Combined planting has become popular for a long time, due to the fact that combining different crops on the same bed sometimes gives an amazing result:

  1. Plants become protectors for each other against diseases and pests;
  2. Yield increases due to soil enrichment.

In addition, saving space makes it possible to place more different crops on the site.

When planning the combination, it is necessary to consider:

  • Root system view. In the best scenario, they should develop at the same level and not fill each other's space;
  • The size of the green part of the plant. It is necessary to focus on the photophilousness of plants and the risk of fungal infections in the thickened tops;
  • Growing conditions. A perfect match is almost impossible, but it is desirable that crops need the same acidity level, soil texture and cultivation technique.

Neighborhood carrots, beets and onions

Carrots belong to light and heat-loving crops. She prefers soft, loose and fertile soils. Sandy stones are best suited. In the phase of active growth, it needs abundant watering to a depth of at least 0.3 m. She does not need a large number of dressings, two are enough, but balanced in composition. Among diseases and pests, the carrot fly causes the greatest damage.

When to plant carrots and beets

Onions are a versatile crop. It can adapt to almost any climatic conditions. This plant does not like acidic soil and nitrogen oversaturation. Among the dressings, it responds best to organic matter. In the process of cultivation, great attention should be paid to watering, since onions love moist soil. Cultivation is possible both from seeds and from seedlings, but the second option is preferable for most regions of Russia. Onions are often affected by fungal infections (rot, powdery mildew), as well as onion flies.

Onion fly

Beets prefer a warm climate, while they tolerate cold snaps well up to +4 ˚C. This culture requires a loamy or chernozem soil with a neutral environment. Heavy soil with a close occurrence of groundwater is categorically unsuitable. Beets are in great need of constant weeding and feeding. It reacts well to any kind of fertilizer, but it is imperative to observe the dosage and not feed the crops. Among the diseases, the most common are fungal and bacterial infections of root crops.

If the neighborhood of carrots and onions is considered ideal, then joint planting of carrots and beets is often in doubt. However, subject to the planting rules, it is quite possible to grow these crops together and get a rich harvest.

Carrots and onions grow in the same bed quite densely, while development is active and fast. At the time of the ripening of the bulbs, the carrot fruits are just beginning to pour, which means that they will not interfere with each other. In addition, onion harvesting is a natural process of loosening and creates favorable conditions for the development of root crops.

When choosing the optimal sowing time, novice summer residents can be guided by the data of the lunar calendar. In general, it is worth remembering that bulbous seeds germinate even at low temperatures, and carrots can only be sown when the ground warms up to + 15˚C… + 18˚C. Accordingly, sowing of onions can be started in the first spring months, and carrots should be sown in late April - early May. These periods are definitely suitable for the Moscow region and other regions of the Central and North-Western regions.In Siberia and the Urals, the planting time is shifted by a couple of weeks due to longer winters. If sevok is used as a planting material, then it can be planted simultaneously with carrots.

Sevok

Carrots and beets are considered a controversial combination. At the same time, experienced summer residents know that, subject to certain rules, combining these crops gives an excellent result in the form of a rich harvest. It is known that during the growth process, beets enrich the soil with antibacterial substances that heal plants. In addition, beet tops for carrots are very large and create excessive shade. In this regard, it is best to divide the beet-carrot bed in half, and not alternate the rows. It is believed that there are good and bad days when planting carrots and beets outdoors. In addition, the sowing date may vary, depending on the variety.

All varieties of crops are divided into early, medium and late in terms of ripening rate. Early carrots are sown in the last decade of April, medium - until mid-May, late - until the end of May. To plant beets and carrots at the same time, you must choose medium - and late-ripening carrot varieties. Beets are less resistant to low temperatures and do not like early sowing. If there is an urgent need to plant beets and carrots in mid-spring (April 20-25), then it is necessary to cover the garden bed to protect the seeds from possible frost.

It is important to know! Such early crops produce vegetables that are not intended for winter storage. They are eaten immediately after collection. You can open the bed only when the seeds germinate, as the sprouts need to provide free access to sunlight and air.

In addition to the established deadlines, when planting carrots and beets, you can focus on folk signs. It is believed that the optimal time for sowing carrots is the flowering of coltsfoot, for beets - flowering of aspen.

