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Carrots enjoy a special place among the vegetables. They are versatile, and the inherent sweet nature of the vegetables appeals to people of all ages and generations. The main appeal of carrots is the presence of beta-carotene, which has many known health benefits.
Carrots are one of the most cherished food ingredients as they can remain perfectly edible after months of storing. For this reason, the vegetable has become popular whenever it made its journey from its home in Iran and Afghanistan.
Gardening Tips for Carrots that Actually Work
Carrots qualify as biannual plants that grow easily. They thrive well in sandy, well-drained, and light soil and prefer to have full sun. The carrots are a popular winter vegetable and available in markets worldwide and all times of the year in their natural or processed form such as grated, pre-cooked, and tinned.
History of Carrots
The carrots reached Asia from Persia in the 13th century, and it was during the same time that the vegetables were cultivated for the first time in France and Germany. The popularity of these vegetables quickly spread across Europe, then to the US (17TH century), Brazil (mid-17th century), and finally reached Australia.
Benefits of Carrots
You probably did not know that carrots do much more than just adding color to your dishes. The root vegetable is highly effective in boosting the immunity of an individual. The carrots are also rich in nutrients and contain Vitamin A and beta carotene. When you add carrots to your regular diet, it will help improve your eyes' health. The vegetable has loads of antioxidants and fiber. It helps to enhance hair and skin, which is why many beauty products and cosmetic companies claim to have carrots in their products.
Basic Carrot Facts
Carrots take around 14 to 21 days to germinate. It means you must ensure that the seedbed is moist for at least three weeks or even longer. The carrots are slow to germinate and require almost constant attention. If you want to reduce the germination time of the carrot, then pre-sprouting is the best method to do so.
Carrots usually take a bit of time to achieve full growth and they grow best in the winter season or cooler temperatures. No wonder they grow best in the Northern Hemisphere. The best approach is to plant seeds from mid-March to mid-September in a three-week interval. For this, one needs at least four rows of dedicated gardening space.
The carrots are classified as a cool-season crop, and the seeds are sowed when the soil temperature is around 50 degrees F. The germination of the seeds usually occurs between 55 degrees to 75 degrees F, as this temperature range is known to be optimal for the growth of the carrots.
I love how when you research this you get yield per acre, etc. I don't know about you but I don't plant an entire acre of carrots. How many carrots does one plant yield? The carrot is the edible root of the plant, so one plant results in one carrot at the end of the growing season.
Both children and adults can enjoy carrots. If you have kids at home, you can serve the carrots at home in puree. They will love the sweet taste of this root vegetable. The adults would prefer to eat the carrots in the cooked form as they are easier to eat.
Gardening Tips for Carrots : Soil
Unlike the other vegetables, carrots adjust well to different soil conditions. But they prefer to grow in light, sandy soil. The soil should have a pH balance between six and seven, and there should be proper drainage for the soil. You should also add well-matured compost into the soil before planting. Carrot is a healthy root vegetable that requires phosphorous for its healthy growth. So always make sure that the soil never lacks phosphorous.
Planting
Carrots are cool weather crops, so it is a good idea to get started in early spring. When you plant the carrots, the soil temperature should be around 50 degrees F. Spacing is also essential when planting carrots, and ideally, the plants should be four inches apart from each other.
The soil must be kept moist as the dry conditions will affect the shape and color of the carrots. If you are a fan of decorative gardening, then you can plant the carrots in containers as they do well there.
Gardening Tips for Carrots: Plant Care
Carrots thrive well in well-drained and well-cultivated soil. Just a few inches of compost and a little bit of fertilizer will help your carrot plants to grow well. The carrots can tolerate a little bit of shade, but they will crunchy and sweet when they get the full sunlight.
Harvesting Carrots
Depending on the variety of the carrots you have planted, they are usually ready for harvesting in around three months. You will know when they are ready for picking when you see the bright tops playing peek-a-boo from the soil. You can store the carrots in your refrigerator or the root cellar if you have one.
Enjoying Carrots
One can enjoy these sweet, delicious, and crunchy carrots in multiple ways. You can eat them plain as a nutritious snack, or you can use them to make things like fried rice, muffins, and smoothies. However, one must remember to wash and peel them before eating the carrots or using them in different dishes.
Easy Carrot Recipe
Are you pondering how to eat your carrots? These bright-looking and orange-colored veggies are full of nutrients and vitamins. There is no need to munch on those raw carrot sticks. Check this delicious carrot recipe: Great Depression Recipes: Hearty 6 Layer Casserole
