In the cultivation of any culture can be difficult, which will affect its growth and development. If carrots grow poorly, it is important to understand the reason for this phenomenon as soon as possible.
Having found out what was the factor that slowed down the development of the plant, there is a chance to correct the situation until the moment of bending of the crop and the complete loss of the crop.
And this is exactly what any owners need. It's so pitiful that when a plant, which took a long time to land and leave, does not grow.
How to understand that the root vegetable is stunted?
To understand that carrots grow poorly is quite simple. It is worth paying attention to the state of its green part:
- If the green mass of a plant develops slowly, looks sluggish and lifeless, then this means that the plant slows down in growth and suffers from a lack of soil moisture.
- It is necessary to draw on the color of the tops. It should be rich green. If the color is light green or yellow, and there is also drying out, then the culture probably lacks nutrients.
- Damage to the root neck of the culture indicates the appearance of pests, which also affects the appearance of the tops.
Why is this happening?
The following are the reasons why the roots are stunted and poorly developed, resulting in serious crop losses.
Not good enough care
Like any culture carrots are important to proper care.
- The most common mistake that gardeners make is the absence of hilling. During growth, the upper part of the root begins to bulge above the ground level. The green color of this section of the root means that there is an accumulation of corned beef poison. At this point, the growth processes of the root are stopped.
- Another mistake made when growing carrots is the lack of timely loosening. At the moment when seed germination occurs, the topsoil should be loose and well aerated.
Adverse weather
Germination of carrots begins when the average daily temperature reaches 3 degrees. The most optimal temperature for growth is + 18 + 24 degrees. If the ambient temperature rises higher, then the growth processes of root crops slow down.
Incorrect landing pattern
The optimum depth to which the seeds of a crop are sown varies depending on the type of soil.
- If clayy dense soils are present at the site, then seeds need to be embedded no more than 1 cm.
- If the soil is loose, sandy, then the seeds are sealed to 4-5 cm.
- If you sow too deep carrots, the moisture when watering will not reach the seeds, making it difficult to germinate.
- If the seeds are too close up to the ground surface, then the risk that they will be washed with water will be blown away by the wind or birds will eat them after the seeds are on the surface.
Invalid crop rotation
Important in the technology of growing carrots is the correct selection of crop rotation.
You can not sow carrots in the same area in which it grew last year. It should be done only after 2-3 years.
It is advisable to carry out sowing of crops in areas where tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, cabbage, onions, and garlic were grown.
Areas where green salad and parsley were grown should also be avoided. due to the presence of common pests.
Microclimate mismatch
If the level of temperature and humidity does not meet the requirements of the culture for optimal growth, then a good harvest will not be obtained.
Sowing carrots in a greenhouse with a constant microclimate is the best solution for an unfavorable microclimate.
Excess or lack of light in the garden
The most active growth of root crops is observed in the beds, which are located in the open sun. Even a short stay in the shadow of culture is destructive, since its development slows down.
It’s worth having a carrot bed in such a way that when the tops grow, anyway, every vegetable is in the sun and doesn’t plan for the next one. For this reason, it is unacceptable to locate tall plants on the side of the sun, such as corn or sunflowers, on nearby beds. They will cast shadows on the bed of carrots and thereby hinder its development.
Wrong watering
One of the most difficult activities for the care of the root is watering. The regularity and abundance of irrigation varies depending on the growth phase of the plant:
- At the moment when the plant is actively developing and growing in 1 part of the growing season, it is necessary to water the carrots frequently and plentifully. Culture requires maximum moisture.
- In the second half of the growing season, during the completion of the growth of the root crops themselves, abundant moisture will only inhibit the development of the culture. Because of the excess moisture, the roots often crack, so watering should be limited.
Poor quality planting material
Much depends on the selected seeds.
- Do not give preference to varieties that promise to be too large.
The fastest ripening occurs in small or medium root vegetables.
- It is not necessary to choose early ripening varieties with a growing season of up to 65 days. Such root crops are often poorly stored. It is necessary to sow large, healthy pickled seeds.
Seeding density too high
This error can be attributed to non-compliance with the seeding scheme. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the specified distance between rows and the distance between the roots. We can not forget about thinning beds. To hold the event you need in the phase of 2-3 pairs of true leaves. The distance to be left between the plants is 5 cm.
What to do if the carrot in the garden does not develop?
If the carrot does not grow well, then you should make every effort to correct the situation. How to do this is described below.
Compliance with the conditions of care
To correct the situation when it was discovered that the carrot grows poorly, it is important to determine what caused it and eliminate it. The following activities will help to remedy the situation with a poor culture
- Watering, which is recommended every 5 days. To prevent crop losses due to adverse hot weather conditions, you need to water the soil and hose every evening. This should be done not by sprinkling, but by running water by gravity. This technique will reduce the air temperature in the beds of carrots by several degrees.
- Conduct weeding of weeds, in particular this applies to the stage of active growth of the plant.
- If the carrots are planted too thick, thinning is necessary, leaving the roots at a distance of 5 cm.
- If the upper part of the root is seen on the soil surface, hilling of the beds is required. It is worth doing it after the rain or on an overcast day, because on such days specialized pests of the crop (carrot fly) do not damage the plants. It is necessary to fill each root with soil, covering it completely with earth.
- If the soil has formed a crust, then it should be removed as soon as possible. Loosening is recommended after each watering or rain. If in the summer season there is no one to follow the beds every day, then the carrot is sprinkled on the bed of carrots during the germination of seeds with a layer of a few millimeters. This will prevent the formation of a crust and give the plants the necessary nutrients (potassium).
- To mulch the soil. This technique prevents the occurrence of weeds and nourishes the bee with nutrients. You can use straw, rotted manure, dry grass, compost.
Special feeding and stimulants
We must not forget about fertilizing fertilizers. At the stage of the first shoots, you can use folk remedies and make a carrot:
- wood ash;
- iodine;
- yeast;
- bird droppings;
- rotted manure;
- nettle infusion.
Purchased fertilizers have good efficiency. Carrots feed:
- potassium chloride;
- ammonium nitrate;
- superphosphate;
- Kemira wagon.
Preventing re-occurrence of problems
In order to prevent the next year from planting carrots of such a situation, it is important to competently approach the process of growing crops, namely:
- take into account crop rotation;
- observe the planting scheme and the depth of seed embedding;
- time to carry out agrotechnical activities, loosening the soil and hilling;
- thin out crops in phase 2 of these leaves;
- water in accordance with the above recommendations;
- starting from the growth phase of the plant, to conduct feeding;
- prevent the formation of soil crust during seed germination.
Only an integrated approach to the cultivation of crops will achieve the highest yields and grow healthy, neat, juicy root vegetables.
Growing up culture, it is impossible to neglect any requirement of technology of cultivation. Choosing a good seed, the right care in combination will give a good result in the form of large and juicy root crops.
