What soil is best for carrots?

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If you want to get a large harvest of carrots on your plot, keep in mind that the quality of the soil plays an important role.

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A large harvest can only be obtained on sandy and loose loamy soils with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction.

Clay soil, when dried, forms a thick and dense crust that will prevent the seeds from germinating normally. As a result, the seeds will germinate unevenly.

The soil for carrots should be rich in organic matter (humus), well-drained, and light.

It is important to understand that fresh manure and excessive amounts of mineral fertilizers cannot be added to the soil. This will have a detrimental effect on the growth and development of root crops. For example, carrot flies may appear on the plantings.

A year before planting carrot seeds, apply organic fertilizers. You can plant potatoes, onions or cucumbers first. They are the best predecessors of carrots. After them, a lot of decomposed organic matter remains, which has a great effect on the germination of carrot seeds.

The soil after these crops is usually free of weeds. This is important to consider, since weeds initially overgrow carrots and, growing, suppress them.

If your plot is poor in nutrients, then add manure (rotted) and wood ash before digging. If the plot has fertile soil, then it will be enough to only add mineral fertilizers.

It is important to water the carrots properly after planting. After you have prepared the soil and sown the seeds, monitor the soil moisture.

You can cover the bed with polyethylene until sprouts appear on it. This will ensure that moisture is preserved in the soil so that the seeds germinate more easily.

When the fruits begin to form, start watering the bed according to the schedule. If the days are sunny and warm, then once every 5 days, 25 liters per 1 m² of the bed. After 2-4 weeks, depending on the weather, continue watering once a week at 25 liters per 1 m².

If you decide to feed carrots with fertilizers, combine fertilizing with watering. Do not forget that excessive watering can make the tops too thick and the roots too small.

Carrots require good care, but if you follow all the recommendations, you will get a good harvest and you will always be able to give advice to novice gardeners.