When growing carrots, slow and unhardened seed germination requires early preparatory procedures. With poor germination and repeated sowing, it is difficult to get a positive result due to the long germination and rapid loss of moisture in the soil. Seed material that undergoes preparation becomes more resistant to diseases and pests, sudden changes in the weather. Seedlings appear earlier and more amicably, the plants are stronger, which means that the yield increases. How to process carrot seeds so that crops sprout quickly, read our article.
Where do carrot seeds come from?
Carrots are a biennial plant, so most gardeners do not see how they bloom and produce grains.
In the first year, only greens and root crops are formed. In the second year, carrots throw out arrows with small flowers. Seeds are formed at the end of the growing season.
How do they look
The grains are oval-elongated, on the surface there are ribs with thorns. Outwardly, they are similar to parsley seeds, but the latter, when pressed, turn greenish, and carrot seeds turn a little yellow.
We get pepper seeds
With the receipt of hot pepper seeds, questions do not arise at all:
- Dry the fruit to a rattle.
- We take seeds.
- Success.
As for bell peppers, there is a great way to get seeds from them. Anansi, a member of our portal, got to know him from a man with thirty years of experience in growing vegetables. So, we take a beautiful ripe fruit, cut it, take out the stalk with seeds, dry it for several days and collect the seeds.
Anansi FORUMHOUSE Member
The point is that pepper seeds left on the stalk ripen better and give a higher percentage of germination.
Types of carrot seeds
For planting, use purchased and personally grown seed.
Regular
The simplest seeds are cheaper, but also more difficult to plant. They are so small that 1 g contains from 500 to 1000 seeds. The plantings are dense, and they are thinned out. In this case, weak roots of neighboring seedlings are inevitably damaged.
Granular
Pelleted seeds are more convenient because they can be sown immediately at the desired distance. They are more expensive, but the savings are greater as a result. The dragee shell consists of nutrients that promote better seed germination and full development of sprouts.
How to properly care for a root crop
In order for the material for planting to be of the highest quality, it is necessary to take good care of the root crop. You can use the following tips:
- The testis can be watered with milk of lime. This is to improve the quality of the seeds. You can do this simple procedure 2-3 weeks after planting the fruit in open ground.
- It is necessary to water, mulch and weed the soil in a timely manner. It is impossible to bring the soil to a dry state and the appearance of a crust. Carrots also don't like it when water stays in the rhizome. Watering should be done in moderation.
- The appearance of the carrot fly, which is the main pest of the root crop, must not be allowed. To protect carrots from this insect, you can add a soapy solution to the soil, which will kill the carrot fly larvae.
Proper care ensures the quality of future fruits.
Collection time
Carrot seeds in the photo
Before you get carrot seeds, you should leave a good, large root crop in the garden until the very frosts, dig it up at the first frost, dry it and cut the tops, leaving the stalk up to 3 cm, put it in a cold cellar for the winter, the temperature in the cellar should be up to 0 degrees. Place the carrots in a wooden box and sprinkle with dry sand.
In early spring, plant carrots in a garden bed, root crops in the soil, and sprinkle the stalk with straw humus to the very top, so that the stem does not get sunburn and frost.
Before planting carrots on seeds, it is advisable to additionally add a handful of humus and 5 g of granular superphosphate to the hole. Root crops are planted vertically or slightly obliquely, the head should be at the level of the soil. The planted mother liquors are well squeezed for better contact with the soil and, if there are yellowish leaves that have started to grow, then they are sprinkled with earth to prevent death from sunlight. In a row between plants, a distance of 40 cm is given, between rows - 70 cm.
During the entire growing period, the soil must be kept loose and free of weeds. When the testes grow, they are fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers - 10 g / m2 of urea. The second dressing is given before flowering for better filling of seeds - 15 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium chloride per 1 m2.
It is better to fence off this place and put a support, because the plant will grow up to 1 meter in height, when the carrot grows, inflorescences will form on it.
A large yellow umbrella is formed, which will attract bugs, bees and various insects for pollination.
The testes of carrots have a very extended flowering period, which is why the seeds do not ripen in late-appeared umbrella-shaped inflorescences in our zone, therefore, the umbrellas that appeared after July 25 must be regularly removed as they grow.
Umbrellas within one bush do not ripen at the same time, they are removed in 4 steps. First of all, those umbrellas are cut off, the seeds in which have acquired a brown color.
