Sowing carrots and beets requires attention to timing, but even a novice gardener can cope if you follow simple rules. To get healthy shoots and strong root crops, it is enough to focus on the condition of the soil and the weather.
Many summer residents have already planted these crops, while others are just planning. If you, too, are putting the seeds aside for now, these recommendations will help you navigate the deadlines and avoid mistakes.
Folk tips and garden bed preparation
Nature will tell you that it’s time to sow root crops:
- Coltsfoot blooms en masse;
- leaves bloomed on the birch tree;
- the bird cherry blossomed;
- The daffodils are in full bloom.
If the beds are not yet ready, there are a few simple steps to follow immediately before planting. First, sprinkle the beds with sand to loosen the soil and add compost at the rate of half a bucket per 1 square meter.
Secondly, use a complex fertilizer for root crops. Work all amendments into the soil and go over it with a rake, and at the same time remove weeds, sticks, stones and other foreign objects.
Then water the bed and make furrows at a distance of 20 cm from each other. It is better to soak the seeds before planting – this way they will sprout faster, advises an experienced summer resident on the channel “Sadoezh” (18+).
Pest protection
With the arrival of stable heat during the flowering of fruit trees, the first and most widespread period of the carrot fly begins. To avoid the pest, it is better to sow carrots either earlier (but in unheated soil – this is risky), or later, towards the end of May.
Another method of protection is to dust the soil with tobacco dust immediately after planting. You can also soak sawdust in birch tar and spread it between the rows. These products do not provide a 100% guarantee, but they significantly reduce the risk of damage.
Favorable days according to the Lunar calendar
Favorable days for planting carrots and beets in May 2026: May 15, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
It is not recommended to plant root crops: May 10, 16. These days the Moon is in infertile signs or there is a full moon or new moon.
