Content
Carrots are a delicious and very healthy root vegetable. It is rich in provitamin A, which boosts immunity and is an effective antioxidant. There are many different varieties presented. To choose the right one, you need to take into account the purpose of specific root crops and the purpose of growing.
When is it worth purchasing a late variety
Carrots, depending on the variety, can be either orange or yellow, scarlet, lilac and even black. A bright reddish hue is formed due to the high content of carotene. Varieties also differ in shape, size and ripening time. If you plan to store the crop for a long time, it is better to choose one of the late-ripening carrot varieties.
The following are the main characteristics of long-term root crops.
- They ripen within 130-150 days.
- Harvesting occurs in most cases in September.
- Long shelf life without loss of taste.
In addition to varieties, you can find hybrids on display cases. Recognize them by the F1 mark. If you collect seeds of hybrids for the next season, they will no longer grow a crop with the same characteristics. Experienced gardeners recommend purchasing several types of seeds and see what the result will be.
Overview of late-ripening varieties
Compared to mid-ripening varieties, the late ones yield not so sweet fruits. As a rule, carrots grow large and are stored for a long time.
Red giant
The name was given to this variety for a reason - the roots grow very large, their length reaches 27 cm. The shape is conical, the outer surface is smooth. Root crops ripen for a long time - sometimes the period is six months. They have a mild taste and can be stored for a long time. For the best ripening, they need intensive watering and well-fertilized soil.
Flyovi
This variety ripens faster, it takes 4 months for the fruits to be ready for use. Carrots are brightly colored, cone-shaped. The maximum length is 25 cm. Root crops are universal in application. They are used for juices, salads, canning, as well as for the preparation of children's meals. They can lie in the cellar for a long time.
Red without a core
As the name suggests, root vegetables there is no pronounced core... This is a fruitful carrot, it ripens for 130 days. Fruits are crispy, sweet, smooth, rich orange. The length of one carrot is 20 cm. The variety is well kept, requires regular watering and loosened soil.
Bayadere
This carrot is characterized by bountiful harvests and unpretentious care. Root crops grow very large - about 30 cm. The color is rich orange, the outer surface is even, the shape is cylindrical. The fruits are very rich in carotene. They can be stored for a long time without loss in taste.
Vita Longa
One of the late and high-yielding varieties. Forms very large roots with dense pulp and a pleasant sweetish taste. The first crop can be harvested after 145-160 days. Carrots grow 31 cm long and 4.5 cm in diameter. It is preferable to use this variety for canning, juices or salads.It can be stored for a whole year - until a new crop is harvested.
Autumn queen
Late variety bearing cylindrical fruits. Carrots reach a length of 20-25 cm, weight up to 180 g. It has a reddish-orange hue, has a dense and juicy pulp.
MO (Special carrot)
Refers to medium-late varieties with high yields. Root crops of a conical shape, reddish-orange in color grow. They have a juicy pulp with a pleasant sweetish taste. They can be stored for a long time. The seeds of this variety can be sown during the winter.
Flacoro
This late variety bears bright orange fruits up to 39 cm long and weighing 200 g. The shape is cone-shaped, the nose is obtuse.
The emperor
Another kind of root vegetable with a blunt nose. Carrots are quite large, length is 30 cm, weight is 200 g. The pulp is orange in color with a dense structure.
Late varieties have a pleasant taste. Root vegetables can be eaten fresh or used to prepare various dishes. Most of them have a long shelf life and can last until the next harvest.
Chantenay 2461
A very common cultivar that bears cone-shaped fruits. Carrots are short and voluminous with dense orange pulp. The mass reaches 300 g, with abundant watering, root crops are harvested and 500 g each. Taste is average. Long-term storage is possible.
Basically, late varieties ripen after 120-140 days from the day the shoots appeared. They resist diseases, are more resistant to low temperatures and persist for a long time - until June.
How to keep your carrot harvest
Carrots will last until next season if stored properly. There are a number of ways to create such conditions. They do not require significant costs.
- Storing carrots in a box with fine filler... Alternatively, take a box of boards and sifted fine sand. The box is placed in a cool place, such as a cellar. Sand is poured into it with a layer of about 5 cm. Roots are laid on top of this filler at such a distance that there is no contact. After the first layer, sand is poured again, carrots are laid on top. The last batch of fruits is covered with sand. Onion peels or coniferous sawdust can be used as a filler.
- Shelter for carrot beds... Although this method will only save part of the crop, the roots will retain their characteristics perfectly. The essence of the method is as follows: when the crop is harvested, some of the carrots are left in the beds. Before the first cold weather, the tops are cut flush with the soil, sand is poured over the beds and a film is laid. Next, a layer of sawdust or other similar material is poured and covered with foil again. In such a natural cellar, carrots will keep all the cold.