If the weather is cool and the maturation of the seeds is slow, then after two cuts, but no later than September 20, the seed plants are pulled out of the soil and suspended for ripening in a well-ventilated attic. Previously cut umbrellas are also dried there. Threshing well-dried umbrellas is carried out manually. After threshing to give the seeds fluidity, they are rubbed on a sieve or between the palms, while the "cilia" on the surface of the seeds are removed.
Now you know how to properly plant carrots for seeds, now read the rules for processing planting material before sowing.
Seed chemical composition
Purchased and home-grown carrot seeds have approximately the same set of nutrients. Both of them contain a large amount of essential oils, due to which the surface of the grains is slightly oily.
Chemical composition:
- glycerides (up to 20% of the mass of seeds): petroselinic, petroselinic, oleic, palmitic, linoleic acids;
- beta-carotene (provitamin A), under the influence of which vitamin A is formed in the human body;
- tocopherols;
- vitamins B, D, E, ascorbic acid;
- minerals: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, zinc, copper, iodine;
- flavonoids.
The vitamins contained in carrot seeds support the health of the skin, eyes, and strengthen the skeletal system. Flavonoids normalize the nervous system. Minerals support the tone of the heart and blood vessels, regulate the body's water-salt balance.
Properties
Carrot seeds have:
- analgesic, sedative, regenerating effects;
- anti-inflammatory and tonic properties;
- diuretic action.
In a difficult pregnancy, a decoction of carrot seeds reduces nausea in the first trimester.
Which carrot seed should not be processed?
Before embarking on an event for the processing of seed material, it is worth understanding which seeds can be used for this and which cannot. The following categories of seeds are not subject to pre-sowing treatment: collected from hybrid varieties of carrots (hybrid variety is marked on the package with the F1 sign); material that has undergone granulation or other industrial processing; treated with an insecticide or fungicide; purchased from a foreign manufacturer.
Do not forget about such a moment as the expiration date of the seeds. There is an opinion that seeds with an expired shelf life can be "revived" by preliminary preparation, for example, soaking or treatment with a growth activator, however, this is not the case. In seeds with an expired shelf life, the embryo dies and no chemical substance or moisture can "revive" it. The shelf life of carrot seeds is 4 years, if the required storage conditions of the material are observed during this period.
We advise you to read these articles:
Planting pepper for seedlings in 2020 according to the lunar calendar in February
Lunar sowing calendar for February 2020 of the gardener and gardener
Planting pepper seedlings in 2020 according to the lunar calendar in January
How are they used in traditional medicine
For medicinal purposes, the seeds of sowing and wild carrots are used. Umbrellas with ripe fruits are harvested from cultivated plants in July - August, dried and threshed.
In order to prevent the loss of seeds, the inflorescences are wrapped with cloth or gauze and in this form are shelled. Store in linen bags or glass jars, tightly closed.
In folk medicine, carrot seeds are used:
- with diseases of the liver and spleen;
- constipation and flatulence;
- high blood pressure;
- menstrual irregularities;
- stones in the gallbladder and kidneys;
- parasites.
In addition, products with carrot grains remove salts from the body, relieve spasms and inflammation.
Reference. In most folk recipes, tinctures and decoctions are prepared from carrot seeds. Sometimes grains are consumed dry.
Contraindications to use - allergic reaction to the product, peptic ulcer, diabetes mellitus, asthma, acute inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and intestines, heart failure.
Carrot seed oil has a healing effect. It is difficult to prepare it at home, but it can be purchased at the pharmacy.
Carrot seed oil:
- heals wounds;
- enhances immunity;
- normalizes the activity of the nervous system;
- has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Wild carrot seeds for treatment
Their application is wider than that of a seed crop. The collected and dried seeds of wild carrots are ground in a mortar or ground in a coffee grinder.
In folk medicine, wild carrot seeds are used to:
- relief of pain;
- increased sex drive;
- treatment of tuberculosis;
- enhancing lactation;
- removing stones from the kidneys;
- treatment of osteochondrosis.
Children are given seeds of wild carrots in the form of decoctions to get rid of worms, especially pinworms, relieve intestinal colic, with a deficiency of vitamin A.
Preparatory stage
Carrot seeds can only be obtained from plants of the second year of vegetation, so preparation should be started in the previous season.
- To begin with, when harvesting a vitamin crop, it is necessary to select the largest and highest quality root crops that fully possess all the advantages of the variety.
- The carrots selected for obtaining seeds must not only have the correct shape, color and size, but also be absolutely healthy, not have mechanical damage. It is especially important to pay attention to the neck and head of the fruit when removing the tops.
