full-fledged seedlings.
• Weeding is an obligatory stage of agricultural technology.... Any root vegetable beds must be kept clean. Otherwise, weeds will take away the necessary micro and macro elements from vegetables.
• At the stage of active growing season, feeding is optional.... However, if the plants are developing very poorly, then you can use mineral compositions or treat the land with wood ash.

The most common mistakes gardeners make when planting carrots in May include the following.

• Using old seed... The viability of carrot seeds is maintained for 3-4 years. Thereafter, it is impossible to achieve inputs, even if using a growth promoter and other activation measures.
• No loosening... After watering, the land must be loosened, otherwise the roots will suffocate.
• Predecessors... Carrots grow best after potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, as well as cucumbers and cereals.But after fennel, parsley, dill, caraway seeds and other umbrella plants, it is undesirable to plant it.
• Neighborhood... The yield of root crops increases dramatically if tomatoes, radishes or peas are grown nearby.

The plot for the sowing of carrots in May must be changed every year, returning to its original place no earlier than after 3-4 seasons. If you grow a crop in the same area again, this will lead to a sharp decrease in yield and a deterioration in the marketability of root crops.