Terms and rules for harvesting carrots for winter storage

Not a single kitchen in the world can do without juicy, sweet carrots. But it is not enough to grow a rich harvest; it is very important to harvest it on time and correctly.

Lack of knowledge can nullify all efforts made to grow this juicy, tasty and very healthy root vegetable.

When and how to properly remove carrots from the garden, and whether there are any nuances of harvesting root crops for storage for the winter, we will consider in the article.

When should you remove from the garden?

Several factors influence the choice of the most suitable carrot harvest period.

Variety

When choosing the carrot harvest period, it is very important to take into account the variety of root crop and the timing of its ripening (indicated by the seed manufacturer on the packaging).

So early varieties fully ripen by mid-June. Two to three months after seed germination, the root crop gains maximum nutrients and becomes juicy and sweet.

It is very important not to miss the moment of collection carrots of early varieties, since otherwise it loses:

• taste,
• juiciness,
• nutrients.

Harvesting of mid-season varieties begins in late August - early September. Three to four months after seed germination, the root crop gains the maximum amount of vitamins and sweetness.

The ideal carrot varieties for long-term winter storage are late varieties. The harvest period begins in late September.The vegetable accumulates the maximum amount of nutrients, juiciness and sweet taste four to five months after seed germination.

• Emperor (distinguished by its dense, sweet orange-red pulp);
• Samson (large fruits weighing up to 200g, bright orange);
• Canada (late variety has a high yield).

Climatic growing conditions

One of the main criteria for choosing the time to harvest carrots is the growing region with its climate characteristics.

So in central Russia (including in the Moscow region) they begin to dig vegetables in the second half of September. Often the first weeks of autumn in this region are rainy, so there is no need to rush into harvesting, calmly waiting for stable, dry weather.

At the same time, it must be remembered that a very early harvest can lead to the fact that the harvested carrots turn out to be tasteless and slightly bitter (the root crop simply does not have time to collect the required amount of sugar and nutrients).

Harvesting in the Urals is determined by sowing dates. Most often, early and mid-season varieties are sown, which in a relatively short summer have time to fully ripen and acquire the required amount of vitamins. Already in the first week of August, carrots begin to be checked for readiness for digging.

If the summer is rainy and cold, then the harvest date is delayed by ten to fifteen days.

In the harsh climatic conditions of Siberia, adapted varieties are chosen for cultivation with a growing season of no more than one hundred days. Harvesting begins three months from the moment the first shoots appear (approximately in the last week of August, the first days of September).

Weather

The optimal harvest period occurs when the outside air temperature ranges from +5°C to +8°C. It is at this time that the carrots, having been maximally filled with sweetness, juiciness and nutrients, stop growing.

There is no need to rush to collect carrots, as you may be disappointed with the taste of the grown root vegetable.

Harvesting must be done before the first frost.. Already at -3°C, gray rot may appear on carrots, which can completely destroy the crop.

Vegetables are harvested only in dry, partly cloudy weather (rain and heat negatively affect the quality of the harvest).

Condition of tops and soil

A sure sign that the carrots are ripe is dry, yellowed lower leaves.. Having noticed them, it is necessary to immediately begin harvesting, since further presence of carrots in the ground can cause the vegetable to crack, overgrow, and lose its juiciness and taste.

It is necessary to dig up carrots without waiting for the soil to freeze. The root crop should come out of the soil easily by twisting or using a fork.

How to collect correctly?

By following a clear algorithm of actions, you can quickly harvest carrots:

1. Thirty days before the expected harvest date, watering of the beds is stopped (root crops are dug only from dry soil).
2. The short carrots, grown on sandy, loose soils, are harvested by hand.To do this, they rest against the ground with one hand, and with the other, tightly grasping the tops, they pull out the carrots.
3. The long root vegetable is dug up with a pitchfork (it is not recommended to use a shovel, so as not to damage the delicate skin).

   To do this, insert a pitchfork into the ground at a distance of 8 cm from the carrots, and gently pressing on the stalk, dig up the vegetable. The earthen lump is lifted together with the carrot, after which the root crop is pulled out of the ground by the tops.

It is convenient to harvest carrots in pairs. One person digs up the vegetable with a pitchfork, the second person pulls out the carrots by the tops.

Do I need to dry it?

To prepare the harvested carrot crop for long-term storage, a number of activities need to be carried out:

1. Clean root vegetables from dirt. Clods of earth are cleaned by hand. A knife or any other sharp metal objects injure the skin of carrots, which significantly reduces the shelf life of vegetables.
2. Sort the harvested crops. At the same time, peeling the carrots from the soil, the root vegetables are sorted. First of all, vegetables with damage, cracks, or signs of spoilage are separated (such carrots go for processing). For long-term storage, large, dense, undamaged fruits are set aside. Small carrots are set aside separately. It is primarily consumed as food.
3. Use a sharp, clean knife to trim the tops, or separate the greens from the root crop with your hands using the twisting method.
4. Dry the carrots, leaving the vegetables in the garden for two hours.
5. Before storing carrots for long-term storage, vegetables must be kept for five hours in a dark, well-ventilated place. During this time, the carrots cool, which allows them to accept fairly low air temperatures without stress.

How to store?

A sufficient number is known ways to store carrots for a long time:

1. In sand. A layer of sand (no more than 5-6cm) is poured onto the bottom of a wooden box or plastic box. Lay a layer of carrots on top (the root vegetables do not touch each other). Cover the vegetables with a layer of sand.
2. In onion or garlic peel. Similar to the actions with sand, carrots can be sprinkled with onion (garlic) peels.

   Phytoncides contained in garlic and onion peelings actively fight bacteria, fungi, and mold spores.

3. In plastic bags. The sorted vegetables are placed in a bag and stored openly in the cellar.
4. In clay. Each carrot is individually dipped into clay diluted to the point of liquid sour cream. Afterwards, the vegetables must be thoroughly dried and stored in a wooden box or cardboard box.
5. Coniferous sawdust. The sorted carrots are placed in a box or on a shelf covered with pine sawdust. The top of the vegetables is also covered with pine wood shavings. The phenolic substances of spruce, pine or fir perfectly prevent the development of decay processes.

Adviсe

It is important to follow these simple tips:

1. If the harvest time has not yet arrived, and weather forecasters predict early frosts, agrofibre will help preserve root crops.
2. When the diameter of early varieties of carrots reaches 1 cm, the root crop is ready to be dug up.
3. Early varieties are not suitable for long-term storage.
4. You should not store carrots with tops. Greens will very quickly suck the moisture out of the root crop, which will reduce its shelf life and make it tasteless and dry.
5. If the air temperature in the cellar is below +4°C, it is better to sprinkle the carrots with wet sand.If the temperature is above +4°C - dry.

Video on the topic of the article

When to put carrots away for storage, video tips:

Conclusion

By following clear recommendations on when and how to harvest carrots, you can enjoy the taste and nutrients of this root vegetable for as long as possible.