- It is necessary to store seed carrots separately from the rest of the crop, choosing for this a cool, but frost-free basement or cellar. Root crops feel best in a pit with wet sand.
How to choose the right carrot seed variety
The choice is determined by the purpose: for obtaining root crops or seeds, for summer use or winter storage, with a high content of carotene or minerals. Hybrids marked with the F1 code are not suitable for growing for seeds: they will not give the desired seed.
Selection of early, medium, late varieties
Only late varieties are suitable for winter storage of root crops. Early and mid-season are best consumed as they ripen.
Popular varieties of early carrots (ripening up to 90-100 days from the moment of germination):
- Alenka. High-yielding, disease-resistant variety. A cylindrical root crop, weighing 100-120 g, with a high sugar content, juicy, crunchy. The first root crops are obtained within 50 days.
- The Bureau. Ultra-early ripening high-yielding variety. The root vegetable is elongated, almost without a core, smooth, juicy and tasty.
- Touchon. Root crops are cylindrical, weighing up to 140 g, with juicy orange pulp. The variety is resistant to disease and cracking. It is used fresh and for canning.
Early carrots are good because they are ready for use within 1.5 months after sprouting. With late plantings, root crops have a good keeping quality - up to 3-4 months.
The best mid-season carrot varieties:
- Nantes-4... Carrot fly resistant. Root crops have good keeping quality, the carotene content in them is the highest - 18%.
- Delicacy. Root crops are conical, elongated, bright red, with a high sugar content.
- Samson. Large universal root vegetables are used fresh and for the preparation of juices, mashed potatoes, canning, storage.
Mid-season varieties reach technical ripeness 4 months after germination. They keep well and taste great.
The best maturing varieties with a high content of vitamins and minerals:
- The Queen of Autumn. High-yielding carrots with excellent taste. Stores well - practically until the next harvest.
- Autumn giant. Bright orange roots with juicy pulp and high carotene content. Root crops weighing 180-250 g are well stored, resistant to diseases.
- Red giant. Favorite late variety of most gardeners. Root crops are cylindrical, large, with small eyes. High content of carotene and minerals. Cold-resistant variety with good keeping quality.
Late varieties are intended for long-term storage. They are distinguished by good taste, which are not lost for several months. Ripening period - 130-140 days.
The best varieties for open ground and greenhouses
All carrot seeds sold in our country are for open ground. Some of them are suitable for growing in greenhouses.
They showed themselves well in protected ground:
- Minicore. Ultra-early maturing and high-yielding variety.
- Nantes. Designed for long-term storage.
- Vitamin. Medium ripening, high in carotene, B vitamins, minerals. Resistant to cracking.
- Losinoostrovskaya-13. A hybrid that produces large cylindrical roots for winter storage.
For cultivation in greenhouses, carrot varieties are suitable that are resistant to diseases and shooting, thermophilic and not demanding on the soil.
Selection of varieties for different regions
To obtain a bountiful harvest, zoned varieties of carrots are chosen. Some are suitable for any region, such as Chantane or Nantes. But in order to obtain the maximum yield of high-quality root crops that retain their beneficial properties throughout the winter, they adhere to the conditions to which the culture is demanding.
For the middle lane The best varieties of carrots in Russia are Boltex, Vitaminnaya, Queen of Autumn, Losinoostrovskaya.
For Siberia - Dunyasha, Zabava, Losinoostrovskaya, Nantes.
For steppe regions (Bashkiria, Tatarstan, South Ural) - Baltimore, Blues, Vita Longa, Charovnitsa.
For the south of Russia - Children's, Children's vitamin, Vigo, Samantha, Turbo.
For northern regions - Vigilance, Medoc, Centaur, Charlotte.
A properly selected zoned variety can withstand prolonged droughts or return frosts, grows on acidic or alkaline soils, and is resistant to diseases and pests characteristic of a particular region.
Aftercare of the planted plant
Watering
The timing of watering depends on the density and composition of the soil. If the carrots are planted in a loose, well-aerated soil, it is watered once every 3-5 days, if loamy or sandy loam soils are chosen - once a week.
Weeding
The garden bed is weeded after each watering and as the weeds ripen, but at least 1 time per week. Weed crops have fast growth and a good root system, which inhibits flowering and contributes to a decrease in seed quality.
Top dressing
Optimal for carrots are nitrogen fertilizers, which are used according to the schemes recommended on the packaging. These include nitrate, ammonium and ammonia products - various types of nitrate or urea. Potassium fertilizers are used during the budding period. Among natural dressings, wood ash or ash solution is used.
