How and when to thin out carrots in the open field

A good carrot harvest does not only depend on the quality of the soil and care, an essential factor for the growth of the root crop is the availability of free space. Close seedlings will not be able to develop normally and will make it difficult to weed and care in the future. By learning the nuances of how to properly thin out carrots, you can significantly increase the chance of getting a big harvest.

Why thinning is needed

Sowing carrots often leads to an increased frequency of seedlings in the beds. It is important to thin out the shoots at the very beginning of its growth for the following reasons:

  1. Reducing the number of plants increases access to sunlight.
  2. A large distance allows you to grow large-sized root crops.
  3. Thinning helps preserve strong shoots by removing weak ones.
  4. More sparing plantings receive more nutrients.
  5. Carrot yields are halved after thinning.

How to avoid

The thinning process can be avoided if the seeds are sown in such a way as to maintain a large distance between the shoots. There are several ways to carry out such a landing:

  • use specially prepared planting material;
  • use various devices for a rare landing;
  • sow carrots together with other crops.

Granular planting material

The purchase of prepared granular material will facilitate the planting of very small carrot seeds. They are larger due to the coating consisting of hydrogel and nutrients. You can also create a shell yourself by dipping the seeds alternately in a paste and a mixture of micronutrient fertilizers. However, this takes a lot of time and requires checking the seeds for germination. It is much easier to purchase ready-made seed granules.

thinning of carrots

Granular carrot seeds can be planted in a longitudinal furrow or in separate depressions. These are easy to make with paper egg trays.

Landing with tape and paper

Carrots can be planted using a ready-made seed tape. It is laid in furrows in the beds, covered with earth and watered abundantly. Such a tape is independently made in the following way:

  1. Toilet paper is cut into long strips up to 3 cm wide.
  2. Lubricate the strips with warm paste.
  3. Every 3 cm lay out 2 carrot seeds.
  4. The strips are dried, after which they can be rolled up and stored until planting.

thinning of carrots

Cells with egg tray

For this option, you will need 2 paper egg trays that are stacked one on top of the other. They are pressed into the loose soil of the prepared beds so that uniform recesses are obtained. Carrot seeds are rolled in starch to make them more visible. Place 1 seed in each hole. Then they are buried and watered.

Planting with radishes

Carrot and radish seeds are mixed in equal proportions. This mixture is sown in furrows, buried and watered. The advantage of this method is that the radish ripens quickly. After its collection, a place is naturally freed up for the growth of root crops. For such a planting, early varieties of spinach or lettuce are also suitable. Fertilize and water the plants more often to avoid soil depletion.

thinning of carrots

Mixing seeds with river sand

You can prepare carrot seeds in advance using fine river sand. Not only will this help speed up germination, but it will also give enough room for the roots to grow. The material is prepared in this way:

  1. About 1-1,2 liters of fine clean sand are mixed with 60 ml of dry carrot seeds.
  2. Add some dry fertilizer.
  3. Wet the mixture with water.
  4. A longitudinal recess is made on the bed, in which the mixture is evenly distributed and covered with earth.
  5. Plentifully water the bed.

thinning of carrots

sprouted seeds

The use of germinated seeds allows you to plant viable plants that quickly sprout. Prepare planting material according to the following scheme:

  1. Seeds are soaked in water for 2 hours.
  2. Wrap them in damp cloth or paper.
  3. Leave the material until green seedlings appear, sprinkling with water when it dries.
  4. The sprouts are hardened by putting in a cool place for 10 days.

The advantage of such planting material is the rapid emergence of seedlings, however, the germination of seeds requires a lot of time and care.

cultivation of orcs

Seeder Application

Special manual seed drills are also used when planting carrots. This attachment consists of a container for seed, which is evenly distributed as the planter moves. Ahead of the structure is a special detail that itself forms a furrow. Then seeds fall into it, and the wheel closes the hole in the ground and rams it. After this planting, it remains only to pour well with warm water.

Advantages of this method:

  • flat beds;
  • uniform depth of crops;
  • maintaining the optimal distance between plants;
  • rapidity.

thinning of carrots

There is only one disadvantage of this sowing option – the high cost of the seeder.

