The generally accepted dates for harvesting carrots for winter storage begin at the end of September and end by the second half of October. At this autumn time of year, the weather is usually dry.

Harvesting carrots should not take too long. It is better to immediately put this root crop in boxes and move it for storage to an equipped cellar, unless otherwise provided for, for example, collecting carrots for sale.

If the planted carrots are intended for sale or early harvest, then the recommended time for it is the beginning of summer (June-July). In this case, the landing was supposed to take place in early spring. Such products are not recommended for further long-term storage.

Specific dates for harvesting carrots are determined depending on the general condition of the plant, the characteristics of its variety and the weather conditions of the growing area. Properly prepared for storage and packed in boxes on time, carrots will retain all their nutrients for the winter without spreading rot and disease. How to determine the exact time to harvest carrots?

Harvesting early varieties

Varietal characteristics have a direct influence on determining the timing of harvesting root crops. Today, three varieties of carrots are known: early-ripening, mid-ripening and winter. Early ripening varieties include such types of carrots as “Amsterdamskaya”, “Artek”, “Rex”, “Konservnaya” and others. The time to harvest carrots from early-ripening varieties occurs in mid-July. To begin with, only the largest and ripest root crops are collected, filling the resulting voids with earth.

This is done so that the growing carrots are protected from the carrot fly. Then, they begin to work on the remaining root vegetables, placing them in a box for long-term storage. Harvesting carrots that have not yet reached maturity may result in a spoiled harvest. Such root crops may not last until spring, because they have not had time to gain the necessary vitamins and juiciness.

Harvesting dates for mid-season carrots

For mid-season varieties such as “Blues”, “Lidiya”, “Vitaminnaya”, “Marlinka”, harvest dates begin in early September. Here it is necessary to remember that carrots grown in warm soil heated by the summer sun should not be harvested too early. Abruptly moving a vegetable into a cold cellar can worsen its appearance and nutritional properties. Such carrots can wither and even rot, leaving no hope of preserving the harvest.

Harvesting carrots that have come due will be stored throughout the winter season without any problems. It is better to harvest mid-season varieties at a lower temperature, when the air cools significantly, but not lower than +4. According to the rules, harvesting carrots of mid-season varieties should be completed before frost, so that the cold does not have time to destroy the structure of the root crop and allow rot to settle on the crop. Harvesting carrots that are properly timed will remain in boxes until spring. The main thing is to periodically sort through the harvested crop so that one rotten root crop does not spoil the entire box.

Harvest time for late varieties

Harvesting carrots whose dates are not assigned to warm weather are winter varieties. Frost-resistant “Coral”, “Perfection”, “Yellowstone”, “Flakoro” can be harvested until the end of September, when very cold nights have not taken hold in the autumn weather. It is best to harvest the entire carrot crop before frost and not risk the harvest.

It is not difficult to calculate the harvesting time for late varieties of carrots. This root crop ripens by the 80th day, and in some varieties by the 110th day after planting. It is considered the most delicious among its brothers. It is also important to remember that you should not overexpose even late types of carrots in the ground. They lose their beneficial properties, may crack and become unusable. Harvesting carrots, the timing of which will be calculated according to favorable days of the calendar, will be the best solution for storing the crop.

Nowadays, you can buy any vegetables at the market or in the store throughout the year. This statement fully applies to such an irreplaceable root vegetable as carrots. However, many, not without reason, believe that in this case one cannot be completely confident in the absolute environmental purity of the product. Therefore, most gardeners prefer to grow natural vegetables in their own plots.

However, sowing seeds and growing a vitamin crop is only half the battle. It is necessary to competently resolve the issue of harvesting orange wealth.

Basic principles for choosing harvest dates

Carrots are a crop that tolerates low temperatures well. However, you should not assume that it can remain in the ground without problems until frost. When choosing a time for cleaning, you should definitely consider several important points.

