Black carrots: what it is, description, varieties, benefits and harms of its juice, photo

Black carrots are a curiosity for our latitudes. Few of our compatriots are familiar with the black variety of such a very useful root vegetable as carrots. We all know the benefits and benefits of bright orange carrots. She is a welcome guest on the tables of our compatriots at any time of the year. Young roots of this vegetable are especially appreciated in the spring, during the period of vitamin deficiency. After all, her saturation with vitamins and useful microelements is such that she can confidently compete with any overseas miracle fruit.

But black carrots are not often seen on the shelves of our shops and vegetable markets. But, nevertheless, black carrots really exist, but whether it is inferior to our orange compatriot in valuable vitamin composition, or superior to it, let's figure it out.

What is black carrot

Black carrots are a perennial plant in the Astrov family. Representatives of this genus are most often herbaceous crops, and sometimes shrubs. Leaves are lily, lily-lanceolate, or whole-edged. Scorzonera flowers appear only in the second year of cultivation. They are mostly yellow, in rare cases they are pink. Achenes are linear-cylindrical with a ring of red feathery hairs.

Scorzonera flowers appear only in the second year, mostly yellow

Where the goat grows is of interest to many gardeners. Under natural conditions, the culture is found mainly in arid regions, from the shores of the Mediterranean to East Asia. But black carrots can be grown in almost any climatic zone.

Interesting!

From ancient times to this day, black carrots have been used in Spain as a medicine for the bite of some species of snakes.

Varietal variety

In the wild, there are more than 200 varieties and species of scorchors. It grows in meadows and fields, and can often be seen along roads. It is also eaten, but only cultivated varieties have greater nutritional value and better taste.

Black carrot varieties

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It is extremely difficult to find a scorzoner in the market or in a store, because the vegetable is in little demand. Therefore, plant seeds are most often ordered over the Internet. There are only a few well-known varieties that are suitable for cultivation in Russia.

«Overseas delicacy"- medium-ripening type of black carrot. The rosette is half-raised, up to 17 cm in height, and about 12 cm in girth. The leaves are green, small. Carrots are smooth, elongated, brown in color. Length - 35 cm, diameter up to 3.2 cm, weight - 100-130 g. The pulp is white. Productivity from a square of plantings up to 2 kg.
«Curative"- a variety that yields a harvest in 120 days. The socket is half-raised. Leaves ovate-elongated, located on oblong petioles. Conical root crop, brown color, weighing up to 80 g.The pulp is white, with a high content of juice, astringent, a bit like asparagus.
Varieties and seeds of black carrots
«Russian giant»Grows up to 75 cm in height. Leaves are ovate, oblong, grow sprawling. Inflorescences that grow in the second year have yellow buds collected in baskets. Carrots are cylindrical, rich in vitamins and minerals. The use is universal.
«Sunny Premiere"Ripens in 110 days. The rosette is vertical, the leaves are oblong and rounded. Carrots are cylindrical in shape, up to 32 cm in length and weighing about 75-80 g. The skin is dark brown, and the flesh is white. Up to 1.8 kg of the crop is harvested from the square of the plot.
«Gypsy»- a variety recommended for people with diabetes mellitus. The fruit is even and oblong, 30 cm long. The skin is almost black in color. The pulp is whitish, with a high content of juice. Astringent taste with a small amount of sugar. In the second year, the culture releases inflorescences from large, yellow flowers.

Interesting!

Black carrots are able to stop the destruction of cartilage tissue due to the significant amount of calcium and other nutrients in the composition. For this reason, it is recommended for people with arthrosis and similar diseases.

Main problems

In the process of growth, you can face various problems: plants can grow poorly, wither. Leaves - turn yellow, dry out or become stained. At the very beginning, you need to determine the cause of the problem and only then outline the ways to fix it. Usually, black carrots are sick or grow poorly if the agrotechnical rules of cultivation are not followed.

Waterlogging of the soil

If the earth is poured abundantly with water, all useful additives will be washed out. On swampy soil, the roots will rot. Strong moisture will provoke the development of fungal or bacterial infections. Diseased plants will wither, pour yellow.

Lack of moisture

If the soil is not watered, the culture will begin to dry out. Salt crystals cannot enter the plant. Black carrots will be depleted of nutrients. The roots will grow small. Moderate and timely watering will ensure the normal development of root crops.

Excessive thickening

Scorzonera does not tolerate shading and too dense plantings. It is advisable to thin out the bed, otherwise the roots will grow small. The optimal distance between adjacent crops is 10 centimeters.

Insect pests

Roots that are sweetish in taste can be spoiled by crawling, ground-dwelling flying insects.

Slugs

Crawling insects. Coniferous mulch saves from slugs. The ground near the scorzonera can be poured with vinegar, sprinkled with mustard powder, ash.

Medvedki

Insects inhabiting the earth. Insecticides (Aktara, Confidor) or garlic tincture are saved from them. Insecticidal solutions are poured over the soil near the plants.

Nematodes

Small worms that live in the ground. They feed on root crops, make moves in them. To kill insects, solutions are prepared based on Mercaptophos, Lindane, Phosphamide.

