Carrots, whether orange, yellow, red or purple, and whether round, semi-long or long, are essential to any balanced plate. Their sweet flesh is enjoyed at all stages of the meal, making carrots a versatile and essential vegetable all year round.
Sow in your vegetable garden from February to November to enjoy a harvest of healthy and tasty vegetables all year round. When and how to proceed?
When to sow carrots?
You should know that there are several sowing periods depending on the desired harvest periods:
- THE carrotscarrots sown early in seasonseason are called “primeur”;
- carrots sown and harvested throughout the summer, sold with stems, are called “seasonal”;
- Late-sown carrots are called “preservation” or “guard”.
Carrots can be sown from February to July and harvested from May to November. In cold areas, you can start already in February, under a frame or tunnel, installed directly in the vegetable garden. In open ground, without protection, start in March.
Sowing can also be done in October and November to harvest the following spring (a season popular with gardeners in the south of France). Cold-resistant varieties such as ‘Eskimo’, ‘Colmar à Cœur Rouge 2’ or ‘Longue Lisse de Meaux’ will be recommended. These canned carrots can be stored in a dark room and outside freezefreeze.
Did you know ?
Early carrots of the varieties ‘Marché de Paris’, ‘Bellot’ or ‘Nantaise’ are sown from February, under a warm layer, and can be harvested from April.
Step by step, there are several steps to follow to successfully sow carrots:
- Choose an exposed corner of the vegetable garden sunsun or slightly shaded. When you want to sow carrots, it is essential to cultivate the soil. You need to work it deep to soften it and remove any obstacles that may prevent these roots from developing properly, such as stones or roots. Soil that is too rocky will result in crooked carrots. This root vegetable appreciates well-worked soil to a depth of about 30 cm and light with the addition of soil. sandsand If needed. Use a rake to improve the soil.
- Followed by location tracking. Draw furrows approximately 1 cm deep along the line directly on the spot in the vegetable garden. To do this, take the snake or the handle of the tool and follow the line. If you are sowing multiple rows of carrots, space them at least 25 cm apart.
- Prepare the seeds. Mix the seeds with sand to spread them evenly in the furrow, as they are very fine and at risk of being sown packagepackage. With a seed drill, seed distribution will be better. Cover the furrow with soil and smother lightly.
- Finally, sprinkle with gentle rain using a hose equipped with a gun, a hose microporousmicroporous or a watering can with an apple. You will need to maintain constant humidity, with regular watering, without soaking the soil.
- Sell the hoe regularly to break it barkbark on the surface and remove any weedsweeds so that the lines are always clean.
- In the case of strong heatheat mulch the base in summer to keep it fresh.
Finally, thin out the plants
Losing weight, a necessary step to have a beautiful carrot. Here are some valuable tips:
About a month after sowing, the young plants are approximately 5 cm high and have 4 to 5 leaves. You notice that the seedlings are tightly packed in the rows. It will therefore be necessary to do thinning, that is, leave only one plant for every 5 cm. In this way, the remaining places will be used for the proper development of carrots.
Water the rows before thinning the carrots, this will make the operation easier. Unlike young beet plants, young carrot plants do not transplant. If you try the experiment, the regrowth will be random.
What are the benefits of carrots?
Carrots offer a number of health benefits due to their nutritional profile. Here are some of their benefits:
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Wealth in nutrientsnutrients : carrots are an excellent source vitamin Avitamin A in the form |56a5e931b1f07aee860531a74ef82598|-carotenecarotenewhich is essential for the health of vision, skin and immune systemimmune system.
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AntioxidantsAntioxidants : are rich in antioxidants such as carotenoidscarotenoidswhich help protect cells from damage free radicalsfree radicalsthereby reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
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Good for digestiondigestion : Carrots are rich in fiber, which supports good digestion and contributes to the proper functioning of the digestive system.
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Supports cardiovascular health: regular consumption of carrots can help reduce cholesterolcholesterol and improve cardiovascular health thanks to their fiber and antioxidant content.
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Regulation blood sugarblood sugar : The fiber in carrots helps regulate blood sugar levels, which may be beneficial for people with diabetes diabetesdiabetes or prediabetes.
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Promotes skin health: Vitamin A in carrots supports healthy skin by aiding in cell regeneration and helping to prevent problems skinskin Asacneacne and wrinkles.