High-Yield Carrot Cultivation Techniques and Planting and Harvesting Times

Carrots, also called red radishes, that we grow and eat today are all varieties of wild carrot, and they are one of the ingredients commonly used in people's daily meals. Where there is a market, there is naturally cultivation, so below we will discuss what high-yield carrot cultivation techniques there are, and when is the best time to plant and harvest them?

1. What high-yield carrot cultivation techniques are there?

(1) The high-yield cultivation techniques for spring carrots are as follows:

1. Carrots are semi-cold-tolerant vegetables. The suitable germination temperature is 20-25 degrees Celsius, and the suitable growth temperature is 18-23 degrees Celsius during the day and 13-18 degrees Celsius at night. Too high or too low a temperature is unfavorable for growth. Carrots have a well-developed root system, so deep plowing of the land plays an important role in promoting vigorous root growth and thickening of the fleshy root.

2. The soil should be deep sandy loam, with pH 5-8 being more suitable. The required soil moisture is 60-80% of the soil's maximum water-holding capacity. If there is too much moisture in the early growth stage, the aboveground part will grow too vigorously, which will affect the expansion and growth of the fleshy root. If there is insufficient moisture in the late growth stage, the taproot cannot fully expand, resulting in reduced yield. Soil that is too heavy and sticky, or the application of undecomposed base fertilizer, will hinder the normal growth of the fleshy root and produce deformed roots.

3. When the seedlings have 7-8 leaves, take advantage of moist soil to hoe deeply to control growth, promoting downward extension of the main root and development of fibrous roots, and inhibiting excessive leaf growth. After 10-20 days, when the fleshy root has clearly expanded, begin watering thoroughly and keep the soil moist regularly. When there are 3-4 true leaves, apply 2-3 kg of ammonium sulfate, 3-4 kg of superphosphate, and 2-3 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu. When thinning to a final stand, combine with watering and apply 10 kg of diammonium phosphate and 3-4 kg of potassium chloride per mu to promote strong and rapid seedling growth. When the fleshy root begins to grow, apply a quick-acting organic liquid fertilizer or diammonium phosphate, potassium chloride, etc. In addition, spring carrots are harvested 90-100 days after sowing.

(2) The high-yield cultivation methods for autumn carrots are as follows:

1. Variety selection: choose varieties that are disease-resistant, high-yielding, high-quality, attractive in appearance, have a relatively long growth period, and have a relatively large plant type. According to market feedback in recent years, varieties such as Bai Ri Hong Guan and FS Xiu Hong Zheng Pin are relatively good.

2. Carrot land preparation and sowing: the sowing period is generally in July. Before sowing, apply 3000 kg of fully decomposed farmyard manure per mu. If applying chemical fertilizer, it must be spread evenly, with 25-30 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer, 20 kg of urea, and 30-50 kg of superphosphate per mu. After application, plow deeply and harrow finely, then level and make beds. Flat beds are mostly used on sandy loam soil, while raised beds are suitable in rainy areas. Sowing is mostly done in drills. Method: open furrows in the bed at a row spacing of 15-20 cm, with a furrow depth of about 2 cm, sow in the furrows, and sow evenly. After sowing, gently sweep the seeds that fell outside the furrows into the furrows with a broom, then rake level, *** then tread once with the feet and water. Generally, 300-500 g of seed is used per mu. Where conditions permit, a seed drill can also be used, completing furrow opening and sowing in one pass, with a row spacing of 20 cm and 250-300 g of seed per mu. Within 3 days after sowing, spray with Jinchaoer to close the soil and control weeds.

3. Carrot field management: from sowing to emergence, the soil is required to remain moist, and generally 3 waterings are needed. When the seedlings have 1-2 leaves, thin them on a sunny afternoon, with a plant spacing of 3 cm, and shallowly hoe between the rows. When the seedlings have 4-5 leaves, final thinning is done on a sunny afternoon, removing overly dense plants, weak plants, and diseased plants. Final thinning should be based on the characteristics of the variety and the traits of the plants; generally the plant spacing is kept at 10-12 cm, with 25,000-30,000 plants left per mu. After final thinning, carry out a second intertillage and weeding. Intertillage should be shallow to avoid damaging the roots. The seedling stage coincides with hot and rainy weather, so water as appropriate so that the soil surface alternates between dry and moist. After watering or rainfall, timely intertillage and loosening of the soil should be carried out.

4. When carrot seedlings have 7-8 leaves, watering should be appropriately controlled, and intertillage and soil loosening should be strengthened to promote downward extension of the main root and development of fibrous roots, and to prevent excessive plant growth. If excessive growth is found, it can be controlled with a 1000-fold solution of paclobutrazol. When the fleshy root of autumn carrots grows to the thickness of a finger, the water supply should be well controlled. Too dry easily causes lignification of the fleshy root and an increase in lateral roots; too wet easily causes rotting of the fleshy root; alternating dry and wet conditions and uneven water supply easily cause cracking of the fleshy root and reduce quality.

5. Autumn carrots have a long growth period, and the peak fertilizer demand is in the middle and late stages, so on the basis of applying sufficient base fertilizer, fertilizer should be applied in stages as topdressing. It is suitable to apply quick-acting fertilizers, with 3 topdressings throughout the growth period, once every 15 days. Apply 15-20 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer per mu, preferably by flushing with irrigation, which can avoid burning the roots due to excessively high soil solution concentration.

2. When is the best time to plant and harvest carrots?

The planting and harvesting times for radishes differ by region and variety and cannot be generalized. Below are several planting and harvesting times for carrots, which growers can save for reference.

1. Hybrid variety - Hongsen carrot: this carrot variety is relatively cold-tolerant and can be planted in autumn and winter, and it is also fine to harvest in February and March.

2. Japanese hybrid carrot: this carrot variety has a very good appearance, is cold-tolerant and grows well, and has relatively strong adaptability. It can be planted in spring, summer, and autumn, and can generally be harvested about 110 days after planting.

3. Improved New Kuroda Five-Inch carrot: this carrot variety is heat-tolerant and relatively disease-resistant. It is generally planted in summer and harvested in autumn and winter.

4. Hongying No. 2 carrot: this is a hybrid radish introduced to China from Japan and crossed with jujube trees. It is generally sown in early spring and can be harvested about 95 days after planting.