Pruning tops of carrots for storage for the winter. Secrets of Proper Harvesting of Carrots

Carrots are the more useful the longer they stay in the garden, since it is in the autumn days that nutrients and vitamins are intensively accumulated in them. And at the same time, of all root crops, perhaps, carrots, more than other vegetables, depend on the correct choice of harvesting time for the size and quality of the crop, and the safety of root crops in winter.

To decide whether it's time to harvest the carrots or leave them in the ground for another 10-15 days, you just need to dig one or two root crops out of the ground. If the carrot is overgrown with small roots, then it's time, otherwise the nimble rodents will get to it before us.

Early ripe carrots are usually harvested selectively as needed. In this case, larger root crops are first pulled out in order to improve the growth conditions of neighboring plants. At the same time, it is necessary to immediately fill with earth all the voids formed after the pulled out plant in order to protect the "neighbors" in the garden from the carrot fly.

But many gardeners harvest 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.

Folk wisdom says: "On Cornelius (September 24), the root in the ground does not grow, but chills." In accordance with this sign, one must act, i.e. harvest the main crop of mid- and late-ripening carrots at the end of September, focusing on weather conditions.

Carrot is a cold-resistant crop and that it gives the most intensive increase in yield (up to 40–45%) at the end of August and in September, during the period of a gradual decrease in the average daily temperature. This is facilitated by the rapid outflow of nutrients from the leaves to the roots at a temperature of 7–8°C. The biological ripeness of root crops occurs after the end of intensive growth when the shape and color are typical for this variety. But under unfavorable conditions, at very high or low temperatures during the formation of root crops, the 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 generally necessary to harvest this vegetable on the site in the first half of September, this leads to a large crop shortage and the production of small, not fully ripened root crops, which then quickly wither and are poorly stored.

The most favorable time for harvesting carrots in our plots should be considered the end of September. By harvesting at this time, you will get the maximum yield of carrots, which will store well in the winter. Further prolonged delay in harvesting does not give 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 vegetable stops growing. The root crops of this crop in the soil tolerate a short-term temperature drop to -3 ... -5 ° C, but if they are dug out of the ground, they cannot tolerate even the weakest frosts.

Carrots are harvested only 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 pitchfork or a shovel.

At the same time, we must not forget that carrots are very sensitive to mechanical damage. Therefore, when cleaning, transporting and storing it, it is necessary to carefully follow the generally accepted rules: avoid bumps, kinks, scratches and other mechanical damage, because. root crops poorly heal such damage, namely, rot pathogens penetrate through them.

You can not leave the tops uncut for a long time, because. leaves, quickly evaporating moisture, will cause wilting of root crops, which will drastically reduce their resistance to diseases during storage. In addition, it is not necessary to completely clean the root crops from the ground, as well as wash them, as this can accelerate the development of diseases. It is not recommended to keep the collected carrots for a long time in heaps in the garden, because. root crops quickly wither and become unsuitable for winter storage.

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

Immediately after trimming the tops, root crops must be removed under a canopy and slightly aired before being placed in boxes. Then the harvested crop is sorted, removing diseased, damaged and soft root crops. They are consumed immediately for food or for processing, without leaving them for winter storage. After that, the carrots selected for winter storage must be kept for 5-6 days in a dark and cool room so that it cools well, and only then can it be stored cooled in the basement for storage.

Harvesting carrots must be completed before the onset of cold weather, since frost-damaged root crops lose their resistance to pathogens. During temporary storage, root crops are covered with soil with a layer of 15-20 cm. It is impossible to cover them with straw or tops, because after harvesting they release a lot of moisture, and moistening the straw and tops creates conditions for the development of diseases.

Newspaper "Ural Gardener" No. 37, 2012

The question of pruning carrot tops often arises among beginner gardeners. They are probably confused by the recommendations found on the Internet. The answer to this question is very simple.

Do I need to trim the tops of carrots

We can only talk about pruning the tops before laying in storage, you should not even talk about mowing the tops during the growing season.

Growing stage

No matter how high the tops of carrots are during the growing season, they should never be cut off. The tops are the greens of a vegetable, which means that it participates in the process of photosynthesis in the same way as the leaves of shrubs or trees.

Tops - "light" plants, a kind of respiratory and photosynthesis organ, without it, carrots will quickly die

Without it, the plant will die. Doubters can try on several copies. Immediately after cutting the tops, the root crop stops growing, after a week it withers, then rots.

Young leaves contain a lot of useful substances, and people without major health problems should use them for food. Adding them to soups adds piquancy to the taste, and it is quite possible to cut a leaf from a plant in the first half of summer, but it’s not worth it anymore.

Excess foliage does not have a negative effect on the root crop, but its removal will harm the plant. On the contrary, the larger the leaves, the more nutrients are formed in the root crop, the better it will be stored.

End of the growing season

You should not cut the tops before digging up root crops, although some gardeners do this a week before harvesting. There is an opinion that such a technique will lead to a better preparation of the root crop for winter storage, but it has not been confirmed by science.

