Carrot "Nantes 2" (18 g)

Carrot "Nantes 2".
A mid-season, high-yielding variety (period from germination to technical ripeness is 80–100 days).
Root crops are of excellent quality, cylindrical, 12–16 cm long, weighing up to 100 g, with a blunt tip.
The flesh is bright orange, juicy, tender, with excellent taste qualities. Contains up to 19.4% carotene.

Use:
The variety is intended for fresh consumption, processing, and is indispensable for baby and diet food due to its high carotene content.
The roots store excellently, extending the consumption period until the new harvest.

Traditional Agrotechnics:
Carrots grow best on light loamy and sandy loam soils. Best predecessors: potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, legumes.
Sowing: Late April in furrows 3–4 cm deep. Row spacing 18–20 cm.
Care: Thinning 2 weeks after germination. Second thinning when roots reach 1 cm in diameter (leave 5–6 cm between plants). Watering, loosening.
Winter sowing: Second half of October - early November (when temperature drops to +5°C). Depth 1–2 cm, mulch with peat.

SECRET TO AN EARLY HARVEST: FLUID SOWING
With regular sowing, carrot seeds germinate slowly and unevenly. Fluid sowing with pre-sprouted seeds in a gel carrier allows for emergence 5–7 days earlier and higher yields. This method, developed in England, protects delicate sprouts from damage.

Step 1: Sprouting Seeds
Start preparation 2–4 days before sowing.
1. Soak seeds in warm water for 10–12 hours, changing water and removing floating "empty" seeds.
2. Spread swollen seeds on a damp cloth or filter paper at +20...+25°C. Keep moist but not submerged (oxygen is needed).
3. Sprouting takes 2–4 days. It is ready when most seeds have roots no longer than 0.5 cm.
Tip: You can sprout in aerated water (using an aquarium compressor) — this is faster and more uniform.
Storage: If sowing is delayed, sprouted seeds can be stored in the refrigerator (+1...+4°C) in a damp cloth to prevent drying or freezing. This also hardens them.

Step 2: Preparing the Gel (Paste)
The most accessible option is potato starch paste. Prepare it a day before sowing.
Recipe:
1. Mix 30 g of potato starch in 100 ml of cold water.
2. Pour this mixture in a thin stream into 900 ml of boiling water, stirring constantly.
3. Heat while stirring to +92°C, then cool. Remove any film from the surface.
The gel should be viscous and uniform to keep seeds in suspension.

Step 3: Sowing
Mix sprouted seeds with cooled paste immediately before sowing (seeds should not be in starch for more than 6 hours).
Rate: For 10 meters of row, you need 2–3 g of dry seeds and 200 ml of paste.
Mix gently. Pour the mixture into watered furrows in a thin stream (20 ml per 1 meter). It is convenient to use a teapot or a large syringe.
Cover furrows with loose soil (1.5–2 cm).

This method is also suitable for dill, parsley, and onions.