• It is not recommended to exceed the ripening time of a particular variety. Carrots kept in the ground partially lose their taste, becoming less juicy and sweet.
• The moment of onset of biological ripeness should be taken into account. This means that root crops must acquire the size and color required by the varietal characteristics. Sometimes, due to unfavorable weather conditions, biological ripeness does not occur at all. Late-ripening varieties especially often suffer from this. Then you have to harvest the carrots at the stage of technical ripeness, which is also possible, but significantly reduces the volume of the crop and its keeping quality.
• Weather conditions affect the timing of harvesting. At stable daytime temperatures in the range from +3 to +5 °C, root crops stop growing, and keeping them in the ground longer is pointless, and with frequent rains this can lead to various diseases. Autumn frosts should be a signal for immediate harvesting, otherwise the harvest may be lost.

When to harvest mid-season and late-season carrots

The cold resistance of carrots allows them to be kept in the ground even after the onset of cool autumn days. Moreover, it is even recommended to do this, since the maximum amount of useful substances accumulates in root vegetables precisely during the period of gradual decrease in the average daily temperature. In addition, it is this process that leads to the final ripening of the vegetable and an increase in its keeping quality.

All this primarily applies to late varieties, which have a growing season longer than 110 days and are most suitable for storage. They can remain in the garden all September, and sometimes until mid-October, without loss. But you should not assume that the longer a carrot sits in the ground, the tastier it is. Over-exposed vegetables become loose and much less juicy, and also run the risk of developing gray rot if there is a sudden onset of frost down to -3 °C.

Carrots whose ripeness occurs in the range from 80 to 100 days are considered mid-season. It is juicy enough for fresh salads, but is also suitable for long-term storage. Such varieties can be in the garden until the second half of September. However, it is not recommended to delay harvesting them too much, as the fruits lose their sweetness and become woody.

Timing for harvesting early carrots

Early ripening varieties begin to ripen in mid-summer. Their growing season is short and takes no longer than 80 days. Usually, early carrots begin to be harvested gradually, pulling out specimens that have reached a diameter of more than 1 cm from the ground. Such root vegetables are still very tender, but already quite sweet. They are perfect for vitamin salads and baby food, as they are very tasty and juicy when raw. The only drawback of early carrots is their complete unsuitability for storage. In addition, it is not recommended to keep such varieties in the ground, as they quickly crack and lose their delicious taste.

When harvesting gradually, do not forget to remove the holes formed after removing the root crop, as they can become a “gate” for the penetration of carrot flies. You can harvest the entire crop of early-ripening varieties at once to make room for another crop. A carrot bed is great for growing head lettuce, bush beans, or members of the cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi).

External signs to determine cleaning time

To understand when to harvest carrots, it is not enough to know the ripening time of the variety. It is necessary to carefully monitor how the bed with root crops looks. What will be the signal to start digging up the solar harvest?

• One of the main signs of fruit ripening is yellowing of the tops, especially its lower leaves.
• Another feature of fully ripened carrots is the beginning of the formation of lateral roots, which mark the readiness of the biennial plant to transition from the stage of root formation to the stage of seed formation.
• There is no point in further delaying harvesting if the carrots have reached the size, shape and color stated by the seed manufacturer.

How to properly harvest

A competent approach to harvesting will allow you to get absolutely ripe fruits, which will also be perfectly stored in appropriate conditions. To achieve this, you need to take into account several subtleties of the process.

