CHAPTER XVIII 

 ROOT CROPS THAT ENDURE SUMMER HEAT 



BEETS AND CARROTS 



Beets and carrots thrive under practically the same conditions 

 and may therefore be treated together. They are fairly hardy 

 and can therefore be planted quite early in the spring, though they 

 will not stand such cold weather following planting as will lettuce, 

 spinach and turnips. In seasons when the opportunity for out- 

 door gardening arrives exceptionally early, the sowing of beets 

 and carrots should be deferred until the second, rather than in- 

 cluded in the first planting. The seeds are sown in drills from 

 twelve to eighteen inches apart if hand methods of tillage are to 

 be employed, or two and one-half to three feet if horse tools are 

 to be used. In market gardens close planting and hand tillage 

 are the rule. 



The seeds of carrots are much smaller than those of beets and 

 the seedlings are weaker; hence the planting should be shallower, 

 and special precautions should be taken to avoid letting a crust 

 form on the soil before the seedlings appear. For this reason 

 sandy soil is preferred to clay for carrots, for there is less danger 

 of crust formation. In both beets and carrots, the sowing of a 

 few radish seeds in the same drill is considered an advantage, 

 for the radishes come up quickly and mark the rows so that tillage 

 can begin before the beets and carrots are visible. The radishes 

 are removed before the other plants need the room. 



Thorough tillage with hand or wheel hoes should be given from 

 the very start. Some hand weeding and also thinning of the 

 seedlings will be necessary, and should be attended to promptly. 

 The thinnings of the beets may be used for greens, but thinnings 

 of the carrots are of no value except that occasionally the foliage 

 is used for garnishing. The distance between the plants in the 

 row will depend primarily upon the stage of development at which 

 the crop is to be harvested. If the roots are to be pulled for early 

 use when only partially grown (Fig. 88), they will not need so 

 much space as if allowed to grow through the season for winter 

 use. There is also some difference in the amount of space required 

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