When is it better to remove carrots and beets

Some growers are confident that the carrot can be removed at any convenient time, almost until mid-October, because this vegetable is not afraid of frost. Others believe that it is necessary to adhere to certain deadlines when harvesting carrots, otherwise the roots will become woody, less juicy, or even begin to rot.

So who is right? When do you need to pick carrots? The following factors affect the timing of cleaning:

• what varieties of carrots grow in your beds - early, mid-season or varieties intended for winter storage;
• biological characteristics of cultivated varieties;
• cultivation purposes;
• plant condition;
• weather.

Correctly determining the appropriate time when you need to remove the carrots, you get high-quality root crops with a pleasant taste and attractive appearance. Timely harvesting will also favorably affect the nutritional value and the keeping quality of the roots.

Early and late carrots - when to collect roots of different varieties?

For a long time in Russia, it was believed that the best time to clean carrots and other root vegetables ended on September 13. After this date, the beds were supposed to remain clean. There is a certain sense in this: when the temperature drops to +4 degrees, the roots stop growing, and at a temperature of -3 degrees, the risk of carrot damage by gray mold is high, with the result that its keeping quality will greatly deteriorate. Therefore, it is better to dig carrots before the onset of stable autumn frosts, maximum until the end of September. But it is also not recommended to pull the roots out of the ground too early, as they were in quite warm soil for a long time - a sudden movement to a cool cellar or basement can lead to significant storage losses.

Of course, this applies only to late ripening varieties. When harvesting carrots of mid-ripening varieties, you can calculate it yourself - its ripening period lasts from 80 to 110 days. Additional signs of ripening of root vegetables will be yellowed lower leaves. Perederzhivat mid-season carrots in the ground is not worth it, its taste can only worsen.

Carrots with early ripening, as well as the one that was planted before winter, begin to be harvested in the middle of summer, making vitamin salads from it and eating it fresh - it is very tasty and juicy. To produce bundle carrots, you can pick up roots when they reach a diameter of more than 1 cm. If you skip the period when you need to remove early-ripening carrots, leaving it in the ground for a long time, it will lose its bright taste and attractive appearance: the roots may break.

How to harvest?

So, you have determined for yourself when it is better to remove the carrots. Now you can proceed directly to the process of harvesting. Short and medium root vegetables are harvested by hand: holding the carrots in the ground with one hand, and the second firmly grasping the tops. Long carrots should be carefully undermined with a fork or spade so as not to injure and break the roots. Lift the top layer of earth with a carrot, remove it, holding the tops.

There is an erroneous opinion that carrots along with tops should be left on the field for several days, so that all the nutrients from the above-ground part of the plants are transferred to the underground part. In fact, everything happens just the opposite: the tops draw all the juices and nutrients from the root, from which it begins to shrink. Therefore, when harvesting carrots, without delay, cut the tops, as soon as the ground in the roots slightly dries. Leaves can only be left on a bundle of carrots, and it is better to leave petioles no more than two cm.

The tops can be unscrewed by hand or cut with the top of the carrot head up to 2 mm. This will help to significantly increase the shelf life of the carrot, as the tops will not start to germinate, causing the root crop to dry out and reduce its nutritional value.

Now you know when to remove the carrots from the garden, and how to properly clean. Remember that sufficiently ripe carrots should be sent for storage so that important biological components and carotene can accumulate in it. It is also important to avoid harvesting. mechanical damage to root cropsotherwise they will be stored poorly.

If you still have doubts about when to harvest carrots from their beds, try to pull out a few root crops and visually assess their maturity or taste it. Let not the first time, but soon you will learn to reliably determine the most optimal time when to clean the carrot!

aND THERE IS ANOTHER OPINION

Experienced vegetable growers are advised not to be in a hurry with harvesting carrots, since the largest increase in root crops (in central Russia) is observed in September in the second half of the month. In the north of the country frosts are early, so carrots are harvested there in early September. The fact is that it should be removed before the onset of frost on the ground. To decide on the question whether it should be removed or not, and can be left in the ground for 2-3 weeks, one carrot is dug out of the ground.

