Rules for planting carrots in April
Spring is the most active time for gardeners. As soon as the snow melts, preparations begin for field and household work, inventory is checked, the land is cultivated, seeds are packed. Each vegetable has its own characteristics of sowing, therefore it is important how the planting of carrots will go in April.
Rules for planting carrots in April
Preparing carrots for sowing
Gardening and field work begins with the choice of a place and preparation of the soil.
Carrots prefer sunny places, flat and low wind. Heat helps seeds germinate faster and get the necessary synthesis of substances, which takes place in the ground part of the plant - tops. An even layer will prevent the water from eroding the layers of the earth and will deliver moisture directly to the roots. The absence of wind will have a positive effect while maintaining the richest topsoil.
Soil features
You need to plant carrots in sandy loam and light loamy soil, as well as peat bogs. Light soil allows water and air to flow to the root system more strongly, contributes to the most correct development of vegetables under the ground. Heavy soil deforms the root crop, can cause the vegetable to split into 3-5 parts.
The acidity of the soil should be neutral or slightly acidic - pH 5.5-6.5. To bring the acidity level indicators closer to comfortable ones, peat crumbs taken from the upper bogs are added to the soil. Lime is also a good assistant for the gardener to obtain neutrality.
Role of Progenitor Plants
Make sure that the seeds are sown in the places of those predecessor plants that will positively affect the growth and further ripening of vegetables.
Such crops are legumes, greens, early potatoes and cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions. It is undesirable to sow root crops in areas where parsnips, celery, parsley, fennel, zucchini grew, due to the fact that carrots have similar diseases and pests with them.
It is possible to ensure the fertility of the soil for sowing carrots in the fall by adding humus, phosphorus or potash fertilizers, or organic matter. In the spring, 10-14 days before planting, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen at a rate of 20-25 g / m². After that, it is necessary to carefully dig up the ground so that the fertilizer mixes with the soil, check for unnecessary elements (pebbles, roots, various foreign objects) and remove them.
Planting carrots in April
We plant only in a heated ground
The sowing time of the seeds lays down the future features of the ripening of root crops. Therefore, it is important to calculate the most suitable weather conditions. The beginning of spring is too cold, and the presence of snow on the surface of the soil also prevents sowing. For an early harvest, carrots should be planted in hotbeds and greenhouses. Ground sowing is carried out in April, as soon as the air temperature rises to 10-12 ° C, the earth at this time warms up to 3-6 ° C. Vegetable seedlings are frost-resistant, therefore they can withstand short-term frosts up to -4-5 ° C.
To get a good harvest of carrots from the April sowing, you should adhere to the following actions:
- Cut the beds to a depth of 2-4 cm for light soils and 1-2 cm for heavy soils. The distance between the rows should not be more than 15-25 cm. In the garden, the seeds are distributed every 3-8 cm.
- The seeds are pre-soaked and spread on damp gauze at room temperature for several days. Moisten the fabric regularly as needed. Further, before planting, the seeds are placed in a refrigerator for hardening. In this case, seeds of 3-4 years old are used.
- Before sowing, water the beds with water. Use thawed or rainwater settled water. Along with irrigation, ash or other nitrogen-containing fertilizer is sometimes applied.
- Seeds are sown by hand, through a special seeder, granules are used, or the "paste" method. The latter consists in the fact that the ready-hatched seeds are evenly distributed on a thin cellulose tape, gluing with a homemade paste. After planting, the beds are covered with earth, but not watered again.
- In early April, it is time to plant early maturing varieties that are ready for harvest in 100 days. Mid April - early May are suitable for mid-season varieties, ready to eat after 120 days. Until the end of May, there is a period for planting late-ripening varieties, the vegetative period of which lasts up to 140 days.
April sowing according to the lunar calendar
The lunar calendar is a convenient reference point for sowing carrots. It has long been used to determine a good or unfavorable time for carrying out gardening and field work.
- the growing moon ensures the lush development of the upper, terrestrial part of the plant;
- the waning moon promotes the development of the underground, root part of the plant.
Carrots are best planted during the waning moon. The roots of vegetables planted closer to the Full Moon tend to go deeper. Crops close to New Moon grow strong and short. Full moon periods and when the moon is not visible are generally unfavorable for any work with the earth and plants.
In 2018, suitable days for planting carrots in April are:
- April 1-3 - days saturated with energy, seedlings will appear quickly and will be resistant to disease;
- On April 7-8, crops will give an average harvest in size and quantity, which will be stored for a long time;
- April 12-13, 17-18 is a good period to sow carrots, high productivity is outlined;
- On April 21-22, the seeds will give a good sprout, a rich harvest with excellent taste, but it will not be able to lie for a long time;
- April 27-28 is a neutral period for planting, the roots will be medium in size, but devoid of juiciness.
Unfavorable days in this month are 4-6, 9-11, 14-16, 29-30 - the harvest may be lost during droughts or reborn into stems.
Care after landing
In April, carrots take 15 to 20 days to germinate if the weather is good and the beds are well fertilized before planting. Plants are still weak and need attention initially. The first watering is carried out 5-6 days after sprouting, so that the roots are firmly entrenched in the thickness of the earth and rush down. The amount of water should not exceed 3 l / m².
It is important to make sure that the upper ball of soil does not harden and that the amount of air necessary for the root system of young shoots passes through. To do this, after watering, when the water goes into the depths, the soil is loosened. Make sure that this action does not damage the roots.
Conclusion
It is worth planting carrots in April, relying on the principles of proper preparation of the soil, seeds and choosing the right time for this action. There are options to plant vegetables under a greenhouse during the cold period of the month, or wait until the end of April and use open field planting. To choose the right time for gardening, they are guided by the sowing lunar calendar.