On the contrary, there is a danger that, under favorable weather conditions, carrots left without tops will begin to grow them again. This will lead to the outflow of nutrients from the root crop into the tops and, conversely, worsen the quality of the product and its safety.

Cleaning for storage

After digging up the carrots, the tops must be removed immediately, otherwise the root crops will quickly begin to wither. Many gardeners cut off the tops by twisting immediately after removing the root crops from the ground. Others cut it with a sharp knife, leaving 1-2 cm. Carrots with the remains of the stems are stored in the cellar in the sand.

However, storage in the sand is not very convenient. Much simpler is another technique that I have been using for 30 years, and it is now popular. When digging, I cut off the tops, then wash the carrots thoroughly and dry them. I cut the tops with a clean knife along with 4–5 mm of the root crop. I put carrots in plastic bags of 2-3 kg and store them loosely closed in the cellar until the next harvest.

If you leave the top of the plant, after 3-4 months in the cellar, leaves will begin to grow from it again, so it is better to cut it

Pruning the tops of carrots during the growing process is strictly unacceptable, and shortly before harvesting is undesirable. Before storage, the tops are cut off without fail and without delay.

Carrots consist of two parts: a juicy root crop and green mass, which ensures the process of photosynthesis. Many gardeners are wondering if it is necessary to cut the tops of carrots? If yes, when to remove the aerial part of the plant.

The leaves of the carrots are cut off only after collecting it from the garden. It is necessary to carry out the removal of greenery, observing certain rules so as not to damage the root crop.

Important! In no case should you cut the tops when the carrot grows in the garden. If this is done, the roots will begin to wither or rot.

Before cutting the tops, you need to dig up the vegetables and dry them. If they are too deep in the ground, then they can be washed and dried for several days so that the moisture completely evaporates.

Pruning is necessary so that the root crops do not dry out from the fact that the green mass takes away nutrients and moisture, or do not rot.

The technology for removing tops depends on the duration of its storage and the purpose of use:

• if cut higher by 2 centimeters from the head, then the carrot will be stored for up to three months. Use this technology for planting in the ground to get seed material;
• if the tops are cut 2 mm higher from the head, then the germination process will be stopped and the root crop will be completely preserved up to 6 months.

Harvesting of carrots takes place at the end of September, beginning of October, therefore, pruning of the green part of the plant falls on this time.

Trimming Rules

Following the basic rules for pruning carrot tops, the vegetable will lie until the next harvest:

1. You need to cut the tops on the same day that the root crops were harvested from the garden. Do not leave vegetables to lie for a long time, they may wilt.
2. Before pruning, clean the fruits from the ground and dry for several hours.
3. Cut the greens with a sharp knife. In no case, do not cut off the tops with your hands and do not twist it.
4. Sprinkle the cut with chalk so that no fungi and microorganisms that provoke decay get there.
5. After trimming, the vegetables are put in boxes, sprinkled with sand. Carrots are taken to the cellar or basement fourteen days after harvest. During this time, the skin should be completely coarsened, and if there are slightly rotten vegetables, they can be thrown away immediately without storing them.

Where can you use the tops of carrots

Juicy carrot stems are an excellent ingredient for various dishes and healing tinctures for diseases, but not everyone knows about it. Everyone is used to the fact that tops are a waste.

Meanwhile, the green mass can be used:

For the preparation of medicinal folk preparations:

• from hemorrhoids. To treat the disease, you need to make tea. Grind green stems (fresh or dried), place one teaspoon in a cup and pour boiling water over it. Insist half an hour. You should drink no more than one cup per day. The course of treatment is 2 months;
• with allergic rashes, dermatitis. In a small container, place 2 tablespoons of chopped tops, pour boiling water, leave for several hours. Make lotions with the resulting infusion.

Important! Before using the leaves as a treatment, check with your doctor.

In cooking. The stems are used in the preparation of various soups, casseroles, and pickling other vegetables. Greens can be dried, put in plastic bags and stored in the freezer. For use, choose only green branches, without the slightest deformation.

In general, carrots are a rather unpretentious vegetable, which is accepted almost everywhere. However, attention should be paid to a number of features. It is desirable to take them into account when growing this root crop, since only in this case it will be possible to achieve a good harvest.

First of all, you should pay attention to the quality of the soil in which you will plant carrots. Loamy and sandy soil is preferred.

If there is a clay type of soil, it will need to be structured. To do this, it is best to use sand, organic components (for example, compost, humus), which will need to be added to the soil. When mixing all the components in equal proportions, you get a good basis for growing carrots. There are other features that can significantly affect the volume of the crop.

Do not forget that it is desirable to plant a vegetable on neutral soil or with a high alkali content. The level of acidity above the permissible level will not allow you to get a quality product at the end of the season, and the root crops themselves will lose their taste properties.

