Industrial technology for growing carrots

Carrots, as a vegetable crop for industrial cultivation, have a number of advantages over other crops. Excellent adaptability to climate Middle zone Russia. Under our climatic conditions, carrots accumulate a lot of sugars, whereas in more western and southern countries (Europe and Middle Asia) carrots tend to be watery. The advantages of the crop also include a large sales market and the relative optionality of watering (if there is no sharp change in soil moisture). The disadvantage of carrots is the labor intensity of growing them. Crop rotation Carrots are placed after well-fertilized predecessors that clear the field of weeds. Potatoes and legumes are considered the best predecessors.

Soil preparation

In autumn, plowing is carried out to a depth of 25-30 cm with greater accumulation of moisture and disinfection of the soil by freezing. The plowing depth is very great value for normal growth of root crops. If the main tillage is carried out shallowly, then bottom part root crops become distorted, begin to branch and lose their presentation.

In the spring, at the onset - harrowing, after 1-2 weeks - shallow cultivation (2-3 cm). This depth of cultivation is needed so that the seeds lie on a “hard bed”. If you carry out deeper cultivation, the soil capillaries through which moisture flows to the seeds will be destroyed, and the seeds may not germinate.

When heavy soils begin to swim in the spring, they are plowed to 2/3 of the depth, followed by harrowing. After such spring plowing, it is necessary to carry out deep loosening with a milling cutter and rolling.

The main requirements for soil preparation before sowing are thorough deep tillage and leveled surface before sowing.

Fertilizers

The calculated rate of fertilizer is applied to carrots (see), which depends on the fertility of the soil and the planned harvest. In the literature you can often find approximate recommended rates of fertilizer application (N 100-120, P 2 O 5 - 80-100, K 2 O - 150-200 kg/ha), but, as a rule, the calculated rates are slightly higher.

Of the mineral substances, carrots absorb potassium best, so potassium fertilizers need to be applied at least 20-30% more than nitrogen fertilizers. This improves the quality and shelf life of root crops.

At the beginning of the formation of a rosette of carrot leaves, increased phosphorus nutrition is required, so when sowing, be sure to add 10-15 kg/ha of P 2 O 5 .

Carrots react poorly to the application of manure (ugly, branched root crops with poor taste are formed), so they are placed in the second year after the application of organic matter.

Preparing for sowing

Almost all foreign companies currently calibrate and coat carrot seeds for precision seeders. But with the advent of new types of sowing apparatus of the “Maple” type seeders, pelleting to level the seeds has become optional.

When purchasing untreated seeds, you can:
Calibration of seeds on sieves with a hole width of 1.5 mm (~ 60-70% of seeds are separated into a large fraction). Carrot seeds are heterogeneous, which greatly affects their germination. Isolating a large fraction allows you to increase germination.
for 18-20 hours, combined with treatment with microelements: potassium permanganate (0.02%) and boric acid (0.01%). Untreated seeds germinate very slowly, because... their seed coats contain a lot of essential oils, which make it difficult for water to penetrate inside the seed.
Etching with Fundazol or TMTD for disinfection.

Sowing carrot seeds

Sowing dates are early spring, when average daily temperature soil at the sowing depth will be at least + 8 °C. There is no point in delaying sowing, because... overdrying the soil will lead to a long delay in germination. It is best to sow carrots during the long expected spring rains (if they are expected, of course). Now it is no longer so difficult to predict: the weather for 2-3 days in advance can be found out with a fairly high degree of probability on the Internet (on the sites www.gismeteo.ru, www.meteo.ru, etc.).

Another way is winter sowing in the fall, when the soil freezes slightly. In this case, you can get very early products, but only for summer consumption, because... Such root vegetables are poorly stored. The disadvantage of this method is that the soil becomes very compacted in spring, so only light sandy and sandy loam soils are suitable.

The sowing rate for carrots depends on the purpose of the product:

per bunch - 5-6 kg/ha, standing density ~ 1.5 million plants/ha,
for storage - 3-4 kg/ha, standing density ~ 1 million plants/ha,
In this case, the feeding area of ​​one plant ranges from 66 to 100 cm2.