• If you plan to dig up carrots in the near future, stop watering them. It is best to do this one or two weeks before the expected time.
• Always choose a nice day for cleaning. This will allow you to harvest drier root vegetables that store better.
• Using the lunar calendar, time the harvest to coincide with the waning moon, which will also contribute to its better preservation.
• The method of extracting carrots from the ground is also important. Short-fruited varieties are easily removed from the garden bed directly by hand, without the help of garden tools. To harvest varieties with long root crops, it is better to use a pitchfork or shovel.
• Please note that any mechanical injuries (chips, scratches or cracks) negatively affect the storage duration. They allow pathogenic microorganisms to penetrate inside the fruit, causing rotting.
• The dug carrots must be immediately freed from the tops, which are not recommended to be torn off. It is better to trim the leaves with a knife, grabbing the very top of the fruit, no more than a couple of millimeters. This will prevent the crop from germinating too early.
• Before storing, it is recommended to dry peeled root vegetables in the shade for a day, and then sort them, removing damaged and diseased specimens.
• Never store crops damaged by frost, as they will largely lose their ability to resist numerous diseases.

In September-October, summer residents actively harvest vegetables. This mostly applies to carrots and beets. There is no need to rush, since there are still many warm days in September, when active growth is underway. Each carrot variety has its own harvest time.

Rules for harvesting carrots

Early ripening carrots are harvested in mid-summer for quick use; the growing period is about 60 days. It is not stored for long, and if harvesting is late, the young root crops in the ground crack and lose their juiciness.

Harvesting medium-ripening carrots should also not be delayed; 80-110 days are allotted for its cultivation, therefore, when it “overstays” in the ground, the taste deteriorates and the flesh becomes loose. It is better not to rely on yellowing of the tops, as this sign may also indicate.

You can start harvesting late-ripening carrots in the second half of September.

Stop watering a month before harvesting to prevent the root crops from cracking.

Harvesting is necessary in dry, clear weather at a temperature of 4-6°C. If, according to forecasts, the rainy season or the beginning of night frosts begins, then it is better to harvest earlier so as not to lose most of the harvest - infection with gray rot is possible.

Dig the carrots out of the ground with a pitchfork, supporting the “tail”, clear the soil, cut off or roll the tops with your hands, leaving small stumps (1 cm) and dry in a ventilated area. If you pull root vegetables out of the ground simply by the tops, then most likely you will only have them in your hands, but if you just dig them up with a shovel, you can easily damage the vegetable. Install the forks strictly vertically, 5 cm from the row. Do not leave carrots and tops to dry in the garden bed, as once they are dug out of the ground, they will fight for life and pull nutrients from the root crop.

Methods for storing carrots in the cellar

Healthy, undamaged root crops are stored for storage. The rest are immediately discarded. Carrots are placed in boxes filled with damp sand in a 5 cm layer or in plastic bags without tying them. Lay in rows so that they do not touch. Installed in dry basements where the temperature is constant, within +2°C.

You can store carrots in pine sawdust, then the phytoncides contained in the needles will also protect the root crops from fungal diseases. Dried onion and garlic peels will play the same role.

If you store carrots in bags, scatter fluff lime nearby, which will draw in excess moisture.

It is also possible to store carrots in the cellar in sphagnum moss. This material is lightweight and will not weigh down the boxes. Do not wash the carrots and dry them for 24 hours; alternate layers.

The temperature difference between the basement and the street should be minimal. You cannot dig up carrots at 15-20°C and store them at +2°C. You need to wait until the outside temperature drops and the carrots stop growing. At this time, the root crop has an intensive increase in sugar.

For a novice summer resident, we advise you to pull out a few carrots before harvesting to determine the level of ripeness.

Storing carrots at home

It is not always possible to store carrots in the basement (cellar). But this does not mean at all that its absence does not provide an opportunity to enjoy your harvest in winter.

It is also possible to store carrots at home:

1. As a freezer for the winter. You can grate it, cut it into slices, halves as an independent product or in a set with other vegetables, getting a wonderful vegetable set for the winter.
2. Wrap each washed root vegetable separately in cling film and store in the refrigerator in vegetable drawers.

You will learn another interesting way to store carrots in winter from the following video.

It would seem that harvesting carrots is such a simple task that even a small child can cope with it. Pull yourself ripe root vegetables from the garden and tear off the tops. But if everything were so simple, gardeners would not have so many questions about harvesting carrots, the timing of harvesting, and the technology for storing root crops.

