Carrots and beets in the same garden
The key to a good harvest is timely sowing, successful selection of the variety and compliance with agrotechnical conditions. The first factor is very important for beets and carrots, as the correct sowing time promises good results.
Carrots and beets on the same bed do not get along very well together, so gardeners do not recommend sowing them side by side. Nevertheless, if you follow all the conditions, you can grow a good harvest of these vegetable crops. ABOUT compatibility these two vegetables are a lot of controversy.
When to plant carrots and beets in the same garden
- April 11th;
- May 8 or 9;
- from 12 to 17 May;
- May 27;
- June 4th or 5th.
You can sow seeds on other days, but the mentioned numbers are considered the most favorable. There are also unfavorable days, which are determined each year according to the lunar calendar. The yield depends on the sowing time, it is also affected by the variety of root crops.
Carrots and beets differ in cold resistance. Carrots are cold-resistant and tolerate frost normally with a temperature of 4-5 degrees below zero. You can sow seeds at a temperature of at least 3 degrees Celsius. The time for sowing carrots should be selected based on the variety of the root crop.
They are:
- early maturing (up to 100 days of the growing season);
- mid-season (about 120 days);
- late ripening (no more than 140 days).
Early carrots begin to be sown at the end of April, approximately from the 25th to May 1, inclusive. After these terms, it is already possible to sow mid-season varieties, sowing lasts until May 10. Starting from the second decade of May until the twenties of June, carrots are sown for long-term storage.
Planting carrots and beets will be approximately the same if you choose mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties of carrot seeds. Beets are considered moderately cold-hardy; the plant can grow at 3 degrees Celsius. It is best to plant dry seeds in the ground at a temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius. If beets are planted too early, seedlings may die in the event of a spring frost. You can sow beets earlier, at about the same numbers as early ripe carrots. But then it must be covered with a film. To store the fruits in winter, seeds can be sown from the second half of May to mid-June.
In the old days, they knew how to plant carrots and beets correctly. People were guided by changes in nature, preserving folk signs. So, carrots can be sown after the mother-and-stepmother blooms, but beets - when the aspen blooms.
How to care for carrots and beets?
Root care features include watering, weeding, feeding and pulling. Carrots and beets on the same bed need to be approached differently, since vegetables are distinguished by their exactingness in care.
The first thinning of carrots can be done after the first true leaves appear. After two to three weeks after this, the thinning must be repeated. Carrots do not need frequent watering, but they require a lot of water at a time. Weeding is also necessary, along with it, loosening can be carried out.
Not only in planting, carrots and beets differ from each other, but also in care. Beets love light, so they will yield poor harvests without weeding regularly. She needs more frequent watering, but not as abundant as for carrots.Watering should be systematic, especially when seeds are germinating. In the first month after sowing the seeds, the soil must be fertilized.
If you are wondering when to plant carrots and beets in spring, remember that you can plant beets and mid-season or late carrots at the same time. Beet root crops require more loosening. During the ripening period, two pulls will be required. The first approach falls on the time when one or two true leaves were formed. The second pulling can be carried out in two to three weeks, observing an interval of 5-7 centimeters.
Plants collected after the second thinning do not need to be thrown away, they are perfect for green salad. In addition, many gardeners use plucked beet plants for re-planting. Tear off the tip of the root and plant the beets on another bed. With proper care, you can get a good harvest. During the entire ripening time, the beets must be weeded and loosened. When the diameter of the roots reaches 3-4 centimeters, they can be eaten.
There is no single answer to the question of how to plant carrots and beets correctly. Many factors affect the yield of plants. However, the recommendations agree on one thing: if space permits, it is better not to sow these two plants next to each other. It is believed that they can change each other's taste. It is useful to plant carrots next to garlic or onions, their smell drives away pests that spoil the fruit. Beets also get along well with onions and garlic, as well as with legumes, cabbage, zucchini and cucumber.
Carrots and beets planted in a wide bed through a row of onions or garlic will grow well. If you follow the conditions for sowing seeds of carrots and beets and the conditions for caring for them, both vegetables can be grown together. The main thing is to weed and water them in time in hot weather.
Indeed, how can we reconcile cultures that require different approaches? Probably, sowing them in one time is definitely not worth it. Carrots take longer to germinate, develop slowly in the beginning, and beets will greatly interfere with their development. Maybe sow carrots, and then, after waiting for the shoots, poke the beets along the edge of the garden with seedlings? But how to water the beets with salted water? Carrots don't need it. Most likely, they should be interspersed with a row of onions per turnip. He, too, is not against salty water, pests are different, he is removed early and leaves enough space for pouring carrots and beets. And I would not sow carrots and beets nearby.