Carrot sowing schemes:
- regular wide-row, with a row spacing of 45 cm;
- two-line tape - 10+45 cm (the yield is ~50% higher, but the drawback is that herbicide treatment between lines is required);
- three-line tape - 10+10+45 (yield is 80-90% higher).

The distance between plants in a row is 3-4 cm. It should be noted that carrots react very strongly to changes in the distance between plants in a row: long distance the diameter of root crops may exceed the maximum allowed by the standard (see).

Sowing depth of carrot seeds: in rainy weather and on heavy soils 1.5-2 cm, in dry weather and on light soils 2-3 cm (in extreme cases - up to 4 cm).

Sowing care

Before emergence of shoots, when a crust forms after rain and to destroy weed seedlings, treatment is carried out with a BSO-4A mesh harrow.

Several times during the growing season, inter-row cultivation is carried out to loosen and destroy weeds. However, they do not completely help against weeds, because... in the phase of 2-3 true leaves, when weeds are especially dangerous, inter-row cultivation cannot be carried out - they are covered with soil and the carrot seedlings are severely damaged.

Therefore on large area herbicides are used (before sowing for pre-sowing cultivation, after sowing before germination or after germination - in the phase of the first pair of true carrot leaves).

Fertilizers are used if fertilizers were not applied before sowing (effective only when watered).

Despite the economical consumption of moisture, carrots need watering during drought. For 1 ton of root crops, carrots consume 100 m 3 of water (i.e., with a yield of 40 t/ha, 4,000 m 3 of water is needed). It is better to water carrots in smaller quantities and more often, because... When there is a large difference in humidity, carrots crack.

Harvesting carrots

Cleaning times:
- carrots per bunch (for fresh consumption) - at the end of August (such carrots are poorly stored and the yield is lower, but the cost is very high).
- for storage - at the end of September.

In September, the dry matter content of root vegetables increases, sugars and carotenoids accumulate, which improves the quality and keeping quality of carrots.

Before manual harvesting, the tops are mowed with a KIR-1.5 or a tops harvester BM-SA.

Harvesting is carried out manually, using a beet lifter SNSh-3 or a potato digger KTN-2V. When harvesting by hand, you should not shake off the soil by hitting the carrots against each other or the ground; you must clean them carefully with your hands.

On large areas carrot harvesters MMT-1 (see figure) and EM-11 are used.

Diagram of carrot harvester MMT-1

The quality of carrot roots after harvesting must meet the requirements.

Carrot yield ranges from 20 to 50 t/ha.

Growing vegetables and fruits is profitable business With minimal investment. Before you start this species earning money, you need to decide on an idea. You can do, for example, carrots, potatoes, or fresh herbs. In today's article, we will dwell in more detail on growing such a healthy vegetable as carrots.

Carrots are a healthy and vitamin-rich vegetable that enjoys in great demand on the market. Therefore, growing carrots as a business is a fairly profitable area of ​​entrepreneurship.

Before starting your own business, you should determine the advantages and disadvantages this method earnings.

Pros of growing carrots as a business

• Small financial investments. A significant plus that will certainly interest many beginners and make them think about this type of entrepreneurship. Growing carrots can confidently be classified as a low-budget business.
• Fast payback. Planted carrot seeds will bring you profit within a few months. This is very beneficial for beginners and people who want to see quick results of their work.

Disadvantages of a vegetable growing business

In addition to the obvious advantages of this area of ​​entrepreneurship, of course, there are also pitfalls that hinder development.

• Vegetable growing is not a business for everyone. In this area, the emphasis is on physical labor, so if you are used to working mentally, then most likely this method of earning money will not interest you.
• To succeed in vegetable growing, you need to have basic knowledge and skills in the field of cultivation. In addition, you need to love your job and do it well. Only then can you really make good money.

Growing carrots business plan

Successful and experienced entrepreneurs always act according to plan. Planned and organized work will help you in short terms achieve the desired result.

In the business plan, you should note such points as the profitability of the idea (level of competition and relevance), approximately calculate the amount of investment, determine the approximate payback period and profit from the business.

