Understanding why carrots began to curl is not so difficult. A plant in the process of cultivation will not require serious efforts from the summer resident. But if the tops of carrots change, then it is worth “sounding the alarm.” The problem may lie in diseases and pests, as well as non-compliance with the rules for caring for the plant. But not everything is so simple – some varieties of carrots have similar tops by nature.
Why curly
The tops of carrots differ from nature in the following indicators:
- The leaves are green, smooth, without inclusions and signs of yellowness.
- If desired, you can consider the tops, you do not need to straighten it with your hands.
When the leaves of the plant are twisted, the following problems arise:
- carrots grow more slowly or stop growing altogether;
- the plant does not receive enough nutrients, due to which the taste of its fruits changes, they become “wooden”.
To a greater extent, the problem is that the roots stop growing, their taste characteristics change, and this happens for several reasons.
Even if the summer resident follows all the recommendations for watering, caring for the plant, he is not immune from such problems. So, let’s discuss why carrots curl:
- The problem may lie in non-compliance with the watering regime and the basic rules for caring for the root crop. This leads to a decrease in his immunity and an increase in the likelihood of developing various kinds of diseases.
- But most often, the appearance of parasites on the site leads to such problems. Moreover, various pests can affect the quality and quantity of the crop.
aphid
Insects “attack” root crops in colonies, they suck out the juice, which changes the taste of carrots. Harvest, in the event of aphids on the site, can be harvested meager. And the root crops themselves will be dry, small and tasteless.
Pests fly from one bush to another, they are carried by ants. “Attacks” of aphids most often occur in dry weather. Insects are small in size, but it is not difficult to detect and differentiate them.
Listobloška
Another pest that can lead to leaf curl. The psyllid is small in size, so finding it on the site is a big problem.
Signs that accompany the “attack” of insects:
- tops of carrots are twisted;
- but still green.
The psyllid feeds on needles in winter, and in the spring it moves to seedlings and successfully eats it. Pests drink juice from root crops. This circumstance negatively affects the crop yield.
Mushka
Appears on the site in early summer; the insect lays eggs on carrot leaves. When larvae hatch from them, they devour the root crop, destroying the planting. The fly makes the second laying a little later, closer to mid-July. If the gardener does not notice the pests, then he will not be able to reap a good harvest.
If you don’t fight
If the gardener does not take timely action, this can lead to the following consequences:
- Root crops will be born small.
- Juiciness and taste and vegetables will be absent.
- The yield index will change for the worse.
Such a crop, of course, can be harvested, but storing it and using it to create blanks or as part of the preparation of any dishes does not make sense.
But if insects are eliminated in a timely manner, as soon as they appear on the site, then there will be no serious problems with the qualitative and quantitative indicator of the crop. The fruits will be successfully harvested, while their taste will not disappoint the gardener.
The use of insecticides for treatment
If you notice insects in the area, take action as soon as possible. Otherwise, the consequences cannot be avoided. Most of the crop will be unusable, it will have to be destroyed, burned. This will get rid of clutches of pests that may remain in the tops or on the surface of root crops.
Attention! Processing is done in several ways, you can use chemicals or give preference to folk remedies.
Aktara
You can treat carrots with a solution; to prepare it, you will have to mix 5 grams of the product with 10 liters of water. Spraying is carried out once; the aphid dies immediately, but the fly can survive. If after all the procedures the leaves begin to curl again, then re-treat.
Zeta
This drug is sprayed with healthy and diseased seedlings. The tablet is dissolved in a bucket of water (water must be distilled). Procedures are carried out using a spray gun.
Intavir
It is highly toxic, for this reason the drug is used at least 20 days before harvest. Intavir is dissolved in water (one tablet per 10 liters). Spraying is started in calm weather, it is carried out everywhere, that is, all carrots are processed.
Aktellik
An economical but toxic agent, it is recommended to use it a month before the planned harvest of root crops. Two milliliters of the drug is diluted in two liters of water. One liter of solution is enough for 10 meters of landing.
Reference: the chemical is unique in that it helps rid carrots of any pests.
Rules and methods of processing
There are several tricks that will help increase the efficiency of the procedures:
- Treatment with chemicals is effective only at the initial stage of plant growth, before the formation of root crops. If the carrot has already formed, then it is better to give preference to folk remedies.
- Late treatment with solutions is fraught with poisoning, if it is late to spray the root crop, then harmful substances will not have time to “come out” of it.
- When using various chemicals, do not forget that some insects are resistant to such products. They leave the site in a hurry, but do not die, and after a short time they return.
Folk remedies
You can use whatever is at hand. Gardeners have successfully adapted to the persecution of pests on the site, using folk remedies.
Spraying with infusions of yarrow, garlic, celandine, horse sorrel
All ingredients are mixed in equal proportions. Grind the garlic and brew all the components of the product with boiling water. We insist at least 3 hours, more can be. Then we filter and use for processing (water, spray).
Laundry soap solution
We cut the bar of soap thinly – so that we get shavings. We lower 300 grams of chips into cold water (10 liters). Let the solution stand for at least 12 hours, use it for spraying.
Dusting with wood ash or tobacco dust
Wood ash and tobacco dust are mixed in equal proportions. It is sprinkled on the leaves of the plant. In the case of vegetable processing, it is recommended to sprinkle not only the tops, but also the soil around the root crop. Such treatment will not bring serious harm.
Solution of boric acid, iodine, soda, serum and potassium permanganate
The preparation of such a tool will not take much time. To get a solution suitable for processing vegetables, you will have to follow the recommendations:
- To create a solution, we use distilled water.
- One teaspoon of boric acid.
- 50-60 grams of baking soda.
- One teaspoon of iodine.
- We dissolve all the components in water, let the product stand for a while, and then use it for its intended purpose.
If the ingredients are not completely dissolved in the water, then try again to mix everything thoroughly. If that doesn’t help, sieve.
You can also carry out processing using potassium permanganate and whey. Potassium permanganate is also used at the initial stage, seeds are treated with it, which can significantly reduce the risk of developing various diseases in seedlings.
Prevention
If you pour carrots with preparations containing potassium and magnesium, you can avoid the problem of twisting its tops. Also, as part of the prevention, it is recommended:
- monitor the state of the vegetable, fix changes;
- observe the basic rules for caring for a crop: water, feed;
- do not forget to use organic fertilizers;
- harvest in time.
In addition to crops that are “attractive” to pests, there are also those on the site that scare them away – these are beds with onions and garlic. If you plant carrots next to onions or garlic, then the likelihood that insects will begin to destroy them will decrease.
When the tops of the carrot begin to curl, do not waste time. This can lead to a complete loss of the crop. Treatment with chemicals or folk remedies will help solve the problem. But it is better not to neglect prevention and care rules, this will significantly minimize the risks.