But the taste of root crops, their appearance and ability for long-term storage largely depend on how timely and how carefully the carrot harvest is harvested. If you want to get sweet, vitamin-rich, beautiful and smooth carrots that are resistant to various types of rot, you need not only to sow the seeds at the right time and provide the seedlings with proper care, it is also important not to miss the time of harvesting the carrots, dig them up without causing harm to the root crops, and prepare properly for winter storage.

Gardeners usually dig carrots the old fashioned way - by hand with a shovel.

Gardeners usually dig carrots the old fashioned way - by hand with a shovel. In large farms, preference is given to mechanized carrot harvesting using various harvesting equipment. Let's take a closer look at the methods and technologies used to harvest carrots.

Video about proper carrot harvesting

Traditional hand picking of carrots

First of all, you need to correctly determine depending on what varieties you sow. Early-ripening varieties can be harvested after sowing after 2 months, mid-ripening - after 3 months, and late-ripening - after about 4 months. When harvesting carrots intended for winter storage, it is important to choose the time so that enough useful vitamins have already accumulated in the root crops, but the carrots have not yet had time to crack or rot from being in the soil for a long time and frosts. A sure sign that you can start harvesting is yellowed tops.

The technology for harvesting carrots is simple:

• remove dried lower leaves from plants so that they do not interfere with digging up and pulling out root crops;
• dig up the carrots with a shovel, holding the blade strictly vertically and placing it in the ground 5 cm from the row so as not to accidentally damage the root crops;
• holding the carrots to the ground with your hand, gently pull them out by the tops with your other hand;
• Place the pulled out root vegetables along the row so that the dirt on them dries a little;
• When you finish digging up the carrots, lightly clean off the soil and cut off the tops.

You should not dig up root crops immediately after rain, otherwise they may crack and become unsuitable for long-term storage.

The most favorable days for harvesting carrots are the end of September, when the weather has been dry for a long time. You should not dig up root vegetables immediately after rain, otherwise they may crack and become unsuitable for long-term storage. It is also not recommended to leave dug carrots along with the tops on the garden bed, since the tops will draw nutrients from the root crop. Immediately place carrots with cut tops in storage boxes.

Machine methods for harvesting carrots

Enterprises specializing in growing carrots on an industrial scale harvest the crop mechanically using various types of combine harvesters. The timing of carrot harvest varies and depends on the onset of full maturity of the root crops - ripe carrots do not darken from a long stay in the fresh air.

Video about machine methods of harvesting carrots

Before mechanical harvesting, the carrot tops are removed with a topper, and the crops are cleared of weeds. Weed removal is especially important when harvesting with a pull-type machine, as it automatically tracks the row of plants and may veer to the side due to growing weeds.

Before mechanical harvesting, carrot tops are removed with a topper, and the crops are cleared of weeds.

Essentially, mechanical harvesting of carrots is done in two ways: lifting type machines And potato diggers, adapted for harvesting carrots. The first option gives good results when collecting elongated root crops with strong tops. The second option is more suitable for short, thick root vegetables (Chantane); when harvesting other varieties, the carrot skin is often damaged.

Carrots: terms and rules for harvesting

Harvesting and storing carrots

Carrots are healthier the longer they remain in the garden, because... It is on autumn days that nutrients and vitamins intensively accumulate in it. And at the same time, of all the root crops, perhaps carrots, more than other vegetables, depend on the correct choice of harvesting time, both the size and quality of the harvest, and the safety of the root crops in winter.

To solve this issue - it’s time to remove the carrots or leave them in the ground for another 10-15 days, you need to dig the root crop out of the ground. If the carrot is overgrown with small roots, then it’s time, otherwise the rodents will get to it before us.