If it began to grow on the sides of small roots - it's time to dig.

These roots are better to dig with garden forks, not with a shovel. They are undermined, and then pulled out of the ground, holding the tops, while it must be ensured that the tip of the carrot does not break off, because otherwise it will not withstand long-term storage and will need to be used as a foodstuff as soon as possible. It is advisable to shake the ground from the root crops with hands in order to avoid mechanical damage.

The carrots harvested from the garden are washed, the leaves are carefully cut (tops), because if it grows, it will suck all the juices and leave to dry: on the table or on film. Carrots are stored perfectly in boxes, sprinkled with sand mixed with lime - 10 parts of sand and 1 part of slaked lime. You can dip them in the clay “mash” and dry them thoroughly.

First of all, beets are harvested from root vegetables.

This vegetable is extremely rich in vitamins and minerals, and also underlies quite effective diets. Well, the winter table cannot do without it. The time of harvesting beets plays an important role.

As a rule, it is September. It should be noted that in regions where autumn is long and warm, beet harvest can be done until mid-October. Also in the ground, you can leave small-sized roots. The most important thing is to remove the beets before the onset of frosts, otherwise it will be poorly stored, wrinkle, start to rot, but the most important thing is that it will lose its rather pleasant taste qualities.

And before the first frosts, it is not worth digging up, and the lower yellowed leaves do not mean that the beets stopped growing, as they dry constantly when new ones appear. Clean it preferably in dry weather. Grown roots by digging with a shovel removed from the soil, cleaned from the remnants of the leaves (tops) and earth. Here in this form it is ready for storage. Sand or sawdust will be suitable for storage.

Why not be long to leave beets in the garden?

Terms of harvesting beets depend not only on the physiological reasons, that is, ripening, the size of the roots, but also on the weather conditions of the area where it is grown. This is especially true of late varieties intended for winter. Therefore, when deciding whether to delay or start harvesting this useful vegetable, it is necessary to take into account its peculiarities:

And further

Cleaning beetroot and harvesting beets for the winter

Root vegetables perfectly preserved. Therefore, many gardeners harvest beets for the winter. It is very undemanding to storage conditions. You can store crops in bulk containers. The most suitable varieties for long-term storage are Podzimnyaya, Incomparable, and Bordeaux.

Harvesting beets spend a little earlier than cleaning carrots. Its roots are larger and protrude above the ground more. Therefore, they are more damaged by frost. Ripening varieties ripen in July. By the time of readiness, the first-class quality root crops have a diameter of 5-10 cm. The second-class quality root crops reach a diameter of up to 14 cm.

The harvesting of red beets is carried out when its leaves are yellowed and dried. This is usually the end of August and the first half of September.

Root crops very carefully, in order not to damage them, break in with pitchforks. Then hands are removed from the soil, cleaned from the remnants of the earth. After that, using a sharp knife carefully, so as not to hurt the root itself is cut off. The length of the petioles after harvesting should be no more than 2 cm. After a while, after these sections have hardened, the harvest can be removed for storage.

How to store beets - the best conditions for storing beets

To prevent the development of microorganisms, the crop should be processed with chalk. Keep well beets nearby. It benefits both.

Root crops have a characteristic thick skin. It protects them from mechanical damage, as well as reduces evaporation of moisture. In addition, the vegetable has the ability to heal small scratches in its upper part. But the shelf life of such a crop is reduced to 4 months. If the heads have a peeled skin, then the period is reduced to 3 - 4 months. Even less can lie a crop damaged by diseases and insects. Even one sick head in the whole lot can ruin a large number of other root crops. After collecting all the heads, you need to carefully inspect, separate the damaged, rotten and diseased specimens. Then air dry.