If the soil on the site has an increased level of acidic substances, then it is necessary to do neutralization. Usually, chalk or lime is used for this purpose. In the spring, it is better to do this using chalk with a calculation of about 1 kilogram per 3-4 square meters.

When planting, you can use top dressing for the earth. Usually wood ash is used for this. It is poured into the furrow, where carrot seeds are then thrown. Also, the soil should include organic additives. To enrich the land with such components, farmers usually use herbivore manure, bird droppings, compost, and mulching.

In the future, it is necessary to water the land in a timely manner, since carrots do not tolerate dry periods. If it is not enough to water the crop, then the root crops will gradually begin to crack.
Also, before planting, carefully read the characteristics of the carrot variety. They will differ in taste properties, the size of root crops, resistance to diseases and pests, as well as a number of other features.

For good growth and development of the root crop, sufficiently warm conditions and good lighting are required. It is undesirable to grow crops in shady areas. In the presence of favorable conditions, it is possible to achieve the appearance of the first shoots after 3 weeks. To speed up the process, you can use the covering of the land with polyethylene in order to better warm the soil.

Insufficient care can lead to the fact that the fruits acquire some deviations - external flaws, cracking, and weak plants simply die. The unpretentiousness of a vegetable crop does not mean that you can not devote time at all when growing it.

To increase the yield, it is desirable to periodically loosen the soil so that the water passes better to the horse system.

It may also be necessary to thin out the seed, as carrots are sown unevenly. When shoots appear, it will be possible to understand in which areas there are many entrances. This must be done so that the root crops do not interfere with each other's growth.

Further thinning can slow down the growth process, so it is advisable to do it in the early stages. The optimal distance between the fruits can be considered about 5 centimeters.

Video "How to grow productive carrots in high beds"

Harvesting time usually depends on the variety of carrots. Early-ripening varieties of vegetables are usually harvested at the end of July, mid-ripening and late-ripening in September. It is advisable to do everything before the onset of seasonal cooling or frost (depending on the landing area).

Cleaning is best done in dry weather. For digging, use a fork or a bayonet shovel. After digging, it will be necessary to dry the root crops well in the shade. Before this, the tops of carrots are cut with garden shears or secateurs. It is necessary to trim the tops so that it does not draw out the nutrients that have accumulated during the growth process from the root crop.

Be careful not to damage the carrot skin during harvesting. Otherwise, they will not be able to be stored in the cellar for a long time, but will begin to deteriorate. If this happens, then you can select the damaged fruits, using them as food in the near future. The rest of the crop after drying will need to be transferred to a cool, dry place.

It is best to use wooden boxes for laying, pouring layers of sand over the carrots. This will protect the crop from sunlight and direct moisture. The use of sand for storing carrots is well established and has been used by most farmers for a long time.

The processing of carrots usually consists in the introduction of special means to protect the crop from various diseases, pathogenic microflora, and also from harmful insects.

For the fight, it is customary to use ammonia-containing preparations, Bazudin, Aktara, Medvetoks, special fungicides.

After establishing the cause that affects the root crops, a special type of directional agent is selected. It is advisable to carry out the treatment immediately after the first signs of diseases or the appearance of insects (flies, bears, leaf fleas, and others) are detected.

Many novice gardeners are interested in the question of whether it is possible to cut the tops of carrots during the last stage of vegetable ripening. The fact is that even at this time, saturation with useful microelements and vitamins continues.

For this, the vegetable needs the process of photosynthesis, and without green leaves and a stem, this is not possible. For this reason, until the completion of the growth of carrots, you can not cut the tops. If you cut it off earlier, then the growth of carrots will stop. If you do not immediately dig it out, then it will simply rot in the ground.

The tops of carrots are cut off only after digging up the root crops. So they will be stored much longer.

The video details how to achieve maximum yield when growing carrots.

Many novice gardeners are interested in the question: is it necessary to cut the tops of carrots during the last stage of vegetable ripening? For example, now in August.

Experts answer: cutting carrots during growth is not recommended in any case. Like the greens of any plant, carrot tops are involved in the process of photosynthesis. There is a saturation with useful microelements and vitamins continues.

Thus, if the tops are cut earlier, the growth of carrots will stop or they may even simply rot in the ground.

When to Harvest Carrots

The timing of harvesting carrots depends directly on its variety, planting time and weather conditions.

If we are talking about early varieties, then they can already be dug up from July-August.

Mid-season varieties most often ripen in August-early September.

Late varieties, which are most often grown for winter storage, are harvested in September-early October.

How to harvest and store carrots

According to experienced gardeners, the tops of carrots are cut off only after digging up the root crops. So they will be stored much longer. Dry vegetables in the air in good weather, and in the rain under a canopy or in a barn. Dry clean root crops are sent for storage.

Store, as experts advise, carrots should not be in bags, but in boxes. In order for carrots to remain strong, fresh, and not shrink, they need a proven air temperature of up to two degrees Celsius with good humidity.