Early ripening carrots are usually harvested selectively as needed. In this case, larger root crops are pulled out first to improve growing conditions for neighboring plants. In this case, it is necessary to immediately fill with soil all the voids formed after the plant was pulled out in order to protect the “neighbors” in the garden from the carrot fly.

But many gardeners remove early-ripening carrots completely at once to make room for re-sowing other vegetables. After early carrots, bush beans, head lettuce, cauliflower, kohlrabi and broccoli are successfully grown.

Popular wisdom says: “On Cornelius (September 24), the root in the ground does not grow, but freezes.” One must act in accordance with this sign, i.e. Harvest the main crop of carrots of mid- and late-ripening varieties at the end of September, focusing on weather conditions.

You already know that carrots are a cold-resistant crop and that it gives the most intensive increase in yield (up to 40-45%) at the end of August and September during a period of gradual decrease in average daily temperature. This is facilitated by the rapid outflow of nutrients from the leaves into the roots at a temperature of 7-8°C.

Biological ripeness of root crops occurs after the end of intensive growth when they reach the shape and color typical for a given variety. But under unfavorable conditions, at very high or low temperatures during the period of root crop formation, biological ripeness of carrots may not occur, and then the root crops have to be harvested at the stage of technical ripeness.

For various reasons, sometimes it is necessary to harvest carrots on the site in the first half of September. But, as you already understand, this leads to a large crop shortage and the production of small, not fully ripened root crops, which quickly wither and are poorly stored.

The most favorable time for harvesting carrots on our plots should be considered the end of September. When harvesting at this time, you will get the maximum harvest of carrots, which will be stored well in winter.

Further prolonged delay in harvesting does not have a positive effect, because if the daytime air temperature does not rise above 4-5°C, then the outflow of nutrients from the leaves to the roots practically stops and the carrots stop growing. Carrot roots in the soil tolerate a short-term decrease in temperature to -3...-5°C. But if you dig them out of the ground, they cannot tolerate even the mildest frosts.

Harvesting carrots should only be done in good weather. Varieties with short and semi-long root crops are easily pulled out of the ground by hand, but when harvesting long root crops, you cannot do without a fork or shovel.

At the same time, we must not forget that carrots are very sensitive to mechanical damage. Therefore, when harvesting carrots, transporting and storing them, it is necessary to carefully follow the generally accepted rules: avoid blows, breaks, scratches and other mechanical damage to carrots, because Root crops do not heal well such damage, through which rot pathogens penetrate into the root crops.

You cannot leave the tops uncut for a long time, because... the leaves, quickly evaporating moisture, will cause the root crops to wither, which will sharply reduce their resistance to diseases during storage. There is no need to completely clear the root crops from the soil. You should also not wash them, as this can accelerate the development of diseases. It is also impossible to keep collected carrots in heaps in the garden for a long time, because... Root crops quickly wither and become unsuitable for winter storage.

How to remove tops? Do not tear it off by twisting it with your hands. Just cut with a knife. If you leave small petioles, then closer to spring tops will begin to grow on the root crops, which will not only reduce the weight of the carrots, but will also sharply worsen its nutritional value. Therefore, cut the root vegetables with a knife along the line of the dormant eyes, i.e. cut off the top by 1-2 mm. In this case, the tops will not germinate during storage.

Immediately after cutting the tops, the root crops must be removed under a canopy and lightly ventilated before placing them in boxes. Then the root crops are sorted, removing diseased, damaged and soft ones. They are used immediately for food or for processing, without leaving them for winter storage. Then the carrots selected for winter storage must be kept in a dark and cool room for 5-6 days so that they are well cooled, and only then the already cooled carrots can be stored in the basement.

Harvesting carrot root crops must be completed before the onset of cold weather, since root crops damaged by frost lose resistance to pathogens. During temporary storage, root crops are covered with a layer of soil of 15-20 cm. They cannot be covered with straw or tops, since after harvesting they release a lot of moisture. Therefore, when straw and tops are moistened, conditions are created for the development of diseases.

