Imperator 58The Imperator 58 carrot is a long, straight, and tapered carrot that can grow up to 10" long and 1 1/2" wide. It is coreless, tapered, and slender, having a deep orange color, a sweet flavor, and a tender and crisp texture. Harvesting:
Seed Saving: Carrots are biennial, meaning they flower in the 2nd year. So, it is a 2-year process. Overwinter at least 5 plants in the garden, but you will need at least 10-12 weeks of temperatures that are consistently below 59°F. The following spring, fresh growth will sprout from the tops of your carrots, and a flower stalk will develop in 4-6 weeks. An umbrella-shaped cluster will form covered with tiny blooms with the added benefit of attracting beneficial pollinators. By summer, these umbels dry out and turn brown. To harvest the seeds, cut the dry umbels with scissors and allow them to dry further in a bowl or tray in a well-ventilated area. When dry and brittle, rub them between your fingers to loosen the seeds from the flower head. Separate the seeds from the chaff by picking through the pile. Store them in paper envelopes or any small container in a cool dark place. Notes:
Tips:
Nantes CorelessCrisp carrot with a blunt end, slim well shaped orange roots 6"-7" long, cylindrical, 1"-1 1/2" thick.
Culture: Sow 1/2" deep and cover with light soil. Keep moist until the seeds sprout. Does well in raised beds or soilless growing medium. Thinning is a must for all root crops. Try snipping the tops of unwanted plants, as the action will not disturb the root of carrots left to mature. Harvest: at 70 days they are fine-grained, tender, sweet, and practically coreless. Excellent for freezing. Nutrition: Low in calories, high in vitamin A. Seed Saving: Because carrot varieties will cross-pollinate with each other as well as with wild carrots, isolate the plant for seed at least two miles from other varieties or provide a protective cage. It will be necessary to dig up the carrots before the first heavy frost; twist off the tops and store the carrots at 35 degrees F in damp sand or sawdust over winter, making sure the roots do not touch. Plant them again in the spring. From 30-40 carrots should be harvested to preserve genetic diversity. Clean to remove as much chaff as possible, then store in a cool, dry place for up to three years. Notes:
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CategoriesFDL Seed Library
The FDL Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds that you can borrow to plant and grow at home. By saving seeds as a community we help create local seed stocks that are better acclimated to our climate and which support an abundant and genetically diverse landscape.
We ask that seeds are “returned” by harvesting seeds from a plant or two that you grow. Donated seeds will help to add diversity to our collection. Archives
March 2022
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