Moscow winter carrot variety - features of cultivation and care

Diseases and pests

The main pests of Moscow carrots:

• umbrella psyllid;
• carrot fly;
• cabbage butterfly.

Carrots are slightly susceptible to diseases, but they manifest themselves:

• Alternaria blight is a fungal disease that manifests itself in the form of mold and spots.
• Phomasis is a disease caused by the fungus Thomas Rostrup. In the area where the disease was discovered, carrots are replanted only after 4 years.

Treatment of diseases

Fertilizing with potassium and treating the beds with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture helps to cope with fungal diseases.

Getting rid of pests

To combat the umbrella psyllid and carrot fly, the seeds are planted as early as possible and covered with non-woven material - lutrasil. The drugs Intavir and Actellik help fight carrot flies.

When cabbage appears, the crops are covered.

Characteristics of root vegetables

Maturation period

Moscow winter carrots A 515 are ready for consumption 65-100 days after germination. Depending on the time of planting and the region, this period may vary.

Productivity

The variety is high-yielding. From 1 m2 you can harvest up to 7 kg of vegetables. On average, gardeners receive up to 30 tons of carrots from 1 hectare.

The maximum registered yield of the variety is 100 tons of vegetables per 1 hectare

Resistance to diseases and pests

If you follow the rules of crop rotation, disinfect planting material and adhere to the principles of agricultural technology, then Moscow winter carrots A 515 will delight you with strong immunity. Most harmful insects and microorganisms are not dangerous to the culture.

Treatment of diseases

Fertilizing with potassium and treating the beds with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture helps to cope with fungal diseases.

Getting rid of pests

To combat the umbrella psyllid and carrot fly, the seeds are planted as early as possible and covered with non-woven material - lutrasil. The drugs Intavir and Actellik help fight carrot flies.

When cabbage appears, the crops are covered.

Care

In the process of growing crops, thinning the beds plays an important role. The first thinning is carried out at the moment of opening of the first pair of leaves. After this, a row of plants remains at a distance of 3 cm from each other.

Thinning is repeated after the formation of the second pair of leaves, weak plants are removed, the distance between the remaining ones should be 6 cm. Thinning is carried out after evening watering without the risk of pests. After watering, the bed with Moscow winter carrots is loosened. Peat mulching helps to avoid the appearance of crust on the garden bed.

Fertilizer

Moscow carrots are fed twice:

• After the 1st thinning of the sprouts. Add 5 liters of water to 1 liter of weed infusion and add 10 g of potash fertilizers. If complex fertilizers were added during sowing, fertilizing is not carried out.
• After the 2nd thinning. 30 g of potash fertilizers are diluted in 12 liters of water.

Watering

During the development of carrots, greens are formed first, followed by roots. In the first stages, the plant needs abundant watering: 4 liters of water per square meter. m. Liquid is added every 2-3 days.

During the first 2 months, watering is gradually increased, and during the period of root crop growth it is reduced to once a week. In this case, the water consumption should be 9-10 liters per square meter. m. Overmoistening of the soil leads to cracking of carrots.

Regions for cultivation and climate requirements

The Northwestern, Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth and Middle Volga regions are suitable for cultivation. Initially, the variety was intended for cultivation in the Moscow region.

Most often it is used for sowing in the northern regions: the Leningrad region, the Urals, and Siberia.

Mo

The variety with the strangest name. According to my standards, the Mo variety is the most average variety. Mid-late ripening - 100-120 days, stored a little better than the Emperor - up to 7 months. The fruits also grow medium-sized up to 20 cm.

And the taste is just as average. I didn't notice any high sugar content in it. Why plant it, you ask? Its main advantage is that all these qualities are largely independent of the weather. It produces crops consistently every summer.

I think that I will continue to describe carrot varieties in the coming years. So this year I didn’t find seeds of the Samson variety, which I really like. I'll try to fix this by next summer.

If anyone is interested, I cut off the tops of carrots heavily before storing them. I wrote about this in more detail in the article Storing carrots for the winter. Also, for those interested, you can read about

Advantages and disadvantages

The description from the originator only said about the variety’s sensitivity to the first autumn frosts and poor tolerance to dry periods. Reading reviews from gardeners in our country, we can conclude that these shortcomings are highly exaggerated. It turns out that the variety has no obvious disadvantages, but there are plenty of advantages.