Harvesting and storing carrots

Carrots are a much more demanding crop than potatoes when harvesting, transporting and winter storage. It is very sensitive to mechanical damage and does not heal damage well, which is what causes various diseases to develop in the first place. Carrot roots that are frozen and withered in the sun are also poorly stored.

There is no need to try to thoroughly clean the root crops from the soil, as this will cause mechanical damage. You should also not wash them before storing them, as this accelerates the development of diseases.

The prepared carrots are placed in boxes and left to cool for 5-6 days. And only after this the well-chilled root vegetables are transferred to storage, because When cooled, carrots go into a dormant period more easily and consume less nutrients.

Many gardeners lightly spray the root crops with an aqueous infusion of onions before storing them. To do this, pour 200 g of onions into 10 liters of hot water and leave for 24 hours. But after this treatment, the carrots must be thoroughly dried.

Only healthy, not wilted or frozen products can be stored in the basement. At the same time, it is advisable to store root crops of different ripening periods separately by variety.

Carrots are root vegetables that require demanding storage conditions. In addition, it is more likely than other crops to become infected with diseases through the air. Unlike other root vegetables, it is very sensitive to increases in temperature in the basement, especially during the initial period of storage.

That is why many gardeners are well acquainted with the feeling of annoyance when they put away perfectly healthy carrots for storage in the fall, and in the winter most of the crop was “eaten” by rot.

Even with a very slight increase in the temperature in the storage to 4°C and a decrease in air humidity, the biological dormancy of the carrots is disturbed, and it begins to germinate and at the same time wither, which sharply reduces the shelf life of root crops. Therefore, both the storage and root crops must be cooled immediately after storing the products to the optimal temperature of 0...1°C, and when stored together with potatoes to 1...2°C. The preservation of carrots is also positively affected by the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the air (3-5%).

Carrots are also very sensitive to air humidity, which must be constantly high (90-95%), otherwise the root crops may wither and lose their resistance to disease. Typically, during storage, carrots begin to deteriorate from the bottom of the root crop.

There is no consensus on how best to store carrots in storage. Carrots are often stored in tight boxes, sprinkled with a small layer of wet sand on top. Filled with carrots, such boxes can be stacked up to 2 m high.

The humidity of the sand should be such that when squeezed in your hand, water does not ooze out of it, but the sand lump retains its shape. The sandy environment reduces the evaporation of moisture from root crops, ensures an even temperature, and the accumulation of carbon dioxide released by root crops, which has a beneficial effect on their preservation.- as if preserves them.

Sand also protects against diseases, including such dangerous ones as various rots. This is especially important for carrots, since they are the most difficult to store of all root vegetables.

To prevent the development of diseases, it is advisable to add chalk or well-slaked lime to the sand in an amount of 1-2% of its volume. Poorly slaked lime mixed with wet sand can cause carrot burns, so you need to carefully monitor the quality of the lime. Next year, the sand must be replaced with fresh sand.

Carrots do not fade and are stored well in small stacks on the floor or shelves. Root crops are laid in rows in the form of a truncated pyramid, placing them with their heads outward so that they do not touch each other. In this case, each row is sprinkled with a layer of wet sand of 2-3 cm, on top and along the edges the thickness of this layer is adjusted to 5 cm.

As the top layer of sand dries, it must be moistened. In order to maintain the strength of such a “pyramid,” it should not be laid in more than 7 layers. For 100 kg of carrots, an average of 3-4 buckets of sand are consumed.

But this method is very labor-intensive and requires a lot of space for sand. In addition, not all gardeners have sand. This sand must be changed or calcined every time in order to destroy the pathogens of Phoma and gray rot. Therefore, now many gardeners store carrots in plastic bags with a capacity of 40-50 kg (sugar bags), tied at the top with a rope. It is advisable to make 10-15 holes with a diameter of 1 cm in them to allow excess carbon dioxide to escape.

