How To Grow Carrots In South Africa
Raw or cooked, carrots are delectable, and studies indicate that consuming one daily may be preferable to taking supplements.
As children we have heard that eating carrots will make your hair curly and improve your night vision—what an odd combo! Don’t dismiss that as “folklore”; it’s at least partially accurate because carrots contain antioxidant molecules that help us fight cancer and cardiovascular disease as well as improve good vision, especially night vision.
Carrots are regarded as one of our best health foods because they are high in vitamin A and a wonderful source of potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. A medium-sized glass of pure carrot juice is a staple of many “detox diets,” and grated carrot is also beneficial.alternative for one of the daily recommended servings of vegetables or as a component of a fresh salad.
The majority of carrots we purchase are grown using pesticides and other chemicals, so growing your own organically is undoubtedly a good idea. Carrots can be sown from August to April in the majority of the country, despite the fact that they favor cooler growth conditions.
How to prepare soil for carrot planting
Light, sandy loam soil is suitable for growing carrots; heavier soil that leans toward clay is not. Since carrots are a root crop, the soil must be thoroughly turned over (more than 30cm in depth). Get rid of all earthen clumps, rocks, sticks, weeds, and rootsthat the fine texture of the earth. To truly aerate the bed, some gardeners turn it over again.
Carrots prefer nutrient-deficient soil, so don’t add manure or compost. Plant carrots in beds that previously contained leafy vegetables, especially cabbages, which are heavy feeders (if you practice crop rotation
Sowing process
Very fine carrot seed is best placed in the rows where it will develop. It is important to take precautions to keep the seed from drying out in the intense midday sun because it is typically sown shallowly. You can sow it a little bit deeper if necessary, or you can cover the bed with shade cloth or a thin layer of damp newspaper. The wet newspaper will serve as a snail trap as well.You can remove the snails in the evening. I like to use shade cloth and lift it off the bed by about 15 cm by building a framework out of sticks. Cats and birds are typically kept out of the beds as a result.
Additionally, it is a good idea to sow the seed thicker than is advised because germination is more unpredictable under less-than-ideal circumstances. The seed can be combined with fine sand or mealie meal to make it simpler to handle.
Cover the seeds with fine compost rather than soil if the soil in your garden tends to be quite heavy or forms a hard crust so they can break through the surface more readily. Because compost dries down so quickly, you must drink water twice day and to use additional caution when it’s hot.
Spreading Out/ Thinning Out
To avoid carrots that are stunted and irregularly shaped, it is crucial to thin out the plants. The rate of germination and the growth of the seedlings will determine how many plants you need to eliminate. When the first two or three genuine leaves appear, the first thinning out occurs. Other seedlings should be spaced 1 cm apart. Up until the last plants are 5 cm apart, keep regularly thinned out. Carrots can be sliced up and put to salad after being thinned.
Harvesting
In 10 to 12 weeks, carrots are ready for harvesting. Delaying harvesting will not improve the quality of the carrot as it rots in the ground. Carrots that have green shoulders are past their prime and will taste woody and bitter. Instead, gather all the carrots from each planting at once and put them in the freezer, a bottle, or the fridge. Before keeping them, remove the green leafy tops because they absorb moisture from the roots. If they are kept in the coldest section of the refrigerator, either in a plastic bag or wrapped in paper towel, they will remain fresh for about two weeks. Because ethylene makes carrots bitter, keep them away from other produce that contains ethylene, such as potatoes, apples, pears, and mashed potatoes.