Positive qualities of Moscow winter carrots:

• color resistance;
• lying down;
• productivity;
• high taste and commercial qualities of root crops;
• resistance to most crop diseases;
• unpretentiousness;
• seeds can be sown in spring and before winter.

Description Carrots on a ribbon Moscow winter A 515 8 m

The “Moscow Winter A515” variety is good to plant in your garden; its features are that it gives a stable, high yield and is resistant to flowering. The fruits have high commercial quality, are perfectly stored and have good taste.

Mid-season variety, from germination to technical ripeness 70-100 days, yield 4.7-6.6 kg/m2. Mature root vegetables are orange, with small eyes, and have a small number of filamentous lateral roots. The rosette of leaves is semi-erect. The carrot head is concave (2.5 cm in diameter), completely immersed in the soil, this should be taken into account when harvesting so as not to tear out the tops.

The weight of the root crop is 99-172 g, length 16-18 cm, diameter 4-5 cm. The pulp is juicy, tasty, the core is star-shaped or faceted. Carrots are suitable for fresh consumption, all types of processing and winter storage (7-9 months).

Seeds are planted in the garden at the end of April - beginning of May. The soil temperature at the time of sowing should not be less than +5+8 °C. In the prepared bed, furrows are made 2-3 cm deep, the distance between the rows is 18-20 cm.

The bottom of the groove is sprinkled with loose soil, watered with warm water and rolled. Then, the tape is laid out evenly (on the edge), depth 1.5-2 cm. For better seed germination, before planting, you can spray the tape with warm water so that it is well saturated with moisture. Or soak the tape in gauze for a day. After planting, the grooves are filled with soil, slightly compacted, this will help the seeds on the tape to better contact the soil and moisture. Germination rate 72-80%.

After planting, the soil is mulched with dry peat, a 1 cm layer. Instead of peat, you can cover the bed with a transparent film or lutrasil. A space of 5-6 cm is left between the covering material and the bed.

If you cover with lutrasil, then you can water the bed on top of this material. The shoots will be more even, and crusts will not form on the soil. After germination, the material is removed.

Carrots that have been planted on tape are rarely thinned out. This is usually done as needed. The distance between the root crops is always 4-6 cm. Be sure to sprinkle the resulting holes from the torn plants with soil.

Loosening the soil is done after rain or watering, between the rows. Be sure to remove all weeds.

The carrot bed should be watered evenly throughout the growing season. Taking into account precipitation and weather conditions. It is best to water in the evening and only with warm, settled water.

Young carrots are watered at the rate of half a bucket per square meter of bed. Adult plants - once every 8-10 days at the rate of 6-8 liters/m2.

For those who visit their garden plots occasionally, it is important to remember. If the weather was dry and hot

And upon arrival, if you water abundantly, the root vegetables may crack, and such carrots will lose their ability to be stored for a long time.

In this case, watering should be resumed from 2-4 liters/m2, after 1-2 days watering is increased by 5-8 liters/m2. You need to pour water onto the beds gradually so that the soil can be saturated with moisture to a depth of 12-15 cm.

Before harvesting, 2 weeks before harvesting, watering is carried out abundantly - 2 buckets per 1 m2. Before any watering, be sure to take into account all precipitation.

If desired, you can feed carrots.

The main thing is to take into account all the fertilizers applied to this bed. And of course the condition of the plants. During the first fertilizing, nitrogen fertilizers are added, 10-15 g of urea per 1 m2; in the second fertilizing, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are added: 20-30 g of superphosphate per 1 m2, 10-15 g of potassium salt per 1 m2.

Manure fertilizers are not suitable for growing carrots, since the resulting root crops are not very beautiful and are poorly stored.

When the plant is underdeveloped, bird droppings (1:10 or 1:15) are suitable to enhance growth. It is advisable to leave the fertilizer for several days in a warm place. Before watering, the fertilizer is diluted again, 1 liter of fertilizer per 10 liters of warm water. After watering, the soil is loosened and the watering area is covered with soil.

If there is not much space in your garden and you have to plant carrots in the old bed, then in such a situation you can add wood ash. Twice a year 0.2 kg/m2.