In such bags, almost optimal relative air humidity is created, as well as the necessary amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide (up to 4%), which promotes long-term preservation of root crops, suppressing the development of phytopathogenic organisms.

Bags filled with carrots can be placed vertically with the top open without tying or poking holes. But if such a bag is accidentally closed, then excess carbon dioxide quickly accumulates in it, the oxygen content drops, and after 2-3 weeks the carrots begin to rot.

Coating or claying of carrots gives good results. To do this, root vegetables are placed in a creamy clay mash or lime milk, and then dried with increased ventilation. Having dried on root crops, clay or lime forms a thin crust, which protects carrots well from wilting and various diseases. These carrots are then placed in boxes.

Dry dusting of carrot roots with chalk is also widely used at the rate of 150 g of chalk per 10 kg of carrots. At the same time, the chalk layer formed on the surface of root crops creates a slightly alkaline environment, which prevents the development of diseases.

Carrot roots are well preserved if they are sprinkled with an aqueous infusion of onion peels before laying or sprinkled with such peels. They also stay juicy and healthy when thrown into the bin with the potatoes.

You can store carrots in the basement and in ordinary plastic bags with a capacity of 2-3 kg. To do this, they are filled with chilled carrots and immediately transferred to storage. The carrots are covered with wet sand on top. Opened bags are placed in 3-4 rows.

In winter, if diseased root crops are found, they are removed, and hands must be washed with a solution of potassium permanganate or soap before touching healthy root crops. If white rot develops significantly when storing carrots in the basement, it is advisable to temporarily reduce the air humidity by using fluff lime.

Recently, some gardeners have begun to use sphagnum moss, which is harvested in August, to store carrots. It is dried to a moisture content of approximately 7% (such moss is almost dry to the touch) and the potatoes are layered. When stored in this way, root crops do not get sick, do not wither, are not damaged by mice, and the air in the basement is free of the smell of dampness and rot.

When storing carrots in piles or trenches, the root crops are layered with light loamy soil and covered with a layer of straw up to 60 cm thick. Then the soil is first covered with a layer up to 20 cm thick, and before the onset of frost, the thickness of the soil layer is brought to 35-40 cm.

When harvesting carrots in the fall, some gardeners leave a few plants to overwinter in the bed for spring use, sprinkling the top of the bed with peat or dry leaves. But this can only be done in areas where the soil is not infested with wireworms or mole crickets. This- a very good old-fashioned way to preserve carrots until spring.

Carrots dug from the soil in the spring are as fresh and juicy as those dug in the fall. However, such storage of carrots is only possible if they are not damaged by pests and diseases and are well protected from rodents, for whom fresh carrots are a real delicacy.

But carrots must be well prepared for wintering in the garden. Before the onset of real frosts, it must be covered with dry leaves or peat chips and laid on top with spruce branches. Then you need to cover it with snow, compacting it slightly. And at the end of winter, you need to make sure that the snow stays on the garden bed until spring.

Well, if you don’t have a basement, then a small amount of carrots (8-10 kg) can be stored in a cardboard box. To do this, carrots are placed in rows as tightly as possible and for every 15-20 carrots, one medium horseradish rhizome is placed, which prevents diseases and promotes long-term storage of carrots. The same result is achieved by using large perforated plastic bags. A box or bag of carrots should be placed in the coldest place in the room and checked occasionally to remove root crops with signs of rot.

V. Shafransky

(Gardener No. 50, December 24, 2009)

Carrots: terms and rules for harvesting

With carrots, everything is complicated and simple at the same time; for some vegetable growers it’s simple, for others, probably more responsible ones, it’s difficult. The first are simply confident that carrots can be harvested literally at any time, stretching this period right up to mid-October, because carrots are not afraid of frost! Others are confident, and not without reason, that when harvesting carrots, you must be guided by certain deadlines, otherwise the carrots in storage will begin to rot or will acquire a completely non-carrot taste and will become hard like wood.

