Carrot Queen of autumn: variety description, sowing, care, storage
Content:
The article describes in detail the Queen of Autumn carrots: a description of the variety, planting rules, care, recommendations for proper storage.
The queen of autumn stands out from them for her taste properties, neat appearance and gives an extremely high yield. The variety is boldly called one of the best varieties of carrots from more than two hundred known varieties for growth in temperate climatic zones of Russia. In this article, we will consider a brief description of the Queen of autumn carrots, analyze the features of caring for a root crop and see the reviews of summer residents about the Queen of autumn.
Carrot Queen of autumn: characteristic of the variety
Carrot variety queen of autumn: photo
Carrots are named the queen of autumn for a reason. Such a proud name testifies not only to the autumn ripening season, but also to the excellent qualities of the root crop. Outwardly, it has an even cone shape, from 20 to 25 cm in length. The average weight of a root vegetable is about 60-180 g. The taste of the vegetable pulp is rather sweet, with a high content of juice. The root crop stands out in a bright orange, close to red, color.
It is customary to divide carrots into 10 types of varieties, based on their shapes and parameters of the fruit. The Queen of Autumn variety belongs to the Flakke type. But in our country, his name is simplified Valeria. Varieties of this type contain a low content of carotene in their root crops, but they stand out for excellent yield indicators and a long shelf life. Under good growing conditions, the queen of autumn can yield up to 9 kg per m2. The vegetable is stored throughout the winter, sometimes until the new harvest season.
Carrots Queen of Autumn: a description of the proper care of the root crop
Carrots Queen of Autumn: a description of the proper care of the root crop
Many summer residents think that carrots do not need special care and should not be given a lot of attention. But often it is this inaction that leads to crop loss. The vegetable loses its attractive appearance, cracks, has external defects and is light in weight. To avoid this, it is necessary to observe all the nuances of agricultural technology and care for the root crop of the cultivated variety.
Carrot variety Queen of autumn: sowing rules
It is better to grow and sow Queen of Autumn carrot seeds in loosened soil. Mix compost and sand with garden soil. The carrot bed must be tall enough to provide suitable conditions for carrot to germinate and grow. Planting seeds in heavy, caked soil can deform the root crop.
For each variety of carrots, summer residents offer their own scheme, taking into account all the nuances. The seeding pattern for the queen of autumn is as follows: 20 cm - the minimum distance between the rows; 4 cm is the minimum distance between adjacent seeds.
The intervals are difficult to maintain due to the fine fraction of carrot seeds. Summer residents have long been using the following sowing tips:
carrot seeds can be glued to a strip of toilet paper, and then embedded in the ground. This will help maintain the correct distance;
if you mix sand with seeds and pour the dry mixture into the furrows, you can adjust the spacing between seeds
When sowing the seeds of the Queen of Autumn, it is recommended to plant the seeds 2-2.5 cm deep.
It is important to remember: carrots are very fond of light. It is better to choose a place for sowing on beds lit by sunlight.Otherwise, due to lack of light, the carrot harvest will be small, with low weight.
The most suitable precursors for carrots are cabbage, onions, cereals, as well as tomatoes and potatoes. It is necessary to take care of soil fertilization in advance, since it will not be possible to grow a high-quality crop on depleted soil.
Carrot seeds can be sown unprepared directly into the ground. But some summer residents defend the opinion: if you pre-soak carrot seeds in water for 3-4 days, the growth time of the root crop will be reduced.
Carrot variety Queen of autumn: a description of the care of a root crop in the open field
The best air temperature for the growth of carrots is +18 C. The Queen of Autumn variety is well resistant to cold temperatures and even a young crop can withstand slight frosts, up to -4 C. Naturally, such a temperature regime cannot be maintained for a long time, otherwise the growth of the root crop will greatly slow down.
Seed germination occurs 2 weeks after sowing under favorable conditions. For this, the bed is covered with polyethylene so that it does not become clogged with excess greens or weeds. Creating such a shelter will also help to avoid a drop in moisture and cracking of the soil.
When it comes to watering, any vegetable in your garden will require special attention. Moisten the soil of carrots regularly, moderately abundantly. If you miss this point of caring for a root crop, this will cause the following problems:
frequent watering of carrots will lead to a loss of taste and make the root crop rough, suitable only for feed to livestock;
insufficient watering of carrots can lead to crop failure. The root crop grows sluggish, not sweet, it has a short shelf life;
lack of a regular watering plan will lead to cracks in the root crop;
if you water the bed superficially, small roots can form on the surface of the carrots, which will also lead to curvature of the root crop.
Watering the queen of autumn carrots is required regularly, with an optimally selected regimen. This is the main condition for the formation of smooth, carrots without loss of taste.
You need to thin out carrots for the first time 12-14 days after seed germination. The procedure can be repeated after 10 days. Thinning carefully, so as not to accidentally touch the fragile roots, otherwise this will lead to curvature of the roots. Carrots growing in cramped conditions produce a weak, thin crop that often rot during storage.
It is better to feed carrots at the time of active growth with special fertilizers or superphosphate. It is not recommended to use fresh manure, it will cause changes in the shape of the carrots and the manifestation of a bitter taste.
Observing all the rules for caring for the Queen of Autumn carrots, you can get your first harvest already 120 days after sowing. This is a fairly long period, but it contributes to a longer shelf life.
Storing carrots
Any carrot is picky about storage. Even the Queen of Autumn variety specially prepared for wintering must be able to properly prepare for storage. Follow the points:
Harvest exactly at the time prescribed on the seed package. Unripe carrots are subject to rotting, and overripe - to pests;
to preserve the sweet taste of carrots, watering must be stopped a couple of days before harvesting;
cut the leaves 0.5 cm lower from the point of growth, this will help the root crop to retain juices;
Hold the finished carrots in the sunlight for about three hours, then move them to a cool room (10-14 C) for a period of 14 days. This will help the carrots correct the flaws, and the infected root vegetables show their defects;
it is better to store carrots in winter surrounded by sawdust. Possible options: moss, sand, onion husks, polyethylene, clay.
The best storage parameters for carrots are: temperature from 0 to +1 C, humidity from 90 to 95%.It is these conditions that will help vegetables to live until the beginning of the next summer season.
Conclusion
Queen of autumn carrots are the best choice for summer residents. The variety will certainly give a rich harvest that can tolerate and maintain its qualities throughout the winter. Delicious carrots will be a useful source of many vitamins that are so lacking in winter. The grown vegetable itself is much healthier and sweeter than the purchased one.
Carrot Queen of autumn: reviews of summer residents about the variety
Vladimir Ilyunin, 54 years old, Volsk
For a long time I have been planting carrots in my dacha, but in recent years I have given my choice to the Queen of Autumn variety. Queen of Autumn carrot seeds can be bought quite cheaply in almost any special stall. I sow at once on large sites to harvest not only for the season, but also for the winter. Sowing is done on the fifteenth of May, and I collect carrots only in November. The harvest is stored in containers with sawdust in a dark basement. Carrots never wither or rot. This variety gets the best grade from me.
Anna Antonova, 39 years old, Tomsk
I fell in love with the Queen of Autumn right away: she gives a good harvest, and the fruits are tasty, juicy. Not particularly whimsical in leaving, and it is not afraid of low temperatures. It is convenient to store the root crop, it does not wither and retains its firmness. I recommend all summer residents to try this variety.
Carrot Queen of Autumn: video