Particular attention should be paid to competition; the amount of possible profit and the success of the business will directly depend on it. Therefore on initial stage When choosing an idea, take this factor into account.

Video on the topic

Business registration

If you are planning to start growing carrots at home in a small area, then it is better to register as individual entrepreneur or, in general, at the initial stage try to grow vegetables for yourself in order to understand the essence of the process.

Industrial cultivation of carrots is already subject to legal registration. To do this, you should establish your own peasant or farming and choose the appropriate tax regime.

Carrot care and cultivation

First of all you need to rent land plot With fertile soil for growing vegetables. For a resident rural areas this will not be difficult; as a rule, everyone already has free land area. If you need a large plot, then you should find landlords and choose a suitable location for your future vegetable farm.

Carrot growing technology

First you need to choose a variety. It's best to try to sow different varieties, in order to further determine which of them is most suitable for a given area.

Carrots are a light-loving subculture, so you need to choose a suitable site for growing them. An equally important factor influencing yield is soil structure. The land should be high in organic fertilizers.

Preparing the area for growing carrots begins in the fall. The site is dug up and fertilizer (compost) is applied. In the spring, the land plot is dug up again and fertilized as needed (it all depends on the degree of soil fertility).

Seed preparation

As noted earlier, you need to choose the appropriate variety for cultivation. After this, the finished seeds need to be washed hot water(about 50 degrees) to wash away everything essential oils, which may interfere with germination. Then you should leave the seeds to germinate for 2-3 days. Be sure to dry them out a little before sowing.

Sowing carrots

First of all, beds of the required length are made and watered warm water and only after this can the actual sowing process begin.

Caring for carrots

The care process consists of weeding and protecting seedlings from pests and weeds. For this purpose special chemicals that effectively combat these problems.

Employees

To harvest the crop you need to hire a team of workers. The number of people depends on the size of the area. Typically, seasonal employees receive wages daily, it depends on the amount of harvest per day. Payment also depends on the region and the average cost of these services, competition and other factors.

Business costs

• Land lease. The price will depend on the region, soil fertility, and also, naturally, on the scale of the area;

• Equipment for growing carrots. You need to purchase a walk-behind tractor and a hiller for it; with its help you can make convenient ridges for planting carrots and a digger (easier to harvest). Equipment can be purchased used or initially rented. In the future, if you succeed in business and make a profit, you will be able to buy your own equipment;

• Payment to employees. Transportation costs finished products to the place of sale. You can either rent a vehicle or purchase your own car, it all depends on your financial capabilities.

Sales of products

Carrots are a popular product, so many bases consume this vegetable. Thus, you search for a distribution channel based on price and choose the most suitable option.

Delivery of products abroad. This implementation option is the most profitable, but requires considerable effort. It is quite difficult to find profitable customers and conclude contracts for the supply of products. But if you want, everything is possible, and as a sales option, this method is quite appropriate.

Supply of vegetables to supermarkets, restaurants, sanatoriums. A fairly profitable way of implementation that will bring you a stable income. All you need is to conclude agreements for the supply of products with large retail outlets.

Profit

Your income will depend on the volume of carrot cultivation, distribution channel and price. Therefore, analyze the competition in your area before starting an agricultural business.

We can conclude that it is a profitable way to earn money for residents of rural areas. We wish you success.

Carrots are very healthy vegetable, rich in vitamins and minerals, its cultivation is quite simple. It is also very tasty, sweet and bright color. How can you imagine soup, pilaf or salad without this orange ingredient? Therefore, carrots are in great demand in the vegetable market and many are engaged in growing them on their standard plots of 6 acres, but there they are given two or three beds, but what is grown is enough for the family for a year. This means that it has high productivity.

Of course, everyone can grow it in their own garden. This means that carrots are simple and unpretentious in the growing process. Then you can make a good plan, start a serious business, and earn a decent amount of money by growing carrots. But such a business will require very small investments, and net profit will be much higher.

What do we need to create a carrot business?

To begin with, a good plan, according to which we will guide ourselves later. What will you grow crops on? For business you will need fertile land. According to the plan, the area should be both medium-sized and rather large - for about three people, fifty acres will do.

