Carrots are easy to grow yourself. Here we take a closer look at how best to harvest and store this popular root vegetable.
Carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) can be sown for a long period of time. Accordingly, one is variable with the harvest time. Carrots that have been sown as early as the end of February, for example, can sometimes be harvested as early as the end of May if the spring climate is good. Carrots sown in May, so-called storage carrots, remain in the ground as long as possible in autumn and are only harvested and stored before the first frost or snow.
Harvesting carrots correctly: recognizing the procedure and time
In general, it is said that carrots can be harvested after about three months. Of course, this time varies depending on the prevailing weather conditions. Carrots sown in a cold March are likely to take a few more days to weeks to germinate than carrots sown in April or May. Accordingly, carrots sown very early will tend to be even smaller and thinner when harvested after three months and should perhaps remain in the ground a little longer.
The right time to harvest carrots
There is no right time to harvest carrots. When to harvest is literally a matter of taste. Because the bigger the roots get, the more intense their taste. Harvested earlier, carrots are sweeter and milder, and almost everyone will want to eat them unpeeled. If you like the delicious roots in all sizes, you can simply harvest as needed. You can also test how big the roots are and how they taste by harvesting a carrot every week or two.
Note that plants that are further away from the next plant are usually thicker than plants that are closer to others. If you feel like the carrots aren't getting any bigger becauseIf they are too close together, harvest the carrots that are taking up space for two or more carrots first, and then let the rest fill in the space in the bed for a few weeks.
Harvesting Carrots: The Procedure
In very sandy soil you can simply grab large enough carrots by the leaf stalks near the root head and gently pull them out of the soil with a twisting motion. In heavier soils, you should loosen the soil beforehand, for example with a digging fork. The cavities created in the ground are closed again with earth and pressed.
Harvesting carrots: leave the leaves on or cut them off?
You should carefully turn off the leaves of the carrots immediately after harvesting and put them in the compost. Otherwise, it will draw moisture out of the carrot and make it limp faster.
Storing and storing carrots correctly
Because carrots can be harvested as needed, there is often no need for long storage in many home gardens. The late carrots, which are picked from the bed in autumn just before the first frost or snow, are traditionally stored in sandboxes, in underground cellars or in cool rooms.
Carrots in the fridge
Carrots lose moisture quickly and should therefore be stored in the fridge. Wrapped in newspaper or in a cling bag with some air holes to prevent mold, the carrots will keep for a good week. Then they slowly begin to shrink.
Freeze Carrots
Carrots can be prepared ready to cook, i.e. peeled and cut into small pieces if necessary, and also frozen. However, they change their consistency a bit. However, this form of preservation is ideal for stews, for cooking in various dishes or for a soup that is pureed afterwards anyway.
Pickle Carrots
Carrots can be pickled just like courgettes, cucumbers or peppers. The consistency the carrots take on is probably familiar to you from canned carrots. You can vary the taste with the ingredients used for the pickling.
In this article we will introduce you to more tips for preserving fruit and vegetables.