When to plant carrots in the Leningrad region
Sweet and tasty, juicy and crunchy - all this is her favorite carrot. Sowing carrots is not the easiest thing, but it can captivate the gardener and bring him great fruits of his labor.
Soil preparation
Soil fertility Is another important factor. It is necessary to saturate the soil with nutrients one year before sowing. To do this, it is advisable to dig up the site in the fall and at the same time apply organic fertilizers. In the spring, it is enough just to harrow the ground and level it with a rake.
If fertilizers were not applied in the fall, then this should be done when planting. Humus is best suited for these purposes, which must be applied in an amount of up to 4 kg per 1 sq. M. You can add a small amount of phosphate and potash fertilizers. If the soil is too acidic, then it would be useful to add lime, ash or ground bone meal, as well as egg shells.
Sowing time
If a gardener is wondering when to plant carrots in the Leningrad Region, then only the weather can be the best answer. The average temperature outside should reach 8 degrees. By the way, carrots are considered a cold-resistant plant, and therefore they can endure a 4-degree cold, but they are still afraid of night frosts. In the Leningrad region, this period usually falls in mid-April. Later planting has its drawbacks, the main one being a decrease in the amount of moisture in the soil. In addition, early planting will save the plants from damage by parasites, especially carrot flies, which love to feast on seeds.
Seed preparation
It is very important to know how to prepare carrot seeds for planting. In no case should unprepared seeds be poured directly onto the garden bed, since this method will almost completely negate all the gardener's efforts. So, the seeds must be soaked in water at room temperature for about three days. The carrot seeds themselves are quite small, but after a few days spent in water, they swell strongly and become ready for planting in open ground. After that, the seeds must be slightly dried for several hours.
How to properly plant carrot seeds
So, the site is already fully prepared. It is necessary to make grooves on it. The depth of the furrow depends on the type of soil and the sowing weather. In dry weather on light soil, sufficient depth is 3-4 cm, but in rain conditions, and even on heavy soil, the grooves should be less deep, and therefore 1.5-2 cm is quite enough for normal seed germination. The distance between the grooves should be 15 to 20 cm.
Carrot seeds fall asleep in these grooves densely and densely. The grooves must now be closed and slightly compacted. Immediately after planting, it is necessary to water the entire bed with settled water. You can cover the beds with any covering material, and then the first shoots will appear not in two weeks, but somewhat earlier.
Thinning. Timing
Perhaps this is the main requirement for the correct cultivation of carrots. It is necessary to thin out carrots twice a season.
- The first thinning is done when the carrots have three to four leaves. It is necessary to remove the weakest plants, leaving a distance between the remaining 3 cm. The aisles must be loosened up in order to allow the plant's root system to develop in all directions.
- The second thinning should be done after half a month. Now the distance between plants should be from 4 to 6 cm. Do not be afraid to pull out carrot seedlings, otherwise the crop will be small, ugly and weak.
Planting carrots with tape
Experienced gardeners know how to grow carrots in the country without much hassle. In this case, they use special reel tapes purchased in stores. Carrot seeds are already glued to the tape after a certain distance. Under the influence of moisture, the tape will completely dissolve in the soil, and the carrot seeds will grow in normal density. Thinning of carrots is not required in this case.
Additional care
Water the carrots regularly, but not too often. A couple of weeks before harvesting is planned, watering must be completely stopped. It is also necessary to spud carrots several times per season. This procedure helps shade the roots and thus avoids sunburn. Top dressing for carrots is permissible only in the form of weak solutions of mineral fertilizers. By the way, the taste and density of the root crop largely depends on the presence of potassium, but you should not get carried away with nitrogenous fertilizers. The last feeding should be in mid-July.