Carrot ‘Colmar à cœur rouge’: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow 'Colmar à cœur rouge' carrots outdoors?
Sow Colmar à cœur rouge carrots directly in their final position. This late carrot particularly suits autumn harvests and storage. Allow enough time for roots to develop before severe cold. Spring to early summer sowing is common, with timing specified by the packet and your climate. Wait for workable soil that is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
Choose sun or light shade and loose, well-drained ground without large clods or stones. Prepare a fine surface and remove weeds. The necessary work depends on soil structure; deep digging is not compulsory everywhere. Avoid concentrating fresh organic material in the seed row.
Make a drill about 1 cm deep and moisten its base. Sow as thinly as possible, cover with fine soil and firm lightly. Space rows around 15 to 30 cm apart, according to room and growing method. Keep the surface moist during germination, which can take time, without creating a crust or puddles.
After emergence, thin gently if needed to leave around 7 to 10 cm between plants, depending on the size wanted. Do not transplant removed seedlings: moving their roots can distort them. Cover the crop with securely closed insect-proof mesh to reduce carrot fly damage and replace it after care. Also check young shoots for slug damage.
How to care for this plant
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Thin seedlings
If emerged carrots are crowded, thin them to about 5–7 cm apart without disturbing the remaining roots.
How do you harvest 'Colmar à cœur rouge' carrots?