Let's figure out who is right. Timely harvesting of carrot roots will have a positive effect on the shelf life of the fruit and their nutritional properties, but early or prolonged harvesting can ruin both.

So, what factors influence the timing of carrot harvesting? This, of course, is the type of variety - early-ripening, mid-ripening or late-ripening carrots, as well as the purposes for which the root crops are actually grown, the appearance and condition of the plants, and, of course, the weather outside the window.

Previously, it was believed that the best time to harvest carrots was before mid-September. Supposedly, after mid-September, the beds should already be free of carrots, and the soil should rest. This makes sense, for example, when the average daily temperature drops to four degrees Celsius, the growth of root crops completely stops, and if the mercury in the thermometer drops below zero degrees, then there is a high probability that the root crops will slowly begin to rot. It is clear that such root crops will either last for a very short time or not at all. Taking this into account, it is advisable to remove root crops from the site before the onset of autumn frosts, which means that the limit is not mid-September, but its end. If you rush and dig the root crops out of the soil too early, they may begin to wither primarily due to the temperature change - from warm soil to a cold cellar. Of course, now we are talking about late varieties, but if we are talking about mid-season cultivars, then the optimal digging time can be calculated based on the ripening period indicated on each packet of seeds, that is, on average from 80 to 100 days. Of course, there are additional signs indicating the ripening of root crops - these are yellowed lower leaves. If you notice this phenomenon in a mid-season variety of carrots and the deadlines have already approached, so to speak, then it is completely pointless to keep it in the soil longer, this will not lead to an increase in yield, but it may spoil the taste of the fruit.

As for carrots that are characterized by early ripening, or those that were sown before winter, they are harvested at the height of summer, and they are not stored, but are added to marinades and various summer salads to improve their taste and increase their vitamin content. Such carrots are harvested as soon as their diameter reaches one centimeter, tied into bunches and stored for a short time in a regular household refrigerator. It is impossible to keep early carrots in the soil, they will lose their taste and their appearance will deteriorate, and they may become completely covered with cracks, that is, they will become completely unusable.

So, we have more or less figured out the timing, let's now decide how best to harvest the carrots. This vegetable is not difficult to harvest; if you have varieties growing on your plot that form medium and short root crops, then you can do it with your own hands; you can simply pull the root crops out of the soil, holding them by the tops. Long carrots will definitely have to be dug up; removing them completely from the ground is difficult. For digging, use either a pitchfork or a bayonet shovel; the main thing is to choose the right distance to the root crop and try not to damage it. Usually it is enough to just slightly raise the soil, and the root crops will easily come out of it, as soon as you pull them by the tops.

So, we have extracted the carrots, then the opinions of gardeners again differ. Some argue that after digging up carrots, they can be left together with the tops directly on the site for two or three days so that the nutrients from the tops pass into the root crops, while others advise tearing off the tops immediately. In fact, the latter are right; nutrients are more likely to move from the root crop to the tops, but not vice versa. In addition, the tops will also draw out some of the moisture from the root crop, wilting it.

Taking this into account, immediately after digging up all the carrots from the plot, you need to wait several hours until the soil on the surface of the root crops dries, after which the tops can be cut or torn off by hand, leaving a small part, about one and a half centimeters long.

Such a simple process sometimes significantly increases the shelf life of root crops, because the tops do not tend to germinate, thereby leading to the loss of some nutrients and moisture by the root crops.

Do not forget that root crops of late varieties of carrots will be stored well and for a long time, free from damage and signs of rot, so you need to handle them as carefully as possible. If there is a lot of soil on the root crop, then you cannot shake it off by tapping the root crops against each other or cleaning them with something hard; the carrots should be wiped with your hand or a soft, dry cloth. Never wash root vegetables before storing them; it’s better to let them be dirty than wet.

N. V. Khromov , Candidate of Biological Sciences