Landing in a paste

For this method you will need a plastic bottle, flour, starch, water and carrot seeds:

  1. Mix 5 ml or 1 teaspoon of starch with 30 ml or 1 tablespoon of wheat flour.
  2. Brew the mixture in 500 ml of water.
  3. Carrot seeds are added to the paste cooled to +35 ° C.
  4. The finished planting material is placed in a plastic bottle with a hole in the lid.
  5. Squeeze out the paste with seeds into the furrow in the garden.
  6. Cover with earth and water abundantly.

flower bed of carrots

When to perform the procedure

Thinning carrots is carried out in 2 stages. Each time the procedure is carried out at the beginning or at the end of the day, when the plants are wet due to dew. The choice of this time protects the crops from the attention of the carrot fly. She is attracted by the specific aroma emitted by disturbed plants. Dew or abundant watering reduces the strength of this smell.

first

For the first time, a carrot bed is thinned out at the very beginning of the growing season. It is optimal to wait until the plants release the first couple of leaves. Approximately this moment comes 28-35 days after planting the seeds.

thinning of carrots

Second

The second stage of the thinning procedure is carried out for the last adjustment of the distance between plants. It is best to do this 21 days after the first. At this point, the carrots will grow to 9-11 cm in height, and the small root vegetables are suitable for use as food.

Rules

The first thinning is carried out in such a way as to double the distance between plants. At the end of the procedure, it should be from 1,5 to 3 cm. During the second stage, the gap between the plants is increased again. This time, the optimal solution will be a distance of 6-7 cm. It is not worth increasing it even more, this will not improve the quality of the crop, but worsen it.

ripe carrots

When thinning carrots, it is recommended to keep stronger shoots, and remove weak or pale ones. Removed plants are destroyed or buried so that the smell of carrots cannot attract pests to them. They are composted with earth or sawdust placed on top to help mask the aroma and distract carrot flies.

Preliminary and subsequent watering of the beds is carried out only with warm water. Its temperature should be about 19 ° C, and the amount should be about 2,5 liters per m² of plantings.

Carrot thinning is combined with weeding. It is necessary not only to remove excess root crops, but also to clean the beds from weeds. Its roots interfere with growth, deplete the soil, shade the sprouts and distort the shape of the carrot.

thinning of carrots

Choice of time and weather

When growing carrots outdoors, it is desirable to choose the right time and optimal conditions. Factors that will positively affect the subsequent development of root crops:

  • high cloudiness;
  • lack of heat;
  • protection from direct sunlight.

A suitable day for work can be chosen by referring to the lunar calendar. It is compiled annually and contains information about which days are best for thinning.

thinning of carrots

Tools

In order to quickly and efficiently thin out carrots, you need to use the right tools:

  1. For thinning, ordinary or garden tweezers are perfect. It provides high quality of the procedure, helps to remove even the smallest leaves.
  2. Not too dense crops can be thinned out with scissors. They significantly speed up the process and allow you to cut several shoots at the same time.
  3. Carrots can be thinned by hand. However, this method will increase the time of the procedure, and the fingers will not give accuracy when removing small shoots.

thinning of carrots

Soil preparation

The land in the beds should be prepared for the thinning procedure. The soil is abundantly moistened so that the water softens it. This will help to remove sprouts more efficiently, while preserving neighboring plants.

Gently pull strictly vertically

The correct thinning technique involves pulling the plant in an upward direction. Roots tilted to the side can damage the thin roots of neighboring growth, which will negatively affect future growth. Their rupture can provoke the appearance of new side threads, which in turn will lead to deformation of the carrot, reducing its aesthetic qualities.

carrot patch

Tamping at the end

After thinning, it is necessary to return the loose soil to its previous structure. However, do not ram the soil with a tool; it is much better to water the beds with water. Wet earth will become more heavy, and then it will settle into place. If the beds remain too loose, they can be carefully tamped by hand, and the row-spacing can be dug up.

Answers to questions

Can carrots be planted after thinning? No, this should not be done, since plants torn from the soil will not be able to take root again or will give a small crop of poor quality. Root crops taken out of the ground during the second stage of thinning are several centimeters in size, orange in color and can be used in cooking.

ripe carrots

Do I need to thin out fodder carrots? If the growth intended for feeding livestock has grown densely, it is not necessary to thin it out. It is enough to collect larger root crops as they grow, gradually making room for the development of the remaining ones.
Is it possible to cut carrot leaves with scissors without tearing out the underground part? This method is not recommended for use with strong density.

A large number of the remaining roots begin to rot and become a springboard for the development of various diseases that can affect nearby root crops.

How to protect seedlings from carrot flies? To prevent the appearance of wormholes on carrots, onions, marigolds or marigolds can be planted near plantings. Tobacco dust, mustard powder, ground pepper or a decoction of onion peel, zest and wormwood will help eliminate the pest. You should also not carry out daily abundant watering and sow carrot seeds in the shade.

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Anna Evans

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