If the crop has no mechanical damage and is not infected, then it will quietly lie for 8 months. This means that with careful harvesting and under proper conditions, the harvest may continue until the next year's harvest. At the same time, it will remain fresh. Heads with a diameter of up to 10 cm are best preserved. The best moisture for a crop is 80-85%. And the best temperature is 2-3 ° C. Stores should be cool and dry. It should be protected from freezing. After it thaws, the heads will rot and get sick. It should be borne in mind that keeping quality may depend on the growing conditions and on the characteristics of a particular variety.

There are many options for storing beets. Heads can be removed in plastic bags, which are then filled with sawdust or sand. Can be left in the sand, peat, shavings or sawdust in dry and clean boxes. Large batches are well preserved in containers with polyethylene liners. Containers on top are filled up to 7 cm with wet sand. They can be installed one above the other. With this method, the loss will be no more than 5%. But in this case, the temperature should be 0 ° C. If it rises at least a couple of degrees, the amount of the lost crop will increase significantly.

You can also remove the roots in the underground, cellar, pit, trench or basement. In trenches, the heads are covered with earth and covered with leaves.

If the collection was carried out with the help of machines, the heads are stored in bins. Lead out for better ventilation. Small heads are kept separate from large ones.

It is possible to use for storage and refrigerators.

  A logical question that gardeners ask themselves when growing carrots: "How to save the root crop in the autumn - winter period?" When cleaning and storing underground beauty should take into account certain subtleties. The savvy minds of gardeners offer several ways to store carrots. However, the successful storage of any root begins with proper cleaning.

Cleaning time

  The main rule of carrot harvest is timely and proper harvesting. Carrots are not afraid of frost, so you can harvest these roots until mid-October. In the soil, carrots are well tolerated by frost, if before it to push it to the ground to the ground, but being in the frosty air adversely affects it. Practicing digging up root crops even from snow, this method allows them to cool before long storage.

Reduced average daily temperature slows down the metabolic processes in carrots, it cools down and this has a positive effect on storage. It is mid-September - the beginning of October is considered the best time for harvesting. If weather forecasters predict rain, then dig carrots before the season of precipitation. During the autumn rains, the carrots are saturated with moisture, it becomes tasteless and cracks.

Terms for harvesting vary depending on several factors:

Purpose of cultivation;
  - weather;
  - general condition of plants;
  - growing region;
  - meteorological forecasts;
  - features of agrotechnology;
  - terms of ripening of a particular variety;
  - the size of the root.

Choose to clean the carrots in good and warm weather when the soil is dry. Depending on the variety, the maturation periods of the redhead are different. Typically, the harvest time of carrots is indicated on the bag of seeds. Harvesting ahead of time is not worth it, because the carrots do not have time to ripen and accumulate enough sugars, which will negatively affect its taste. In a carrot overexposed in an orchard, there is an excess of amino acids and sugars, and this makes it a delicacy for mice, carrot fly larvae. You can prepare carrots for harvesting at the end of August, apply the tops to one side, closing the carrots that have appeared from the ground.
  Additionally, be aware when harvesting carrots for the color of the tops, as soon as it starts to turn yellow - the roots are ready for harvesting.

Topper removal

  A few days before digging carrots stop its watering. It is also recommended to cut the tops, leaving the tail of the carrot about 5 cm. This procedure allows you to preserve the succulent root, which disappears with the rapid growth of the tops.
  After digging carrots, all the tops are removed completely in two stages. To remove the tops, it is necessary so that it does not take away the useful substances. First, prune or unscrew the tops just above the head of the root. The next day, the head is cut off completely, including the growth point (slice thickness 0.5 - 1 cm). Keep in mind that the cut should be smooth and even.
  Cardinal pruning noticeably increases the shelf life of carrots, while it does not germinate in winter, the fruits do not wilt or dry out.

What and how to dig carrots

Vegetable growers with experience suggest pulling carrots by hand for their tails. When you do not have enough strength to get a root vegetable out of the ground, you can dig up carrots with a shovel or blunt forks with flat teeth that damage carrots less. Use the tools carefully, otherwise they may leave a mark on the root, and it will subsequently begin to rot. Pulling the carrot with your hands, hold it with one hand against the ground, the other firmly grasp and pull the tops.

