Why curly carrots and what to do, folk remedies and methods
Growing carrots - the process is simple, but requires knowledge of some nuances: timely planting, high-quality thinning, moderate watering, knowledge of why it is necessary to feed the plant - only when these factors are combined, the gardener will receive a bountiful and high-quality harvest. However, if the leaves of the carrot begin to curl, the future harvest is in jeopardy - not everyone knows why carrots curl. Let's figure it out.
Causes of curly carrot leaves
Normally, carrot tops are bright green in color. The rosette has axillary buds; the leaves of carrots grow on a long stalk.
If the leaf of the carrot twists, then the gardener begins to worry and look for the cause in the development of all kinds of diseases. This is wrong: curl is the result of pests.
The presence of such insects can adversely affect the appearance of the leaves, the appearance of curliness and the development of the root crop:
- Carrot aphid. Another name that this pest bears is leaf flies. This is a very small insect that hibernates not far from the gardens. With the onset of warmth, the flies fly to the carrot beds in order to begin reproduction. After being saturated with needles throughout the winter, the insect needs nutrients. Having laid eggs on the inner surface of carrot leaves, the insect begins to suck out all the juices from the root crop. When defeated by this pest carrot leaf color remains the same. It is very difficult to spot the parasite in a timely manner.
- Carrot aphid. After the appearance of unwanted "neighbors", the carrot leaves curl up, and the aphid, meanwhile, feeds on the juices of the root crop. The insect is especially active during hot dry periods. If the summer is hot, the gardener should take maximum care, carefully inspect the leaves of the vegetable for the presence of pests. The appearance of aphids on a plant can be facilitated by ants, which carry it throughout the garden. The carrots grow small, tough, and tasteless, and the leaves continue to curl.
- Carrot fly. In early shoots, this insect lays its eggs. The most dangerous time is the phase of two true leaves. The larvae penetrate into the root crop and its destruction. The second generation of the carrot fly, born in August-September, can harm carrots. The leaves are curly, and the root crop suffers.
The period of greatest activity of beetles and other insects lasts from the second half of June to the end of July. At this time, you need to carefully monitor the seedlings, and in case of a danger, immediately take measures to combat the pest.
In addition, there are other reasons that the leaves curl - this is a lack of trace elements in the soil. The problem is solved quite simply: the plant can easily get the missing potassium and magnesium in the form of top dressing, which you can prepare yourself.
In some cases, gardeners panic in vain. Carrots can be curly due to the variety: worries about "curls" on the leaves are unnecessary, but it is still necessary to exclude the likelihood of pests. Curly carrots are prone to pests.
Method for eliminating pests
When a question arises about what to do and why carrots curl, many are at a loss. Summer residents are very afraid of the appearance of pests on carrots, since the harvest can be considered lost. However, if the infection began recently, it is still worth fighting for the vegetable.
To prevent the carrots from frizzing, you can use one of the following methods:
- The use of chemicals.
- Processing with folk remedies.
- The use of agrotechnical techniques.
There are many different options for insecticides. We spray the plantings with special substances. So, the drug "Zeta" copes well with the leaf beetle. To prepare the working composition, it is necessary to dilute 1 tablet of the product in 10 liters of water. Plants can be processed once or twice a season.
A universal remedy that helps to cope with aphids or any other pests is "Aktara". Having destroyed insects with the help of this drug, you do not have to worry: if it was a carrot aphid, then during the summer the parasite gives only one generation. If we are talking about a carrot fly, then in the second half of summer, the carrots should be observed: when the first signs of the pest reappearance, treat the twisted leaves again.
It is important that you can spray carrots with these preparations once or twice. They can be used no more than twice in one season. The use of insecticides will be superfluous if less than 30 days are left before harvesting.
If the carrot has grown, and it can already be eaten, and the leaves are curled, then insecticide treatment is contraindicated. In this case, you should use folk remedies. Pests are poorly tolerated by infusions of celandine, garlic, horse sorrel, yarrow. Some summer residents even use laundry soap for this purpose, spreading 300 grams of shavings per bucket of water. Spray the garden with this product several times.
You can use wood ash in the fight against aphids. Combining it with tobacco dust is an even better option. Dusting with this composition will help the gardener get rid of the pest and save the garden. The processed sheet will stop curling.
Will help to cope with the problems of insect exposure and some agrotechnical methods. So, you can not plant a carrot in a place that was once infected with a pest that affects it. Pine trees next to the garden pose a direct danger to carrots: it is on them that harmful insects winter. It is not worth planting spruce on the site or next to it on your own so that the carrots do not spin.
Good for carrots if the place for organizing the garden is chosen next to garlic or onions. The pungent smell of these plants will scare off the carrot fly, save the future harvest: the leaf curls less, the plant does not suffer.
The consequences of curly leaves in carrots
The appearance of pests on carrot leaves will not go unnoticed. If the grower is inactive, then most of the crop can die. In addition to fruits, labor will also perish, and this is the saddest thing. When the first signs of disturbance in crop growth appear, the battle for the harvest should begin, especially if the leaves are already curled.
If you skip the appearance of pests and do not water the carrots with protective agents, then the roots will become tough. Their taste will change, the carrots will lose their sweetness, they will become more like fodder. Leaves may change color to yellow or reddish. If inactive, most of the crop will have to be burned.
First of all, you need to pay attention to whether there is aphid. Often it is she who is the cause of such a problem. So that the seedlings quickly recover, use "BioGrow».