To get rid of carrot flies, low-growing marigolds are most often planted around a bed of carrots. You can also use clean stove ash or clean ash from the grill. Coal is absolutely not suitable. The ash is placed in gauze, formed into a bag, and shaken over carrot tops. There is no need to sprinkle heavily so as not to burn the tops.

To store the “Moscow Winter A515” variety, root crops are selected whole, without cracks. The tops are removed, the fruits must be fully ripe. To avoid drying out, carrots should be stored together with soil, 10% of the total mass. Temperature range 0 -1 0C, humidity 98%.

Features of planting and growing

For winter growing, carrots are planted at the end of October when the daily temperature drops to 5°C. For planting, choose a well-lit area with fertile, loose soil. The seeds withstand snow cover and snowless periods of winter. When planting before winter, it is recommended to mulch the soil.

Spring sowing is carried out in April.

Preparing for landing

When planting in spring, the seeds are pre-prepared . First, damaged seeds are discarded. The remaining ones are soaked in water for 1.5-2 hours. High-quality seeds will sink to the bottom of the container, unusable and empty seeds will be on the surface of the water. They are thrown away.

Then the seeds are disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate or “Fitosporin M” for an hour. After this, the seeds are germinated on a damp cloth in a warm, bright place for 5-7 days. For better germination and further growth, the tissue can be moistened in a growth stimulator (“Epine” or “Zircon”).

If the seeds are planted in the fall, there is no need to germinate them . During the winter under the snow and in the spring when it melts, the seeds will be saturated with water and sprout.

Soil requirements

This carrot variety prefers well-drained, neutral soil . Good yield indicators are achieved when grown on loamy prepared soils.

The crop does not tolerate acidic soil well. Before planting, the soil is dug up, freeing it from stones and heavily compacted pieces. Carefully remove plant debris from last season. Then the soil is leveled and grooves are made.

Other varieties and hybrids of carrots:

High-yielding, juicy and sweet carrot hybrid Abaco F1

Late-ripening table hybrid of carrots Bolero f1

Mid-season carrot variety Niiokh 336

Predecessors

The best predecessors of carrots are cucumbers, zucchini, onions, and tomatoes . The variety is not recommended to be planted after dill, parsley, parsnips, since they and carrots have the same diseases and pests.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Seeds are planted in open ground in late April - early May . At this point the soil warms up to +6…+8°С. In the prepared area, make grooves 2 cm deep, leaving a distance between rows of 19-20 cm. Water the grooves with warm water and place seeds in them at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. Then the grooves are covered with soil without compacting.

Autumn planting is carried out in early November , when the soil temperature drops to 5°C. The furrows are not watered; the seeds are placed to a depth of 3-4 cm with an interval of 3 cm and sprinkled with earth mixed with sand. The beds are mulched with peat in a layer of 4-5 cm.

Reference. When planting before winter, do not soak the seeds.

Features of cultivation

When sowing carrots before winter, you need to choose level beds, without slopes .
In the spring, when the snow melts, melt water can wash away the seed. When sowing crops in autumn, the beds must be insulated with agrofibre to protect the carrot crops from frost. It will prevent them from freezing when the temperature drops to -8°C. In addition, water passes through the agrofibre well. During precipitation, moisture will moisten the beds.

Much attention is paid to removing the soil crust by loosening the top layer of soil . A dense crust delays air access to the roots.

Watering mode

The emerging seedlings must be watered every three days in the morning with warm water . As soon as the plants become stronger, watering is reduced to once every 7-8 days. As the crop grows, the volume of liquid added is increased. The soil should be saturated to a depth of 23-25 ​​cm.

Important! Watering should be regular. Alternating drying out of the soil and excessive moisture leads to cracking of root crops.

Two weeks before harvest, watering is stopped.

Thinning and weed control

Great attention is paid to timely thinning of seedlings .
The first thinning is carried out when two pairs of leaves appear on the seedlings. Weak shoots are removed, leaving a distance of 2 cm between plants. The crop is thinned a second time when the root crops are formed. The distance between plants is increased to 3-4 cm.

The next thinning is carried out as the plantings thicken, removing insufficiently developed specimens and leaving a distance of 5-6 cm between plants.

Attention! The resulting holes from the removed shoots must be covered with earth.