Moth

A butterfly-like insect. Lays eggs on leaves from which caterpillars emerge. They feed on black carrot leaves.

To combat insects, spraying with insecticides and dusting with wood ash is used.

Diseases

Due to a lack of nutrients in the soil or in rainy weather, plants can weaken and become sick. Root crops and leaves are affected by fungal and bacterial infections.

Different types of rot

Basically, root crops are affected during storage. Rotten dark or grayish spots appear on the roots, consisting of mycelium of fungi. To combat rot, fungicides (Fitosporin) are used.

Bacteriosis

An infection that causes root vegetables to soften. Rarely affects roots in the soil, more often occurs during storage.For prevention, plants are sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate and enough potassium and phosphorus are added to the soil.

Cercosporosis

Light or brown numerous spots are visible on the leaves. Preventive treatments with a solution of potassium permanganate, colloidal sulfur or fungicides (Fitosporin, Quadris) are saved from fungal disease.

Features of growing varieties

Among the most unpretentious vegetables, black carrots take the leading position. It is usually planted in an area that is not suitable for growing other crops or next to other perennials. Before planting, it is advisable to fertilize the land with wood ash or minerals. Thus, it is possible to increase the germination of the plant, improve its nutritional properties. But humus or manure should not be applied before sowing black carrots!

Important!

Black carrots give very large yields in areas where garlic and onions, tomatoes, cucumbers previously grew.

Scorzonera is sown in spring, summer or autumn - when it is convenient.

Among the most unpretentious vegetables, black carrots take the leading position.

When planting in spring, the crop is harvested in the same year. The seeds are soaked and sown from the end of April. It is recommended to cover the crops with a foil so that the seeds germinate faster.
If the crop is sown in the summer, it will be grown as a biennial plant. In the summer, fresh seeds are sown, harvested in the same year or last. In summer and autumn, such a plant will develop, then overwinter, and in the spring or next summer it will give root crops and seeds.
Autumn planting involves harvesting the next year, several weeks ahead of the black carrots planted in the spring.

The first shoots of black carrots appear after 2 weeks or even earlier. When 2-3 leaves appear, you can thin out the plantings so that there is about 15 cm of free space between the plants. When the sprouts rise 7 cm in height, the ground under them is mulched with peat or straw. If this is not done, frequent weeding will be required.

After ripening (100-120 days on average), the crop is harvested and stored. When digging up, you need to be careful - this vegetable is more brittle than simple carrots! To keep it stored longer, you can put it in the refrigerator or in a cool basement if it's dry.

Interesting!

If the crop was not harvested before the cold weather, you can leave the scorpioner to winter in the ground, and dig it up in the spring and use it as intended.

Plant care

When 2-3 leaves appear on the seedlings of scorzonera, the bed is thinned out. 5 centimeters are left between adjacent sprouts. When the seedlings of scorzonera grow a little, the rows are thinned again. 10-15 centimeters are left between neighboring crops.

Watering

Scorzonera is regularly watered throughout the summer. Abundant watering is needed for the culture immediately after germination. 5 liters of water are consumed per one meter long garden. Plants are watered twice a week. In summer, at the time of development and growth of root crops, the culture is watered only in dry season.

Loosening

The land in the garden bed is loosened after rain or watering. Plants huddle twice a season, raking up a little soil from the garden to the root crops. In the process of loosening, the soil crust is removed and the roots are allowed to breathe.

Mulching

Moisture will not evaporate much if the ground near the scorzonera is mulched. Rotted sawdust or straw can be used as mulch. This agricultural practice has one more advantage. Weeds will not be able to break through from under a thick layer of mulch.

Weeding

In the process of growth, the garden bed needs to be looked after regularly. It is important to constantly remove weeds growing near black carrots. Weed grasses take nutrients and moisture from the scorpion.

Fertilizers

Two or three times per season, beds with scorchonera are fertilized. Complex fertilizers are applied to the ground (Kemira Universal). Prepare a solution: dissolve 1 tablespoon of the nutrient mixture in 10 liters of water. The solution is poured over the garden.You can take 10 grams of ammonium nitrate as a top dressing, 20 grams of superphosphate and potassium salt each. The dry substances are dissolved in 10 liters of water, and the area is watered with the solution.

Good neighbors

You can plant onions, garlic, tomatoes near the garden bed with scorchonera. With their smell, these plants scare away some insect pests from the garden. To attract useful beetles, you can sow dill, mint, marigold or calendula near the garden bed.

Predecessors

Scorzonera is planted in the garden after onions, potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins. In one place, a culture can grow for 3-4 years. It is undesirable to plant scorzonera after carrots, tomatoes, celery, cabbage. These plants have common diseases and pests.

Using black carrots

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Black carrots are used primarily in cooking and folk medicine. It is consumed raw, peeled and seasoned with vegetable oil. Suitable for desserts, snacks, juice, stewing, frying, cooking, freezing and even canning. Most often, the root vegetable of this plant is eaten, but young greens are also edible. She is allowed to cook salads.