But here you still have to work hard - caring for carrots for the first time will not be easy. Not everyone has such a plot, so it can be rented as farmland. It will cost 400-1000 rubles, it all depends on the remoteness of the city and the duration of the rental. Mark in the business plan in advance what area the plot should have and where it will be located, and how to grow carrots taking into account the weather.

Attracting employees

It is difficult to do the amount of work to grow carrots alone. Change the plan, it will be much easier if you are not alone, for example, you can call your relatives, friends, schoolchildren who have summer holidays, explain your plan to them, and start a joint business.

Digging, planting, hilling is incredibly difficult with only a shovel and a rake; here you will need more complex and, accordingly, expensive equipment, that is:

1. Walk-behind tractor (costing approximately 15-30 thousand, the price depends on the fertility, cultivation and use of the land before visiting);
2. It comes with a hiller (it makes convenient ridges for planting carrots, its cost is about 900 rubles);
3. Digger (with its help you can dig up crops; purchase will require about 800 rubles);
4. Additionally, you can take a manual seeder for more accurate, quick, and convenient planting of carrots in ridges (costs 2-5 thousand). These items are essential for any startup farming business.

Seeds

Of course, you need the seeds themselves; what would a carrot business be without them, right? Here the calculation varies, depending on how to plant and what density of ridges will be in the area, weight 2 kg. We do not advise you to sow them too close and densely, otherwise the carrots may offend you with their size and taste; they should be spacious.

The best type of seeds is in granules and ribbons, and you need to purchase them from trusted wholesale stores, establish contact with them in your business, where it is both cheap and reliable, because you often come across empty or spoiled seeds. Be sure to highlight this point in your business plan.

Business protection

If you are not going to weed all the weeds, but also do not want their further cultivation, which interferes with the crops, then you can protect necessary plants, in particular carrots, using special means against weeds that can be spread by hand sprayer.

Wild plants especially appear early in the season when carrots are growing, and can even be confused with them, but these similar plants are unlikely to give you a juicy orange fruit. Any gardening store will help you choose the best products. Allocate some funds for them in your business plan.

Attention to detail

For more earnings To get more from your business, you can apply fertilizers that will nourish the soil for good growth and development. But they can wait if the soil is not depleted and has retained its fertile properties. Just make a note in the plan.

Is that all? But what should you use to pack and transport food? Polyethylene nets are ideal; 500-600 pieces are enough, also for unforeseen cases.

You will need a truck for business. This can be hired temporarily; the greater the carrying capacity, the fewer flights you will have to make to bring it necessary equipment, technology and marketing of the harvest. That is, we will burn less gasoline and save natural resource on the planet, we will also have our own funds, which will be useful in business.

What will be the image and plan of action?

• First, we plow the ground with a walk-behind tractor or a cultivator, trying to prevent the appearance of large lumps and foreign objects, the depth is not very large, about 20 cm. Then we attach the hiller and separate the ridges at a distance of 30-50 cm. Afterwards we use a manual sowing hopper, you can pour seeds and even fertilizers there. A manual seeder will evenly plant seeds in ridges with optimal distance for the growth of good marketable fruit size. Now you can carefully water it with a spray bottle, because it’s convenient: watering so many ridges with a hose or watering can can damage the planting order and the seeds themselves, unevenly distribute the water, that is, somewhere they will wait for moisture, somewhere the flow of water will wash them out from the ridges . But you don't have to water the carrots. After all this, you can leave the area until shoots and weeds appear. Then you can spray and sometimes water.

• And so, 80-100 days pass, you have tanned and gained experience in caring for vegetables, finished growing, and completed most of the plan. The time has come to collect what has been grown. Don’t forget about the walk-behind tractor, attach a digger to it and dig up the grown fruits.
• The tops of carrots need to be cut off, then we sort them into two parts: substandard (crooked, small, that is, fruits unfit for sale) and marketable. We pack what we receive in nets, load it onto the car, and take it to right place and sell it at the right price. Your plan was a success! The price ranges from 10 to 30 rubles per kilogram, for example, in the spring you will receive 30 rubles for grown carrots, in the fall it drops to 20 rubles. How much can you collect from fifty acres? About 20 tons, of which approximately 5 will be substandard and 15 will be selected.