When thinning, weeds that interfere with the normal growth of the crop are simultaneously removed.

The soil is loosened after each watering or rain. This must be done to ensure air access for root crops.

Top dressing

For the formation and growth of root crops, fertilizing is necessary.

The first feeding is carried out after two pairs of leaves appear on the seedlings. At this point, nitrogen fertilizers are required. The soil is watered with a urea solution: 10 g of the drug per 10 liters of water.

The second feeding is carried out three weeks after the first. They add potassium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the formation of root crops. The following composition is used: 20 superphosphate and 15 g of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water. This feeding is needed at the end of June.

The third feeding is carried out 20 days after the second, in July. At this time, the crop needs boron and manganese for root crops. Prepare the composition: dissolve 2 g of potassium permanganate and 3 g of boric acid in 10 liters of water. Water the beds with the solution.

A solution of wood ash is often used: 300 g of ash is poured into 10 liters of hot water and left for two days. The solution is poured under the root. You can use dry ash - scatter 1 cup around each plant.

Nitrogen fertilizers are no longer used.

Attention! It is not recommended to apply cow manure, as it negatively affects the shelf life of the crop.

Since winter carrots germinate two weeks earlier , all fertilizing is carried out earlier according to a scheme similar to spring carrots.

Disease and pest control

The culture is often affected by the following diseases:

1. Fomoz . First, the tops get sick, becoming covered with gray-brown spots. Gradually, the disease spreads to root crops, leading to large losses during storage. Phoma can be prevented by applying potassium fertilizers during the growing season. Affected plants are treated with copper-based preparations. At the first manifestations of Phoma during the growing season, 1% Bordeaux mixture is used: 100 g of copper sulfate and 150 g of lime are dissolved in 5 liters of hot water and filtered. Plants are sprayed in the morning.
2. Alternaria, black rot . The disease is infectious, transmitted through seeds and contaminated soil. It starts with blackening of leaves and stems, then moves to root vegetables. Spraying in the evening can provoke the disease. To combat rot, the drug “Rovral” is used at the initial stage. Prepare a 1% solution (1 g of fungicide is diluted in 1 liter of water) and spray the affected plants at the first sign. This composition can be used to water the soil at a rate of 0.5 liters for each plant.
3. Bacteriosis affects the crop during the growing season. Yellow areas appear on the lower leaves and darken as they grow. The stems are covered with dark brown spots. Over time, wet brown areas form on the root crops. To prevent the disease, three weeks after germination, spray with the drug “HOM” (40 g of the drug is diluted in a bucket of water).
4. Brown spot, cladosporiosis . Constrictions and brown spots appear on the leaves, and dark stripes appear at the bottom of the stem. Then the leaves curl, the tops and roots rot. For prevention, it is recommended to add an increased dose of potassium and phosphorus. At the first signs of damage to the tops, use the drug “Barrier”: 8 g are dissolved in 10 liters of water and spray the tops and leaves from the top and bottom.

Some pests are also dangerous for carrots:

1. Often the crop is affected by the carrot fly (pictured below). To combat it, pollination with wood ash is used. If there are a large number of insects, plants are treated with insecticides “Aktara” and “Decis”.
2. The carrot psyllid sucks the juices out of the plants, the tops dry out, the roots stop growing and become dry and hard. In case of insect invasion, plants are treated with Intavir and Actellik.
3. Naked slugs feed on the vegetative parts of the crop, destroying the crops. Then they lay eggs in the soil, which interfere with the growth of root crops. To prevent the appearance of slugs, it is necessary to remove from the site in the fall all plant debris in which the mollusk is hiding. The following composition is added to the soil: 200 g of lime, 250 g of wood ash and 500 g of superphosphate. In the spring, after planting seedlings, the beds are sprinkled with crushed eggshells - the delicate body of the slug cannot tolerate scratching particles.

Difficulties in growing

If the rules of agricultural technology are not followed, the variety may develop “hairiness” . Such root vegetables do not last long. To prevent excessive growth of roots, it is necessary to loosen the soil in time, apply fertilizing and water in a timely manner.

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Natural toxins are found in many plants; Those grown in gardens and vegetable gardens are no exception. Thus, the seeds of apples, apricots, and peaches contain hydrocyanic acid, and the tops and peels of unripe nightshades (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes) contain solanine. But do not be afraid: their number is too small.

