Abaco is a medium-ripening carrot; the best climate for growing it is temperate. The main advantage of the variety, according to vegetable growers who grow it for more than one season, is the excellent presentation of root crops. There are other positive qualities that those who have not yet made a choice about which carrots are best to plant in the garden need to know about.
Breeding history
This variety was bred by Dutch breeders. Scientists crossed different varieties of carrots, resulting in a fundamentally new Abaco hybrid with unique root qualities.
Experts managed to develop an early-ripening variety that does not lose weight and nutrients during growth and storage. In 2009, the Abaco hybrid was zoned for the central regions of Russia.
Description and main characteristics
Abaco F1 carrots are mid-season varieties - 3.5 months pass from the appearance of the first shoots to harvest.
The description should begin with the vegetative mass. The foliage is quite long, voluminous, spreading. The color is dark emerald. The root vegetables themselves are cone-shaped and dark orange in color. The length of the root vegetable is about 18 - 19 cm. The weight of one fruit is 150 - 240 g, the taste is pleasant, the dry matter content is 11 - 12%, and the amount of sugar is about 8%. Carotene in 100 g of product - 18 - 18.5 kg.
Abaco has good resistance to cold snaps and does not freeze in the soil at temperatures down to -3 °C. Abaco carrot seeds have excellent germination - up to 94% of all seeds germinate. This figure is quite high for these root crops.
To complete the description, we note that root vegetables are universal: they are used fresh in canning in combination with other vegetables, when salting and sauerkraut, and added when preparing main dishes and salads. Recently, many vegetables and fruits have been frozen in freezers: Abaco carrots with this type of storage do not spoil the roots and do not lose their taste.
Since this variety has the most intensely colored roots, they are often used in the processing industry.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of this hybrid include:
- early ripening;
- excellent germination of seed material;
- excellent commercial qualities of ripe root vegetables;
- taste qualities are excellent;
- frost resistance (down to -3 ° C);
- versatility of use;
- high resistance to diseases, in particular to Alternaria leaf spot.
No disadvantages were noticed in the variety.
The nuances of growing a hybrid
Seeds can be sown in open ground in the last ten days of April or in the first ten days of May. The variety is frost-resistant, so the seedlings are not afraid of spring frosts. But if possible, it is better to sow root crops after spring frosts.
The best predecessors for carrots are cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, any varieties of cabbage. The optimal soil for growing carrots is loose sandstone and loam.
It is necessary to water the beds regularly and abundantly (at least once every 10 days), thin out the seedlings after emergence, leaving the strongest and strongest seedlings. Subsequent care consists of regularly loosening the soil and removing weeds. Mineral fertilizers and wood ash are used as fertilizing. The harvest is harvested as the roots ripen.