Caring for crops in the same garden

Carrots and beets

All root crops, first of all, need loosening, thinning and watering. Carrot seedlings need regular thinning, otherwise the fruits grow small. The term of the first thinning is the appearance of the first 2 true leaves. After 15-20 days, the procedure is repeated. Taking proper care of your carrots involves constant loosening of the rows and removing weeds. These procedures are also extremely important for beets, since clean soft soil is a prerequisite for obtaining a bountiful harvest.

Watering for these crops is different. Carrots need occasional but abundant watering, while beets need frequent but moderate watering. If we neglect this difference, then you can end up with a large amount of cracked carrot fruits from excessive watering or chopping beet fruits from lack of moisture. In this sense, crops can be placed on a ridge in two parallel furrows formed along the long side, and a row of plants neutral for both crops can be put in the center. For example, lettuce greens or onions on a feather will do. But Umbrella, like parsley or dill, are best avoided. With the right choice of a separator, you can combine different irrigation regimes without fear of the reaction of a neighboring crop.

Carrots and beets

Top dressing is equally important for both crops. It is known that carrots are easier to tolerate soil acidification than beets. The acidity can be neutralized by liming with dolomite flour (consumption rate - 400 g / m2). Beets are very fond of organic feeding, while carrots react negatively to them. Manure fertilization should be abandoned. A good option for organic feeding is a 1:10 solution of chicken manure with water. This fertilizer contains potassium, phosphorus and zinc, which are essential for the maturation of root crops. The solution must be watered between the rows. Feeding with an iodine solution will significantly accelerate the growth of plants, make the fruits more juicy, and also serve as the prevention of diseases. To prepare the solution, you need to take 20 drops of iodine and 10 liters of water.Herbal infusions, such as nettle, have a positive effect on beets and carrots. The infusion is used in diluted form (250 ml of concentrate per 10 l of water). The natural fertilizer contains a full range of vitamins, micro- and macroelements.

Carrots and onions

In this pair, carrots are considered the main crop, so preparatory work is based on its requests. In order to grow a large carrot, it is necessary at the end of the year (in October) to dig up the earth on a shovel bayonet and add potassium-phosphorus fertilizing. It is better not to use manure for fertilization, as it interferes with the growth of the fruit, and also impairs the quality of the crop. In the spring, the soil must be cleaned of grass, roots and loosened well. Onions and carrots can be planted alternately through 1 row with a row spacing of 0.2 m. If there is a lack of space, the gap between the rows can be reduced to 0.12-0.15 m. Immediately before sowing, the bed is well moistened and sawdust is poured into the grooves. Then the seeds are laid and sprinkled with soil, slightly crushing the top layer. To retain moisture and heat, the garden bed can be covered with peat.

Mulch with peat

Carrots and onions alike love abundant watering. The nuance of onion irrigation is that when the ground part of the plant dries up, it is necessary to suspend watering. Do not be afraid for the condition of the carrots during this period. She perfectly tolerates short-term lack of water. After the onions are harvested, irrigation will resume in full, and the lack of water will not affect the future harvest in any way. In addition, after harvesting the onions, the soil will be looser, which will allow the liquid to penetrate into deeper layers.

Top dressing should be done more carefully. Onions respond well to mullein fertilization, and carrots from manure dressings become watery and tasteless. There is only one way out of this situation - fertilization with compost (consumption rate - 5 kg / m2). This top dressing must be applied, first of all, 2 weeks after planting. In the second and third feeding, you can make a mineral complex based on potassium and phosphorus. For both carrots and onions, these fertilizers are useful, as they have a beneficial effect on the development of fruits. The last feeding should be done 3 weeks before the onion harvest. After 3-5 days, you can resume feeding separately for carrots.

On a note. The undoubted plus of joint plantings is to save space on the site and time and labor to combat pests and diseases. To understand whether the combination of cultures is suitable is possible only by experience. At first, you can make small populations on a garden bed with one crop. For example, in a garden bed with onions, sow a couple of rows of carrots from the edge and see what effect will be from the neighbors.

You can combine all three cultures at the same time. It should be borne in mind that the bed should be very wide. It is also important to remember that onions in this combination will be considered a catch crop, and you should not expect a harvest from it. Only the pen can be used from it. With this combination, the onions are planted in the middle, separating the carrots and beets.

Mixing cultures is a very useful procedure. If all the nuances are observed, then in one season several types of plants can be grown on one bed, each of which will enrich the soil for the next. In addition, the neighborhood is a preventive measure against diseases and pests.