Which month is the best to plant carrots?

Carrots are common vegetables in our daily life. They are rich in nutrients, containing abundant vitamins and carotene. Eating more of them has many benefits to the body. So which month is the best to plant carrots? Let’s learn more about it below.

Which month is the best to plant carrots?

The planting time of carrots varies under different climatic conditions. In the south, the planting time is generally from August to October, while in North China, it is generally sown in early to mid-July. The Northeast and Northwest are from late June to early July, and other areas in the North are from mid-July to early August.

Key points for growing carrots

1. Soil

You should choose soil with a little sandiness, so that the soil can be loose, transparent, well-drained and have good absorption capacity. It is best to plant carrots after the corn is harvested, so that it can play a rotation role, make rational use of the land, and increase more income. Carrots are rooting vegetables, so the soil should be plowed 30 cm deep and exposed to the sun in advance. Apply well-rotted farmyard manure before sowing. Farmyard manure is the best base fertilizer, and it can make the soil loose and permeable and increase organic fertilizer .

2. Ridge planting

Ridge cultivation has good drainage and is not prone to water accumulation, which reduces the dilution of fertilizer nutrients by rainwater and facilitates future tillage and weeding. Ridge cultivation makes the land loose and breathable, which is more conducive to the growth of root and fruit plants. After the land is prepared, ridges are formed with a height of 25 cm, a top width of 15-20 cm, a bottom width of 30 cm and a ridge spacing of 30 cm.

3. Planting seeds

Dig a small trench on the top of the ridge with a depth of 3-5 cm, then evenly sow the carrot seeds in the trench, cover with 3 cm of soil after sowing, and water until the soil penetrates. Keep the soil moist until the carrots emerge, then reduce the amount of water. Water in small amounts when the soil is dry during the seedling stage, and keep the soil moist when it is dry. Generally, carrot seedlings emerge in about 8 days. Thinning is required twice during the seedling stage. The first thinning is when the carrots grow 3 true leaves. The overly dense seedlings are reduced, the weak ones are removed and the strong ones are kept. The plant spacing is 5 cm. The second thinning: when the carrots grow 5-6 true leaves, thin out and transplant again, keeping the plant spacing at 10 cm. If you find any weeds, pull them out at the same time.

4. Water and fertilizer management

After carrot seedlings are thinned and planted, the most important thing is water and fertilizer management, which is also the most critical step. Carrots should be top-dressed three times during the entire growing period, and top-dressing is usually combined with tillage and weeding. For the first topdressing, use 8 kg of urea and 10 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer per mu mixed with water. The second top dressing should be done when the carrots grow to 11 leaves. 15 catties of urea and 30 catties of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer can be mixed with water per mu and applied. At this time, the amount of water should be gradually increased so that the carrots can better absorb nutrients. The third top dressing should be done about 20 days later, and another flushing application should be done with the same fertilizer as the second time. At this time, the carrots are in the swelling period, so the soil must be kept moist and not alternately dry and wet, otherwise the carrots will crack. The soil moisture level should be between 75% and 85%.

That’s it