This vegetable goes well with meat, fish and a wide variety of vegetables and herbs. It gives the first courses a pleasant aroma, and for desserts like jelly, it improves the color.

The aroma of the pulp gives off a little vanilla. Black carrots do not taste as sweet as simple, orange ones, even if you take care of them according to all the rules. The taste is bitter, but with sweet notes, in places it can be spicy. Experts compare it to black radish or asparagus.

Cooking applications

In ancient times, the sweetish scorzonera was grown exclusively for medicinal purposes. Root vegetables are now cooked like regular asparagus or cauliflower. Sweetish scorzonera is added to drinks and ice cream. Before use, the skin must be removed from the root and immediately placed in cold acidified water (so as not to darken).

Root vegetables are fried in oil, added to soups, omelets, baked goods and even a tender soufflé. Dishes cooked with scorzonera have a pleasant vanilla aroma.

A surrogate coffee is prepared from the dried roots. Young scorpion leaves and sweetish root vegetables can be added to summer salads. True, before use, the roots are soaked for two hours in salted cold liquid so that the milky juice stops flowing out. The peeled roots can be canned (like asparagus). Scorzonera is added to cucumbers (zucchini) during pickling to make them crisper.

The benefits of black carrots

The benefits of scorzonera have been studied since the time of Alexander the Great. In those days, it was a real delicacy, used not only in the preparation of various dishes, but also in medicines. So, what are the benefits of black carrots:

Since the time of Alexander the Great, black carrots have been used as a delicacy and medicine.

It has a very rich composition including saccharides, vitamins (B1, B2, C, E), minerals (phosphorus, iron, calcium, etc.).
It is a natural source of inulin, a substance that diabetics need. It also contains levulin and asparagine.
This vegetable is very well absorbed by the body.
Helps in the fight against vitamin deficiency, anemia, obesity, diabetes, influenza, SARS and some other diseases.
Black carrots are used to lower blood pressure and improve vision. It is also able to relieve inflammation in the body.

Important!

In particular, scorzonera is useful for people who are prescribed dietary food.

Beneficial features

They are due to the rich composition.Black carrots are rich in:

pectin;

phosphorus;
copper;
calcium.

The root vegetable also contains: iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin A. Scorzonera has the following medicinal properties:

Normalizes blood pressure.
Provides the prevention of diseases that are associated with vision.
It has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Helps to cope with colds.
It is a good antioxidant.

Black carrots are approved for diabetics because they contain insulin. Scorzonera is also rich in carotene (it contains more of this compound than regular carrots).

Harm and contraindications

At the first use, it is worth limiting the intake of scorzonera to a small amount of root crops in order to check the body's reaction to a new product. Individual intolerance is the main problem that can arise with the use of culture. It is not recommended to eat it for people with stomach ulcers. With regular use, a slight laxative effect is possible - this is due to the composition and properties of black carrots.

Black carrots are a little-known crop with a rich, healthy composition. It is very easy to grow, but it is in great demand only in the Mediterranean countries and in East Asia. From it, preparing delicious dishes and medicinal drugs. Although scorzonera cannot replace traditional medicines, it is used rather as an adjuvant.

ethnoscience

Due to the composition rich in useful substances, the sweetish scorzonera is used for the prevention and treatment of all kinds of diseases. Healing drinks are prepared from root crops and leaves. According to its medicinal properties, the culture resembles ginseng.

Black carrot juice

Milky juice and grated root pulp are used to treat purulent wounds. Lotions with fresh juice help even with periodontal disease. Scorzonera promotes the elimination of gallbladder and kidney stones. To do this, the juice is mixed in equal proportions with honey and one tablespoon is drunk before each meal for several weeks. The juice is prepared like this: the root crops are cleaned, crushed, and the liquid is squeezed out of the resulting gruel.

Decoction of leaves

To prepare the broth, take 20 grams of crushed leaves and a glass of water. The greens are boiled for 15 minutes, then insisted for another 32 minutes. Filter before use. The broth is useful for colds. They treat skin diseases, gout, wash wounds.

Decoction of roots

It is useful for bronchitis and for the treatment of the liver. For one tablespoon of chopped root vegetables, take a glass of boiling water. The roots are boiled for ten minutes, then insisted for 30 minutes. Take one tablespoon three times a day.

Infusion of roots

An excellent remedy that helps to heal the body, heal the liver and bile, increase potency. Two tablespoons of the crushed root are poured into a thermos and filled with two glasses of boiling water. Insist day, take before meals.

Where grows

Kozelets comes from Southern Europe and Southwest Asia. Currently, in the wild, it is found almost throughout Europe, in Azerbaijan and Georgia. The plant also grows in Russia - in the European part (mainly in the steppe zone), in the Caucasus and in Western Siberia.

In European countries there are whole plantations of culture. Belgium ranks first, followed by France, the Netherlands and Poland. Belgian breeders are actively working on varieties that can be grown commercially. Contribute to the selection of scorzonera and Poles.

In Russia, black carrots are found so far only in private gardens, and even that is rare, but it can be grown almost everywhere, even in the North-West region.