Now let’s do the math: at a price of 10 rubles. per kilogram you can earn 150-170 thousand rubles (15x10x1000). The costs will be a maximum of 30-40 thousand rubles, and even durable equipment can be used next time according to a different plan or simply resold.

But it is also possible to grow other crops or leave carrots to grow. You can register your business as a personal subsidiary plot and significantly reduce taxes. It is also worth planning to take into account the weather, on which the harvest inextricably depends. This business can be expanded and promoted, income will increase, and many buyers in vegetable markets will receive good product. Let's invite people to grow crops. We hope your future plans are successful!

Today you can often come across the opinion that in agriculture you can't earn money. This is partly true. But on the other hand, there are special, niche groups of agricultural products that can bring profit to an entrepreneur. One of the products in this group is carrots, which will be discussed.

Why carrots?

It’s quite easy to build a business growing carrots. There are three key reasons for this:

• Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables in the consumer market. Demand is guaranteed.
• Carrot production is not expensive.
• The vegetable itself is highly productive and resistant to temperature changes.

In order to make money, you need to draw up a business plan for growing carrots.

Land for cultivation

This could be yours summer cottage plot, or there may be separately located agricultural land owned or leased. The rental option is the simplest because it allows you to use soil fertility resources for little money. It is unlikely that you will spend more than 3,000 rubles to rent 50 acres for the summer. Regarding the issue of rent, you can contact agricultural enterprises and enter into an appropriate agreement with them, or you can rent land from the municipal district, i.e. through the administration of the municipality. Pay attention to the use of rented land before planting carrots: farmers say that it can be sown after legumes and grains, or after potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage or onions. Naturally, if the land “rested”, then this will also have a positive effect on the future carrot harvest. It’s good if, before planting a vegetable, you fertilize the soil with 15–20 grams of ammonium sulfate, 30–40 grams of precipitate and 25–35 grams of potassium sulfate per square meter. Do not use chlorine fertilizers - you will get more substandard fertilizers (crooked, forked, etc.). And remember that the area should be “light” - carrots do not like shade.

Labor force

Of course, you can do the whole process yourself, with the involvement of relatives and friends, but it is more profitable to hire schoolchildren for part-time work. Especially if you can agree that you will give everyone a large bag of carrots after harvesting. But even for the money - 2000 rubles per month per person, assuming that three people will be enough - the use of labor will still bring you profit. Considering that you don’t get your hands dirty at all, and your workers, according to your signals, cultivate the field and prepare the harvest, 18,000 rubles in labor costs over the summer is a small figure. The main work of your mercenaries will be preparing the soil, sowing seeds, periodic watering (every 7-10 days), protecting against pests and harvesting the crop (2 weeks before which watering stops). It is necessary to protect the vegetable mainly from carrot flies through frequent loosening of the soil and sprinkling it with ash, tobacco dust or special protective equipment. Carrots are also watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (1 gram per 5 liters of water) and onions are planted next to it.

Consumables (seeds)

You need seeds that need to be prepared: disinfected, soaked and germinated. You can do it yourself, or you can - and it will be the best option- find a grandmother who will be happy with this business and pay her symbolically (you can buy food - meat, sausage, a bag of pasta or something similar).

Preparing seeds reduces the germination period by up to 7 times: instead of 30-40 days, treated seeds produce results in just a week and a half. The main sowing begins in mid-May and ends in early June. At this time, the already processed and dried seeds are placed on the beds. Seed sowing rates vary depending on climatic conditions, but on average it is 2.5-3 kg/ha. Therefore, based on a field of 50 acres, you will need to stock up on 1.5 kg of seeds. Current seed prices different varieties carrots range from 550-2000 rubles per kilogram.

In addition, in order for carrots to grow confidently, it needs to have no weed neighbors. Therefore, you either oblige your workers to weed the entire field (which they are unlikely to agree to do for the amount we have pledged), or you first eliminate the possibility of weeds appearing. Here you can use a special agricultural black film, in which workers make holes in the seedling areas, or sprinkle sawdust between the rows of seedlings.

