Polish carrot for juicing and winter storage. Koral is a late Polish variety with a long, uniform root in a consistent orange-red color – equally intense in the skin, flesh and core. The growing period lasts 130–150 days, and the reward for your patience is roots with a high carotene and sugar content that will keep until spring in a cool cellar.

At a glance

• Type: late carrot, long root
• Root: orange-red, uniformly colored
• Sowing outdoors: April (for summer and autumn harvest), first half of May (for storage)
• Harvest: September – October
• Position: sunny, light, well-prepared soil
• Difficulty: easy
• Number of seeds per packet: approx. 4,000 (5 g)

What makes this variety stand out

For decades, Koral has been one of the most popular late carrots in Poland – and for good reason. The roots are long (up to 20 cm in good conditions), conical-cylindrical, smooth and deeply colored, with no green or pale shoulders. The variety has a low tendency to accumulate nitrates, while its high dry matter content results in an intense flavor and a thick, sweet juice.

When it comes to storage, Koral is one of the most durable amateur varieties: in a box of sand, at a temperature close to 0°C, it stays firm throughout the winter. It also freezes well – after blanching, it does not become soft.

Growing step by step

Sowing (April – first half of May, directly outdoors): sow in April for summer and autumn consumption, and by mid-May for winter supplies. Space rows 30–40 cm apart, sow at a depth of 1–2 cm, in light, deeply loosened soil without fresh manure. Lightly firm the bed after sowing and keep it moist until emergence (2–3 weeks).

Thinning: when the seedlings are 2–3 cm tall, thin them to 5–8 cm apart; repeat after a month if necessary. Koral’s long roots need space – overcrowded plants will produce thin, crooked carrots.

Care during the season: weed and loosen the soil regularly, and water evenly, especially in July and August, when the roots thicken most rapidly. Potassium fertilization improves flavor and storage life; excess nitrogen has the opposite effect.

Harvesting and storage: harvest in October on a dry day, loosening the roots with a garden fork (long roots can easily break when pulled by the foliage). Cut off the foliage, do not wash the roots, and store them in sand or perforated bags at 0–2°C and high humidity.

Uses

Koral is a carrot for juicing – its intense color and high carotene content produce a thick, sweet juice without a watery aftertaste. It is also excellent for freezing in cubes, for jars and preserves, in salads and for long-term winter storage. In the garden, sow it near onions, leeks or garlic – they protect one another from carrot fly and thrips.

Gardener’s tip

Specifications