Compost is rotted organic remains of various origins. How to do it? They put everything in a heap, hole or large box: kitchen scraps, tops of garden crops, weeds cut before flowering, thin twigs. All this is layered with phosphate rock, sometimes straw, earth or peat. (Some summer residents add special composting accelerators.) Cover with film. During the process of overheating, the pile is periodically turned or pierced to bring in fresh air. Typically, compost “ripens” for 2 years, but with modern additives it can be ready in one summer season.

Both humus and compost are rightfully the basis of organic farming. Their presence in the soil significantly increases the yield and improves the taste of vegetables and fruits. They are very similar in properties and appearance, but they should not be confused. Humus is rotted manure or bird droppings. Compost is rotted organic remains of various origins (spoiled food from the kitchen, tops, weeds, thin twigs). Humus is considered a higher quality fertilizer; compost is more accessible.

From varietal tomatoes you can get “your own” seeds for sowing next year (if you really like the variety). But it is useless to do this with hybrids: you will get seeds, but they will carry the hereditary material not of the plant from which they were taken, but of its numerous “ancestors”.

Convenient Android applications have been developed to help gardeners and gardeners. First of all, these are sowing (lunar, flower, etc.) calendars, thematic magazines, and collections of useful tips. With their help, you can choose a day favorable for planting each type of plant, determine the timing of their ripening and harvest on time.

Oklahoma farmer Carl Burns developed an unusual variety of multi-colored corn called Rainbow Corn. The grains on each cob are of different colors and shades: brown, pink, purple, blue, green, etc. This result was achieved through many years of selecting the most colored ordinary varieties and crossing them.

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Tomatoes have no natural protection against late blight. If late blight attacks, any tomatoes (and potatoes too) die, no matter what is said in the description of the varieties (“variety resistant to late blight” is just a marketing ploy).

Humus is rotted manure or bird droppings. It is prepared like this: the manure is piled up in a heap or pile, layered with sawdust, peat and garden soil. The pile is covered with film to stabilize temperature and humidity (this is necessary to increase the activity of microorganisms). The fertilizer “ripens” within 2-5 years, depending on external conditions and the composition of the feedstock. The output is a loose, homogeneous mass with a pleasant smell of fresh earth.

Moscow winter

This mid-season variety is distinguished by its high yield and relative resistance to flowering. Conical-shaped root vegetables with bright orange pulp. The variety is considered relatively cold-resistant, but before germination, the bed with crops should be covered with film. Moscow winter carrots are best suited for fresh consumption.

About landing regions

Important! Domestic varieties (Monastyrskaya, Moskovskaya Zimnyaya, etc.) are better adapted to unfavorable climates, are more cold-resistant, are not so demanding on the soil, and give a good harvest even on loamy, infertile soils.

Any of the late varieties is suitable for all central regions of Russia and the Moscow region; as a rule, there are no difficulties in growing them.

In central Russia, thanks to the temperate climate, all late-ripening varieties ripen.

In Siberia, with its harsh climate, short summers and the onset of early frosts, late carrots do not fully ripen; it is better to plant mid-season varieties. Here is an article about the peculiarities of growing carrots in Siberia.

In the southern regions of the Urals with a mild climate, it is possible to grow most varieties of late carrots.

In the central and northern parts of the Urals, with cool summers, it is better to sow mid-late cold-resistant varieties (for example, Red Giant).

Important! Well-ripened root vegetables are stored better and longer, and are less susceptible to disease.

The growing season for late carrots is 120 to 140 days after seed germination.

Description and characteristics

The author of the Moscow winter carrot was an outstanding breeder, laureate of the State Prize Agapov S.P. The variety is grown everywhere in Ukraine, Moldova and Russia; in our country such regions as the North-Western, Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth and Middle Volga. The ripening period is average, from full germination to harvest it takes 65–100 days.

The root crop is smooth, elongated-conical with a blunt end, up to 16 cm in length, average weight 100–170 grams, carrot diameter 5 cm. The color of the surface and pulp is reddish-orange, and the core is orange. The core is faceted or star-shaped. There are few lateral roots, the eyes are small. The commercial quality is high, the taste is excellent, sweet, without bitterness. The pulp is dense, uniform in consistency, juicy. Some varieties of carrots partially emerge from the ground towards the end of the growing season; Moscow winter carrots sit in the soil until harvested.