Equipment for growing carrots

There are two important points here:

1. vehicle, with which you will transport seeds to the field, the workers themselves, if necessary, and equipment from the next point. A station wagon, minivan, crossover will do, but it’s better if you have a jeep or pickup truck.
2. walk-behind tractor- for cultivating the soil, hiller - for preparing holes, seeder - for quickly and accurately planting seeds in holes, digger - for harvesting. In total, all these devices will cost 25-40 thousand rubles.

In addition to all of the above, you will need to translate harvested to the cellar or vegetable storage. Considering that from 50 acres the harvest can be 20-40 tons, depending on the variety of carrots, you will need a medium-tonnage truck (with a carrying capacity of 5-10 tons) that will make several trips. The cost of transportation depends on the mileage. But if the site is located close to the unloading site, they may ask for money for the “walk.” If you want to get a larger yield in tonnage, pay attention to the Leander variety - it has some of the best performance.

Sales of finished products

This is the most important stage. Grown carrots can be sold or processed. In the latter case, you can make a larger profit, but the costs will also have to increase. So you can process carrots into carrot juice or with the addition of spices into Korean carrots. If you sell carrots yourself to a consumer (at the market, through your own store, through advertisements), you will probably make a larger profit, but over a longer period of time.

Let's take the average harvest. So, by selling 20 tons of high-quality carrots, you will receive 20*1000*20 (average price per kilogram on the market) = 400,000 rubles. The resulting substandard carrots are best processed into juice or Korean carrots, because otherwise you will have to sell them for next to nothing - 5 rubles/kilogram. So, you can easily earn another 100,000 rubles instead of 25,000 rubles based on substandard items weighing 5 tons. If you decide to turn your harvest into capital faster and with less headaches, then you can hand over the carrots to one or more retailers. In this case, be prepared that your selling price and the price in the store differ by two to three times - they will accept it for 10-12 rubles per kilogram. As a result, you will earn about 220 thousand rubles. One way or another, if you follow the rules for preparing and running this type of business, you will be in the black. In what way - it depends on you. Good luck!

One gram of seeds contains from 700 to 1300 pieces.

Carrots are biennial plants. In the first year, the plant produces root crops, which, if not removed, in the second year of development form the part responsible for generation.

This vegetable is considered almost the most profitable among other root crops. The amount of harvest per hectare can reach one hundred tons. Carrots are grown for use in their natural form and for processing; this root vegetable contains a lot of carotene and other substances. Minimum temperature for seed germination is about 5 degrees. In order to get well-colored root crops, carrots need to be planted at a temperature of 16 to 22 degrees.

Priming.

Clay-sandy soils, as well as organic soils such as peat bogs, are best suited for growing carrots. Heavy types of soil, as well as those called wet soils, are not suitable for growing carrots due to the fact that the beginning of active growth of the vegetable occurs rather slowly. The approximate acidity level of the soil in which carrots will be grown should be at least pH 6, but not more than 6.5. Groundwater should be at a minimum depth of 80 centimeters, maximum 2.5 meters.

Proper crop rotation.

The best option when planting carrots would be to use fields of cabbage, leeks, cucumbers, tomatoes, as well as legumes and winter wheat, for which useful organic elements were introduced into the soil. You should not plant this vegetable immediately after the introduction of useful elements of the organic type, or where parsley, beets, celery and potatoes were grown. Carrots can be grown again in the same field no earlier than three to four years later.

Fertilizer system.

Before planting carrots, you need to carefully study the composition of the soil and determine its type in order to introduce the necessary nutrients into the soil. organic elements V required quantities. The optimal content of beneficial microelements in standard soil is the following proportions:

Nitrogen - up to 120 kilograms per hectare;

Phosphorus - up to 80 kilograms per hectare;

Potassium - up to 200 kilograms per hectare.

The nitrogen/potassium ratio should be 1 to 1.5.