When did the peduncle appear
Carrots bloom from mid to late July. Flowering is characterized by the appearance in the tops of a centrally located thin stem with an unfolded green umbrella. When the peduncle has appeared, you should cut off all the lateral shoots of the tops, on which additional inflorescences grow - then the central inflorescence will receive the greatest nutrition.
How to properly plant carrot seeds
Planting material is prepared for sowing in advance. The seeds are etched in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for at least a day. Soak in warm water for 2-3 days to get rid of essential oils that slow down germination. After soaking, the seeds are dried or germinated in a dense, damp cloth.
Attention! You cannot germinate carrot seeds in gauze. Its thin roots will become entangled in the fibers and break off when trying to extract the seed.
Preparing for landing
The soil for the carrot beds has been prepared since autumn. The garden bed is dug up, plant residues are removed, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied. In the spring, the soil is loosened again, the grooves are cut to a depth of 3-4 cm at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other and watered.
Sowing instructions
To obtain friendly and early shoots and facilitate thinning, carrot seeds are sown in a certain way:
- Dragee-coated immediately laid in accordance with the scheme: 15x20 cm for early varieties and 20x25 cm for later ones. This is easy to do, since the pellets are 2-3 mm in diameter. Before planting, the grooves are moistened - this is the main condition for successful germination.
- With sand... For 1 part of the seeds, take 3 parts of sand and mix. Sow in the usual way.
- With paste... In 0.5 tbsp. cold water dissolve 2 tbsp. l. potato starch or 4 tbsp. l. flour. Pour in a thin stream into boiling water (2 tbsp.), Stir and cool. Pour into a plastic bottle, in the lid of which a hole is made, add carrot seeds there and shake. Sow by squeezing the mass into the prepared furrows.
- Tape method. Cut the toilet paper into strips according to the size of the beds and 1.5 cm wide. At a distance of 5 cm from each other, carrot seeds are glued using office glue and a toothpick. Spread the prepared tapes into the grooves and sprinkle with soil.
After sowing, the soil in the beds is tamped tightly. If voids remain, the light carrot seeds will not gain traction and germinate. There is no need to water after planting.
Step-by-step instructions: how to collect your seeds at home
Collection time
Seeds are harvested at the moment the inflorescences darken, without waiting for the umbrellas to dry. The collection period is early-late August.
reference
Ripening does not occur simultaneously - first, the central umbrellas ripen, then the umbrellas of subsequent orders, therefore, they are removed selectively. If more than half of the umbrellas are ripe on the plant, they are removed completely.
Preparing the "umbrella" of the plant for the collection of seeds
The carrot umbrellas are cut off (the remaining roots are unsuitable for culinary purposes) and put in a dry, well-ventilated room for ripening. You can collect umbrellas in small groups, tie with twine and hang with the stems down, placing a tarp or newspapers below.
Seed appearance
Carrot seeds are very small, rich brown, covered with small white villi. Some varieties are characterized by the presence of lobular stripes. The seeds, ready to harvest, easily fall out of the umbrella and have a slight sheen due to the essential oils on their surface.
Collection process
When the umbrellas are completely dry, they are taken with both hands and rubbed tightly, during which all the seeds fall out of the inflorescences. The procedure is performed with gloves or mittens.
Selection of suitable and unsuitable seeds
To check the suitability of seeds for planting, they are soaked for 2-3 hours in a container with water at room temperature. "Empty" and damaged seeds will float to the surface, while good quality seeds will settle to the bottom. Good seeds are drained and dried by spreading them on a tarp.
Storage of harvested seeds
The seeds are stored in a glass container with a tight lid or a cloth bag, in a dry, dark place at a temperature of 12-18 degrees.
When and how to harvest carrot seeds
Seeds of cultivated carrots are harvested in July - September, depending on the early maturity of the variety. Cut off the inflorescences before the onset of full ripeness, otherwise the seeds will crumble. Then they are tied in bunches and hung to dry, tied with gauze. Dried seeds are threshed.
Collection and processing of seeds
Ripe seeds are removed by cutting off the entire umbrella inflorescence with a part of the stem up to 20 cm long. To improve the quality, the planting material is sent for ripening in a well-ventilated place, hanging umbrellas tied in bunches.
After thorough drying, the seed is separated from the umbellate inflorescences by rubbing over the container. The most valuable are those that have formed at the edges: they are distinguished by their maturity and large size.
After selection of seed material suitable for planting and removal of foreign debris, it is finally dried without the use of active heat (oven or dryer) and stored until planting at a temperature of 10 ° C-15 ° C. The seed material retains its germination ability for 3-4 years.