Features of cultivation

• Soil preparation. Heavy loamy soils require additional fertilizing. Before sowing, you should prepare the beds - dig up, remove debris and weeds.

Important! In loose, breathable soil, fruits grow larger and more evenly.

• Full watering is required - late varieties require good moisture (lateral roots appear due to lack of moisture).
• The planting location is the sunny side of the site.
• Regular weeding, loosening of the soil, and hilling are necessary.
• Mandatory.

Important! Thinning should be done carefully so as not to damage the entire crop (excess sprouts are pulled out vertically, without swinging).

• The harvest is easy (the fruits protrude above the soil).
• They tolerate the first frosts better and are resistant to rot and other pathogenic infections.

Important! To increase the shelf life of late-ripening carrots, only healthy specimens should be selected for storage.

When choosing a variety of late-ripening carrots, it is necessary to take into account that even the most universal planting material will not provide high yields without appropriate climatic conditions, prepared soil, constant care, watering and fertilizing.

Cascade F1

Medium-late ripening hybrid. The roots are short with pointed tips, the pulp is juicy and orange in color. A characteristic feature of the Cascade F1 variety is good disease resistance. The harvest is perfectly stored and can be used both for fresh consumption and for making juice, baby food and dietary food.

Carrot Nantes

Mid-season high-yielding variety (fruit ripening occurs 78–112 days from the moment of emergence). Main characteristics:

• The roots are long, cylindrical, blunt-pointed. The length of the fruit is 14–16 cm, weight 80–160 g. The surface is smooth, with shallow depressed eyes, bright orange, which at the end of the growing season may have a green or purple head.
• The flesh of Nantes carrots is a rich orange-red color, juicy and tender. The core is small, round or angular, its color practically does not differ from the pulp.
• Sugar content 7–8.5%, carotene – 14–19 mg.
• Productivity 5–7 kg;
• Nantes carrots are resistant to early stemming, but are prone to flowering. Excellent for sowing in both early and late spring. Due to its cold resistance, the variety can also be used for sowing before winter.
• With early sowing, shelf life is good until mid-winter. When sowing late, it can be used for long-term storage.
• Nantes carrots are considered a universal variety.

Harvest and storage

The degree of maturity of a root crop is judged by the growth of small roots and a change in color to a red-orange hue. Typically, full ripening occurs in mid or late September.

How and when to collect

After 70-100 days from planting, observe the beginning of yellowing of the lower leaves of the tops . It indicates the ripeness of vegetables. At this time, around August, the harvest begins. Since winter carrots ripen earlier, they are harvested in mid-July.

Dry weather is chosen for harvesting . Vegetables are harvested by hand, pulling them by the tops. If necessary, carrots are removed from the soil with a pitchfork. Lift it together with the soil, holding it by the tops, and easily shake it off. The greens are rolled or trimmed, the vegetables are sorted: the damaged ones are put aside for processing, the rest are laid out in a dry room to dry for 5-6 days. Then the carrots are placed in the prepared container and moved to the vegetable storage.

Storage features and keeping quality of the variety

Store carrots in a well-ventilated room at an air temperature of +2...+4°C. Humidity in the room is maintained at 85-90%. If the recommended conditions are met, the keeping quality of the variety reaches 98%.

Moscow winter carrot A 515

Well, I'll start with it. I found Moscow winter carrots A 515 based on reviews from other garden workers. I have been planting this variety for several years. I like it for its stable high yields and simply excellent shelf life until summer. The variety is considered mid-late ripening; at least 100-120 days must pass from germination to harvesting. Tennis ripeness occurs around the 70th day. The length promised by the manufacturer is 15-17 cm.

As you can see in the photo, the fruits this year barely reached 15 cm. But it does not have the drawback for which I do not like this variety. The fact is that the shape of the root crops is conical and expands excessively towards the crown. In the best years, it reaches a diameter of 10 cm. There is nothing wrong with this until you want to grate the carrots in a food processor. It simply doesn’t fit there, and you have to cut it. It's not scary for 10 pieces. But when you need to grind the bucket, problems arise.