Nutrient formulations containing phosphorus must be introduced into the soil at autumn period. Potassium-based fertilizing should be applied in half in spring and autumn if the soil is considered heavy. If the soil is light, then the entire dose is introduced into spring period, before sowing. Potassium-based fertilizers, especially potassium sulfide, should be applied with caution, as this can lead to increased salt levels, which will negatively affect the initial active phase of plant growth. Nitrogen must be added to the soil shortly before sowing. If there is a shortage of nitrogen elements, then after 5 weeks you can fertilize the soil using a surface method.

Growing technology. How to prepare the soil?

Experts advise not to forget that during the cultivation of carrots, the number of root crops and the volume of the harvest largely depend on how deeply the land is plowed. If the depth is large, then you should expect smooth, long, even root crops that have an attractive presentation. So to get maximum quantity attractive carrots appearance, it is worth plowing as deeply as possible in the autumn, you can even use an additional hole.

Construction methods

The number of seeds during planting depends entirely on the purpose of the ripe carrots. To get early harvest about 3 million seeds per hectare need to be sown. To obtain carrots for storage and sale as fresh root crops, you need to sow no more than 2 million seeds per hectare. To obtain carrots that will be processed or intended for storage, you need to sow no more than 1.3 million seeds per hectare.

The number of seeds for sowing carrots intended for processing depends on the type:

• varietal seeds - 1 - 1.2 kilograms per hectare;
• hybrid seeds - 0.85 - 0.95 million seeds per hectare.

Seeds should be sown in the soil to a depth of no more than 2 centimeters. To ensure that the root crops are approximately the same in size, experts recommend using a precision seeder, with which the seeds will be evenly distributed in the soil.

If the carrots are intended for sale in fresh or for industrial use, then you need to choose the number of seeds and the breeding method that will lead to a crop of the most attractive appearance and required type. The optimal method is double-row sowing on a ridge, with the width between rows being about 70 centimeters. Modern seeders make it possible to sow carrots using a new method - in three rows, with the width between rows ranging from 65 to 75 centimeters. To use a mechanical method of eliminating the upper, leafy part of carrots, you can sow in one row, and leave the width between rows no more than 45 centimeters. In cases where harvesting is done with a blade combine, and the tops are removed automatically, 95 percent of harvesting is done without the use of manual force.

The time for sowing carrots also depends on what the root crop will be grown for. To get an early harvest, the optimal time for sowing will be the earliest - around March, when it becomes possible to go into the field. To get carrots that will go into storage, you need to plant the vegetable a couple of weeks later, this will not allow the crop to overripe and outgrow.

How to protect crops from weeds?

Means of protection against unwanted plants are used only if this is provided for by the carrot protection system in connection with the timing of harvesting root crops. If carrots are grown for bunch sale, then protection products are applied before the carrots sprout.

If the weeds are not removed, then it is necessary to re-treat after the plants produce at least a couple of full leaves. You should know that it is best to process crops in the evening, without wind and at temperatures from 10 to 25 degrees.

Carrot diseases

Fields with planted carrots must be protected from all kinds of diseases. Plantings that are affected by infections and diseases cannot be removed mechanically, and the harvest will not remain intact for long. It is in order to avoid infection that the field must be kept clean until harvest. First of all, crops must be protected from the most dangerous diseases for carrots - powdery mildew and Alternaria.

Types of pests

The greatest dangers to carrots are moths and carrot flies. To protect the plantings, you need to use seeds that are treated with special chemicals. The second treatment is carried out around the end of May, at which time flies most actively attack carrots. If two treatments are not enough, you can repeat every two weeks, and if increased pest activity is observed, then you can repeat the treatment every two to three days.

To fight diseases, unwanted plants and insects, you need to use only those drugs that are recommended for the region in which the vegetable will be grown. Specialists who understand such drugs can give detailed recommendations and advice.

Harvest

During the carrot harvest, the main thing that needs to be closely monitored is that the root crops do not have time to dry out. This is true for both manual and mechanical methods of collecting root crops. When harvested carrots dry out, their shelf life is significantly reduced and their quality decreases. Carrots intended for storage can be harvested either manually or mechanically, but root crops intended for processing are harvested exclusively with a combine.