Wipe off heavy dirt and clods of soil on the root with a dry rag or palm. To wash, scrape with a sharp object, a knife, it is absolutely impossible to churn the ground, thereby damaging and spoiling vegetables.

Drying

  Drying is required to prepare carrots for long-term storage after pruning. If the weather is sunny and dry, then you can dry carrots in 2 - 3 hours. When the cleaning took place on an overcast day, then the roots should be thoroughly dried in a cool room for 1-2 days. After drying, clean the carrot again from the remnants of the earth. If dirt remains on the roots, do not try to remove it completely, do not damage them.

Spend for carrots "quarantine", place it in a room with a temperature of 10 - 15 degrees for a week. During this time, the places of slices in the carrot head will be tightened, and sick and spoiled root vegetables will make themselves known.

Sorting

  After drying, immediately before harvesting in storage, carrots should be inspected and bruised. Even during the digging of the crop, carrots can be cut by careless movement of a spade or harmful insects. Inspect each carrot for rot, signs of wilting, or damage.

Harvest carrots ready for storage.

It would seem that cleaning carrots is so simple that a small child can cope with it. Draw yourself ripe roots from the garden and tear off the tops. But if everything was so simple, the gardeners would not have caused so many questions the harvesting of carrots themselves, the time of harvest, and the technology of storing root crops.

And after all, the taste of root crops, their appearance and ability for long-term storage depend on how much time and how accurately the carrot harvest is. If you want a sweet, vitamin-rich, beautiful and even carrot that is resistant to various types of rot, you need not only to sow the seeds at suitable times and ensure the right care for the seedlings, it is also important not to miss the time of harvesting carrots, dig it up, without causing harm to the roots, and prepare properly for winter storage.

Gardeners usually dig carrots in the old-fashioned way - manually with a shovel

Gardeners usually dig carrots in the old-fashioned way - by hand with a shovel. In large farms, however, preference is given to mechanized harvesting of carrots with the help of various harvesting equipment. Let us consider in more detail what methods and with the help of what technologies can the harvesting of carrots be carried out.

Video about the correct harvest of carrots

Traditional hand-picked carrots

First of all, you need to correctly determine depending on what varieties you sow. Early ripening varieties can be harvested after sowing after 2 months, mid-season - after 3 months, and late-ripening - after about 4 months. When harvesting carrots intended for winter storage, it is important to podgadat time so that the roots have accumulated enough useful vitamins, but the carrots have not yet had time to crack or rot from a long stay in the soil and frost. A sure sign that you can start harvesting is yellowed tops.

Carrot harvesting technology is simple:

• remove dried bottom leaves of the plants so that they do not interfere with digging and pulling out the roots;
• dig a carrot with a shovel, keeping the blade vertically up and putting it in the ground 5 cm from the row in order not to accidentally damage root crops;
• holding the carrot to the ground with your hand, gently pull it out with the second leaf with the other hand;
• put out the pulled vegetables along the row so that the dirt on them dries out a little;
• finished digging carrots, slightly clean off the ground with it and cut the tops.

Immediately after the rain, root crops are not worth digging, otherwise they may crack and become unsuitable for long-term storage.

The most favorable days for harvesting carrots are the end of September, when dry weather is for a long time. Immediately after the rain, root crops are not worth digging, otherwise they may crack and become unsuitable for long-term storage. Leaving dug carrots with tops in the garden is also not recommended, as the tops will pull nutrients from the root crop. Carrots with trimmed tops immediately lay in boxes for storage.

Machine methods for cleaning carrots

Enterprises specializing in the cultivation of carrots on an industrial scale, harvest the crop mechanically using various types of combine harvesters. Terms of carrot collection vary and depend on the onset of full maturity of root crops - ripe carrots do not darken from a long stay in the fresh air.

Video about carrot cleaning methods

Before mechanical harvesting with a topper, remove the tops of carrots, crops are cleared of weeds. Removing weeds is especially important when cleaning with a top-lifting type machine, as it automatically tracks a row of plants and may deviate to the side due to growing weeds.