The core of the fruit is small, the taste is good.

Characteristics and description of the variety

Moscow winter is a mid-season variety. It is sown before winter, but it can also be sown in spring (April - May). It produces smooth, elongated cylindrical fruits with a blunt end, orange in color, weighing 100–170 g, 15–18 cm long, 5 cm in diameter, with a pleasant odor. The pulp of root vegetables is juicy, tender, dense, and very tasty.

History of selection

This carrot variety was bred by breeder, State Prize laureate S.P. Agapov, by crossing the varieties Valeria and Parisian Carotel.

Root vegetables have excellent taste properties

Productivity

Moscow winter carrots are distinguished by their high yield , ranging from 5 to 7 kg per 1 m² (subject to a favorable climate and proper care of plants).

Ripening time

It has an average ripening period : 65–100 days should pass from the first shoots to harvest.

Did you know? The longest carrot, listed in the Guinness Book of Records in September 2007, was grown in the UK by farmer
Joe Atherton. Its size was 5.84 m.

Collection and storage

The full maturity of Moscow winter carrots is determined simply. Towards the end of the growing season, the root crop is dug up; if it is overgrown with small roots and has acquired a rich orange-red color, it is time to harvest. Most often this period occurs in the middle or end of September. The variety has medium-long root crops, they are easy to pull out of the ground with your hands; a shovel is not needed.

The harvest is harvested only in good, dry weather, before frost sets in. Moscow winter carrots are very sensitive to mechanical damage. When collecting and transporting, you should be careful to avoid scratches, impacts or breaks. Damaged specimens are not stored for long; they quickly wither or rot. The tops are cut off immediately. If there is soil left on the carrots, it is better to leave it as is; cleaning, and especially washing, is extremely undesirable.

The collected carrots with trimmed foliage are laid out under a canopy to dry. After which the root crops are sorted and transferred to a dark, cool room for 5 days. Now the harvest can be put into boxes and sent to a permanent storage location.

As it turns out, Moscow winter carrots were undeservedly forgotten by gardeners. It is in many ways superior to new, improved varieties and hybrids of the crop. At the same time, there is no need to talk about demands; the care is standard and minimal. Moscow winter is the best variety for storage, and is also very productive.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the variety:

• resistance to diseases and pests;
• high yield rates;
• color resistance;
• high keeping quality – 98%;
• Possibility of sowing in spring and before winter.

The disadvantage of this variety is its poor tolerance to arid climates.

Difference from other varieties

Moscow winter differs from other varieties:

• longer germination period;
• the possibility of planting in spring and before winter in almost all regions;
• The variety is most often recommended for fresh consumption during the winter.

Diseases and pests

In general, carrots rarely get sick. There are three main problems: Alternaria, Phoma and carrot fly.

Alternaria blight

Carrots infected with this fungus should not be stored. While in the ground, a sign of plant damage is blackening and death of the lower part of the leaves. The leaves themselves turn yellow.

The fight against the disease consists of maintaining crop rotation (carrots are returned to their original place after 4 years), treating the seeds before planting and spraying the plants with Bordeaux mixture.

All post-harvest residues must be destroyed, and carrot storage facilities must be disinfected using formaldehyde or whitewash.

Fomoz

It is not dangerous for carrots in the first year of sowing. It begins to develop on root crops stored for storage. But when planting a root crop to obtain seeds, the carrots either die or the bush grows weak and produces fewer seeds.

The main danger of Phoma is that the seeds obtained from an infected root crop will also become infected.

There is no treatment, only preventive measures are possible:

• crop rotation;
• careful sorting before storage with the removal of all questionable and contaminated root crops;
• disinfection of storage and maintaining the temperature for storing carrots at 1-2°C;
• mandatory seed treatment or use of seed from healthy plants.

If you sow carrots from purchased seeds every year, the risk of infection from the seed is minimal, but it should be noted that Phomosis is also well preserved in plant debris, so post-harvest parts of the plants must be destroyed.

carrot fly

A parasite whose larvae are capable of destroying the entire carrot crop. Whatever they can invent to protect against this pest.

One of the main ways of prevention is not to sow carrots in low-lying or shady places. The fly does not like the sun and wind. To repel it, carrots are sown interspersed with garlic, onions or tomatoes. This has an additional benefit, since carrots, in turn, repel the pest of onions and garlic - the onion fly.

