Carrot Queen of Autumn justifies its name due to its leadership among late varieties of carrots, which are appreciated by gardeners for high yields, good taste, appearance and long shelf life.
Description of the variety and its characteristics
The Queen of Autumn carrot variety belongs to the group of late-ripening crops. Harvesting begins in mid-October.
A plant with a spreading leaf rosette with medium leaves of light green color.
The fruits have a regular elongated shape and a length of up to 30 cm.The mass of an individual vegetable ranges from 160 to 200 g.
The pulp has a traditional orange tint and characterized by density, juiciness and sweetness.
The sugar level in carrots varies from 6 to 11%, and the carotene value per 100 g of product ranges from 10 to 17 g.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Queen of Autumn
When describing the variety, its advantages should be outlined, thanks to which the plant deserves its place in the garden:
- abundant yield, which, under favorable growing conditions, is 9 kg / m2;
- intensive germination of planting seeds and amicable ripening of fruits;
- the attractiveness of the appearance of vegetables and the superiority of taste;
- resistance to cracking while ensuring uniform correct watering;
- good immunity to various diseases of fungal and infectious origin;
- long-term preservation without loss of taste, subject to proper storage;
- a universal product, it is consumed fresh, stewed, juices, mashed potatoes are prepared and used for preparations for the winter.
Besides the positive characteristics there are some disadvantages, which include:
- shaping of root crops of different sizes;
- difficulty in extracting long fruits from dense soil;
- insufficiently saturated color of vegetables.
The main secrets of growing carrots
To obtain the maximum yield of the Queen of Autumn vitamin root crops, it is necessary to adhere to certain planting and care rules, while taking into account all the characteristics of the variety.
Preparing the soil for planting
It is necessary to start preparing the soil in advance so that the sowing of carrot seeds in the ground is successful.
Carrots prefer light, permeable, fertile soil... Heavy soil forms a crust that impedes the germination process and can cause deformation of root crops.
The place for the carrot bed should be even and illuminated during the whole daylight hours by direct sunlight. Cucumbers, cabbage, potatoes, and onions are considered good predecessors.
The land on the selected garden plot needs dig it up in late autumn, fertilizing it with nutrients... In the spring, repeat the procedure to create optimal conditions for the placement of seeds.
Several weeks before planting equip the soil with ash and humus... You do not need to add fresh manure to the ground, since the culture does not tolerate its acidity.
Also, do not fertilize with nitrogen-based products, this can cause the rapid accumulation of a huge amount of nitrates by root crops.
Seed preparation technology
Of particular importance in the agricultural technology of carrots are high quality seeds and their preparation for sowing.
Therefore, you need to choose high-quality planting material and for quick germination, soak them in warm water for 24 hours, changing it every three hours.
Then Rinse the seeds well and refrigerate for stratification.
Sowing rules
Sowing seeds should be carried out in late May or early June. in temperate climates. In southern latitudes, planting is recommended in mid or late June, where October is not threatened by frosts.
Landing consists in carrying out the following operations:
- Form grooves no more than 1-2 cm deep and water the soil well. The distance between the rows should be at least 15 cm for convenient crop care.
- Sow the planting material to a depth of 0.5-1.0 cm, sprinkle with earth and compact a little.
When performing all cultivation techniques, the crop ripens in 117-130 days after sowing the seeds.
A set of measures for the care of a vegetable crop
Careful care will help you achieve stable yields. To do this, you must perform the following activities:
- regularly remove weeds and loosen the beds to saturate the soil with moisture and prevent crust formation;
- water sparingly at all stages of plant development, which will allow vegetables to form smooth, juicy and sweet;
- thin out with utmost care as the tops grow, so as not to damage the root system of the remaining plants;
- feed the carrots with fertilizersusing organics and minerals.
Diseases and their prevention
Despite the fact that the variety has excellent disease resistance, the likelihood of disease damage and mass reproduction of pests should not be ruled out, but all the necessary measures to protect the plant should be carried out in a timely manner.
At the time of growth and after harvest, the crop is most often exposed to harmful microorganisms. The most dangerous are infectious and fungal diseases that cause rotting and deterioration of the fruit.
Preventive measures that help to cope with diseases: crop rotation, timely sowing, the addition of potash fertilizers, loosening the soil, eliminating plant residues in autumn.
Insidious root pests are the carrot fly and its larvae... The appearance of a bronze tint on the leaves signals their appearance. Damaged carrots become bitter, crumbly and unusable.
To prevent the occurrence of this pest, it is necessary to constantly loosen the beds, to prevent stagnant water and shading. And if a problem is found, destroy it by spraying with insecticides.
Harvesting and storage of crops
Timely harvesting will have a positive effect on the shelf life of the root crop. Therefore, for this it is necessary:
- correctly determine the harvest time, since unripe carrots are prone to rotting, and overripe ones are subject to the influence of parasites
- a few days before harvest, reduce the amount of irrigationthat will help preserve the sweetness and juiciness of carrots;
- choose a fine sunny day and harvest by hand or dig in with a shovel, carefully removing the clod of earth along with the roots, and then pulling them out one by one at the tops;
- do not peel vegetables from soil and do not wash them, as this can accelerate the development of diseases;
- carefully cut off the tops with a knife below the growth point by 0.5 cm, since the greens not only reduce the weight of the carrots by absorbing their juices, but also greatly impair their nutritional value;
- after trimming, dry the roots and placed in a dark place at a temperature of 10-14̊ C for 15 days, this will enable the fetuses to heal the damage, and to reveal defects for sick specimens;
- after the expiration of the specified time, sort the harvested crop, removing damaged, diseased and soft specimens;
- after all the processes have been completed, you can start laying the crop for storage.
The product must be stored under certain conditions. The ideal storage is a cellar or basement., which follows:
- maintain a constant temperature in the range from 0 to 5̊ С;
- organize optimal humidity 90-95%.
Such conditions will help preserve root crops until the next harvest without loss of quality.
Choosing the Queen of Autumn variety is considered an ideal solution for both experienced and novice gardeners who want to get a generous harvest of carrots and keep them throughout the winter.
Since fresh and juicy vegetables are not only a tasty treat, but also a natural source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.