Contraindications
Despite the enormous health benefits, carrot seeds, the medicinal properties of which are effective, also have a number of contraindications. Do not use extract and oil when:
- root vegetable allergies;
- ulcer of the duodenum and stomach;
- inflammation of the small intestine;
- diarrhea and colitis;
- diabetes mellitus;
- diseases of the thyroid gland;
- epilepsy;
- asthma;
- pyelonephritis;
- heart problems;
- uterine bleeding;
- pregnancy.
Despite its benefits, carrot oil is not recommended for regular use in aromatherapy due to the presence of myristicin. This is a specific substance that causes inappropriate behavior and hallucinations.
Do not use seeds and carrot seed oil for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children.
How to plant in the second year
Inventory
For planting root crops are used:
- Shovel;
- Container with material for mulching;
- Manual hiller or motor milling cutter.
Planting material
For full pollination, at least 10-15 root crops of the same variety are used, since the plant is cross-pollinated.
The soil
The soil should be loose, fertile, with good aeration and a neutral environment.Loamy and sandy loam soils are allowed, provided that fertilizers (humus) are correctly applied. The site should be sunny and not windy.
Cosmetic recipes
A mask with honey removes wrinkles, evens out skin tone and smoothes it:
- 1 tbsp. l honey and olive oil are mixed with 6 drops of carrot seed oil.
- Rub in with massage movements 2 times a day.
Oil against scars and scars is rubbed into the damaged area of the skin 2 times a day:
- 5 drops of essential oils of seeds, rosemary, calendula, and lavender, 2 drops of essential oil of hazelnut and 1 tsp. vitamin E is mixed and used in scar massage.
Hair Mask
- Five drops of essential oil are mixed with olive oil. rubbed into the scalp and spread through the hair.
- They keep it under a plastic cap for an hour.
- Wash off under warm running water.
Rejuvenating massage oil for face and body
- You need to mix 10-20 drops of oil with olive oil for face and body massage.
Moisturizing night mask.
- Pure 50 ml of aloe vera gel is mixed with 20 drops of oil.
- Apply overnight on the face with a thin layer.
Wrap mix
- 10 drops of oil are mixed with cream and honey, diluted in 0.5 liters of water.
- The sheet is soaked and wrapped for 30 minutes.
Cosmetic anti-aging ice
- Mix 2-3 drops of oil with grape seed or jojoba oil, mix with 0.5 tbsp of water and pour ice molds.
- Use in the morning when washing. Ice is especially effective before face massage.
Do not use pure carrot seed oil. Avoid getting it on the mucous membrane and open wounds.
The extract is introduced into shampoos - 7%, creams and tonics - 5%, into soap - 3%.
Useful ingredients
Carrot seeds contain essential oils from which the drug daucarin is derived. It is a complex of flavonoids that dilate blood vessels in coronary insufficiency with symptoms of angina pectoris and in atherosclerosis.
Carrot seed essential oil is used in aromatherapy, cosmetology and gastronomy.
Carrot seeds will help from kidney stones, soothe stomach and intestinal pains, arouse sexual desire and stimulate menstruation.
Tips from experienced summer residents
Gardeners' tips will help beginners achieve the desired result:
- Clean carrot seeds before planting from essential oils and tannins - they prevent germination. For cleaning, dry seeds in gauze bags are spilled with hot water (not higher than 50 ° C), and then kept in cold water for 10-15 minutes.
- Give preference to organic fertilizers - manure, humus, chicken droppings. If you use manure as fertilizer, it is applied to carrot beds 1-2 years before sowing. Freshly dung manure spoils the taste and shape of root crops.
Summer residents with experience in seed production recommend choosing varieties that give good seed:
- early varieties - Tushon, Hollandka, Amsterdam, Barynya;
- medium varieties - Nantes, Carotel, Chantane Royal;
- late varieties - Red giant, Vita longa, Bayadera.
Areas of use of carrot seeds
The healing properties of carrot seeds are manifested due to their composition.
The seed contains essential oils from which the drug daucarin is produced. It is a collection of flavonoids. They are used as a vasoconstrictor for coronary insufficiency, adenoiditis, allergic rhinosinusitis.
Seed essential oil is used in the treatment of:
- spleen;
- with menstrual irregularities;
- liver;
- organs of the digestive tract;
- respiratory system;
- joint problems;
- cardiovascular disorders;
- with helminth lesions;
- rickets;
- decreased immunity.