- Storage in plastic bags... This method is more suitable for industrial cultivation, but you can also try at home. It is important to meet several requirements. Firstly, only root vegetables with an intact surface can be stored in this way. Before putting them in bags, they are thoroughly dried in the shade. No more than 3 kg of carrots are placed in each bag. The most important point is that the packages cannot be tied. This method will allow you to maintain an optimal moisture level so that the crop does not rot and wither.
- The last option for storing whole carrots is clay coating... First, the harvested crop is sorted and dried. Pure clay, which does not contain any impurities, is dissolved to the consistency of sour cream. The carrots are immersed in this solution. After drying, a protective film remains on the roots. In this form, the crop can be folded into cardboard boxes or wooden boxes.
Such methods will allow you to preserve the grown carrots until the end of spring - early summer. On the part of the gardener, no special labor costs are required.
How to store prepared carrots
The next method is especially interesting for gardeners who get modest yields. It's freezing.
- First, the fruit should be prepared. They are finely chopped with a combine or cut into rings.
- Prepare plastic bags. They must be new.
- Sliced carrots are laid out in bags and tied tightly (boiled if possible).
- Packages with carrots are placed in the freezer.
This method will help preserve the carrots for cooking. In this case, the root vegetables do not have to be cut before adding to the soup or side dish.
Which varieties are best kept
Some varieties may lie until the next season. Next, the most mature of the late varieties are considered.
Sweet winter
Root crops grow bright orange, cone-shaped. The variety is very productive, the growing season is up to 150 days. On average, the length of one carrot reaches 20 cm. The fruits are perfectly preserved until June, without losing either in appearance or in taste. Carrots will not crack. Versatile in application.
Olympus
Another late and high-yielding variety. Designed for long-term storage. One root crop grows up to 20 cm long, weighing 130 g. When ripe, it does not crack, it can be stored until the very end of May. The outer surface is bright orange, the flesh is firm, with a sweet taste. Carrots are versatile in use.
Dolyanka
This variety of carrots from Poland, has a high yield, under optimal conditions will lie until the end of May. The root crop reaches 25-28 cm in length, weight is about 130 g. It resists fusarium and carrot fly well.
Above, several methods have been described that will help to ensure that the crop is preserved until the new season. You can leave in the winter both whole root crops and prepared and chopped ones. The latter are stored by freezing.
The original late-ripening variety
When the word "carrot" is mentioned, a cylindrical or conical root crop of bright orange color comes to mind. In fact, among the late-ripening varieties, there are also varieties that go beyond this concept. The following is about one of them.
Yellowstone (Yellowstone)
Perhaps this is the sunniest of the late varieties of carrots. The roots are bright yellow and spindle-shaped. Their length reaches 20-25 cm, weight is about 200 g. Produces a bountiful harvest. It has a juicy pulp.
Colored carrots are a great addition to fresh salads and other homemade dishes. She will allow you to create original combinations on your table.
Secrets of growing carrots
At first glance, it might seem that growing carrots should be easy. In fact, there are nuances here, as in other areas of gardening. This root crop is quite picky about growing conditions. To get a good harvest, these features should be taken into account.
- Before planting carrots, you need to carefully prepare the soil.... They dig up the bed and fertilize it well. Humus or compost is used as a top dressing. To make the soil lighter, it is worth adding sawdust. They dig up the soil to a depth of about 35 cm. In loose soil, carrots grow more evenly. These roots are planted in rows. Therefore, grooves are prepared in the garden at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Their depth is approximately 2 cm.
- When the soil is ready, you can sow the seeds.... It is better to first pour them out of the bag into your hand, then distribute them along the grooves and cover with a layer of earth.
- After sowing carrots, it is recommended to compact the soil... You can do this directly with your hand or crush the soil with a wooden board.
- Now it remains to wait for the first shoots - they will appear within 10 days.
The carrot bed must be prepared in a sunny area. Plants require care throughout the growth period. This includes regular watering, loosening, weeding, and hilling.
Why are carrots useful?
This root crop has a fairly wide range of applications.Carrots are actively used in the kitchen: they are eaten fresh, boiled or stewed. It is also used in folk medicine and home cosmetics.
The prevalence of carrots is explained by the high content of a number of vitamins: B, C, E, K, PP. It is also rich in provitamin A. The pulp also contains minerals such as iron, phosphorus, magnesium and copper.
As you can see, carrots are an important part of a healthy diet. To preserve the harvest longer, when choosing seeds, you should pay attention to the "late" mark. Its ripening period is about 130-150 days. Many of these varieties are high yielding. It is worth considering that carrots are quite demanding on watering and soil composition. Plants will have to be taken care of throughout the entire period of growth and maturation. Under the right conditions, the harvest will last all winter until the next season.