Marigolds and calendula sown around the perimeter of a carrot bed attract enemies of the carrot fly. It is also necessary to monitor the density of plantings, thinning the carrots in time. The fly also does not like to settle in ventilated crops.

You can drown out the carrot smell with an infusion of pepper and mustard. You can also add them to the soil when loosening the soil. The fly does not tolerate peat crumbs, so you can fill the rows with it.

The video shows another interesting way to combat this pest:

Nantes

One of the classic varieties of carrots, which is considered the best in taste among early ripening varieties. The roots are smooth, regular cylindrical in shape, orange-red in color. But in order for them to be “exemplary”, carrots should be sown on light soils. The increased content of carotene in root vegetables of the Nantes variety makes them indispensable for the preparation of baby food and juices. You can also eat these carrots fresh.

Growing

Moscow winter is grown almost throughout Russia. Resistance to cold allows the crop to be planted in northern regions.

Disembarkation

Planting is carried out in sunlit areas. In the shade, productivity decreases and the taste of root crops deteriorates.

They follow the rules of crop rotation - the order of growing vegetables in a certain area.

It is forbidden to grow Moscow winter in the same bed after parsley, dill, parsnips and celery.

Planting of the variety is allowed after:

• tomatoes;
• Luke;
• cucumbers;
• potatoes;
• cabbage;
• garlic

Timing for planting seeds

Moscow carrot seeds are planted in the ground from April 20. It is best to plant at a temperature of 12°C-13°C.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

You can sow seeds at the end of April or early May, when the air temperature warms up to +12...+13°C, and the soil warms up to +5°C. Sowing before winter is carried out approximately at the end of October at an air temperature of +5°C.

Selecting a location and preparing the bed

Moscow winter carrots bear fruit well in well-lit places, without strong winds and drafts, since in the shade the fruits partially lose their taste and grow smaller.

We advise you to read what kind of soil carrots like and how to prepare it for planting.

The soil should be loose, light, without stagnant water, loamy . They begin to prepare it after harvesting, clearing it of weeds and other debris, adding small quantities of organic fertilizers (humus, compost, manure) to increase fertility, and digging deeply. It is advisable to add peat, sand, wood ash, due to which the earth will be saturated with oxygen. In spring you can add potassium sulfate.

It is enough to prepare well-drained, loosened soil for planting and fertilize it

Crop rotation rules

very important role in growing this carrot variety . It lies in the fact that it is not recommended to sow root crops after parsley, parsnips, celery, and dill. You can after tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, cabbage, garlic.

Read more about what crops to plant carrots in open ground after.

Preparing and sowing seeds

Carrot seeds are distinguished by the fact that they take a very long time to germinate. To speed up germination, they must be pre-prepared. This process consists of the following steps:

1. The seed material must be sorted and disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (10–15 minutes) or purchased ready-made in a specialized store.
2. Considering that carrots emerge later than weeds, the seeds can be mixed with sand or with other early crops (lettuce, radishes) to preserve the beds during weeding.
3. Seed material is sown to a depth of 2 cm in pre-moistened furrows.
4. The top is covered with earth.
5. Cover with a film to retain moisture, protect against insects and increase the temperature, accelerating the germination process.

Planting scheme

You need to sow Moscow winter carrots, keeping a distance between plants of 2-3 cm, between rows - up to 30 cm. After the first shoots sprout, they must be thinned out to form large and even root crops .

Did you know? The fact that carrots are good for vision is a myth actively propagated by the British intelligence services during the Second World War. He was supposed to explain the increased efficiency of air raids, when in fact the planes were equipped with improved radar designs.

Flakke

The variety is classified as mid-season. Vegetables have good keeping quality; during storage they do not lose their taste. The roots are long, cone-shaped with a large orange core. Flakke carrots can be used both fresh and for processing.

Flaccoro

This late-ripening carrot variety can also boast of the beautiful appearance of its root vegetables. In addition, the Flaccoro variety is quite resistant to diseases, and its root crops are resistant to cracking. Their pulp is tender and contains a large amount of carotene. Carrots of this variety are very useful fresh, but they are also used for processing.