Harvest – What should you consider?
The early varieties can be harvested as early as April and May, reaching a finger-thickness. Long-season varieties, on the other hand, require four to five months of ripening and will then have reached a diameter of approximately four centimeters. The last carrots should be harvested in November. Carrots are best stored without leaves in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Mixed culture – to good neighbors!
Green peas, beans, lettuce, dill, onions, garlic, leeks, chamomile, as well as marigolds and marigolds are ideal companion plants for carrots. Avoid planting them near beets.
Botany – What kind of plant is this?
This root vegetable belongs to the Umbelliferae family and is a biennial plant. However, it is cultivated only as an annual in gardens. Carrots should be grown for at least three years.
Carrots come in a wide variety of shapes and colors. Depending on the variety, the root can be short, medium-long, long, cylindrical, top-shaped, or conical. The color spectrum ranges from light or dark red, orange, white, to violet, which is due to the substances carotenoids, anthocyanins, and chlorophyll.
Cultural history – How did the carrot come to us?
The ancestor of today's garden carrot originates from parts of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia and is known as the "wild carrot." This carrot was white-yellow and less sweet than today's carrot. Finds show that this species probably served as food for hunters as early as the Stone Age.
Over time, different carrot varieties developed in different regions of the world. In Central Asia, they were mostly purple, while in the Mediterranean region, they tended to be yellow and white. The development of today's cultivated carrots probably began in the 17th century through targeted breeding in the Netherlands. From this time on, the carrot also acquired its characteristic orange color and sweet flavor.
From there, the vegetable spread throughout the world, displacing other, more ancient root vegetables such as parsnips and sugar beet.
Today, depending on the region, the carrot is also known in Germany as “carrot”, “yellow carrot”, “root” or “Rübli” and is an important source of vitamins for a balanced diet.
TEXT: Merle Hildebrandt
