Instructions for watering carrots in August in the open field for beginner gardeners
Growing carrots is a simple process, but still requires a certain approach. For example, novice gardeners are concerned about the regularity of watering and the amount of water in August if the vegetable grows in the open field. For this, there are recommendations and instructions for irrigation at certain stages of plant development. In this article, you will learn how often to water your carrots in August.
The content of the article
Features of watering carrots in August in the open field
Early carrot usually already in August, they begin to dig up for fresh consumption or blanks. In this case, the vegetable does not need watering.... But later varieties with a ripening period of 110-130 days continue to grow in the beds until the end of September - early October, depending on the climatic conditions of the region and the first frosts.
And although in August the roots complete their formation, they continue to grow and fill. At this time, it is important to be careful about watering, since uneven moisture leads to the formation of cracks and deformation of root crops.
How to properly water carrots
It is important to observe the frequency of watering and take into account the degree of soil moisture in the garden.
Frequency and abundance
In August, when the roots are almost formed, the number of irrigations is reduced, and the amount of water used is increased. If the watering frequency is left the same, the carrots will become watery and hairy due to the many lateral roots.
If you completely stop moisturizing the roots, they will crack and stiffen. Usually they consume 220-270 liters of water per 100 sq. m, or 20-30 liters per 1 sq. m, with irrigation mode once every 7-10 days.
It is not difficult to determine whether the crop is irrigated correctly: the soil should not be dry and too wet. By the end of August, irrigation is minimized, waiting for harvest harvest.
Technology
To get a decent harvest of beautiful and tasty carrots, experienced gardeners use the following methods when watering:
- Irrigate evenly over the entire area of the land plot and make sure that with each procedure the soil is moistened to a depth of at least 25-30 cm.
- Root crops are watered at the root at sunset.
- Water is supplied in small portions at intervals to prevent waterlogging of the soil.
- In the heat, greens also refresh, but only in the evening. Plants are watered from a watering can with a shower head.
- Between waterings, the soil is loosened to break up the crust, improve aeration and permeability of the soil to the incoming water.
- To reduce the amount of watering, the beds are mulched with organic material.
It is best to use a drip irrigation system for irrigation. This method allows water to seep directly to the root and soak the soil well. At the same time, water does not spill over a large area and does not evaporate due to high summer temperatures.
Attention! You cannot water the carrots with a hose without a special nozzle, since the strong pressure of water injures the plants.
Water temperature
Many summer residents are faced with a problem: too cold water, which is extracted from a well or well using a pump. Roots poured with such water in hot weather are not able to assimilate it. It turns out that watering does not save plants from dehydration.
If the roots are watered in the evening with too cold water, when the ground is still warm, the plants can get shock and stop developing. They will become more susceptible to disease, in particular root rot.
For humidification use warm water heated by the sun. Its stock is made in any tanks: bath, barrel, various containers. When the liquid warms up to air temperature, watering is started.
Reference. Carrots will turn out to be very tough and unfit for human consumption if cold water is used for irrigation.
Lack or excess watering
Excessive or insufficient watering has a negative impact on the taste and quality of the fruit.
Signs
With excessive watering:
- A large number of lateral roots and a kind of hairline are formed on root crops, and the central root gradually dies off.
- The carrots are rotting.
Insufficient watering in August negatively affects the size and quality of root crops. Leads to the fact that they remain small, stiffen, crack.
Reference. Excessive watering, which causes high humidity in the beds, is one of the most important causes of pests, including carrot flies.
What to do
Any gardener will be dissatisfied with such a crop - tasteless, with defects and flaws. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor the periods of growth and development of the crop and adjust the application of moisture.
You can count on a plentiful collection of large and juicy carrots only in case of moderate and uniform watering at all stages of the plant's growing season.
Watering in hot and rainy weather
During the heat planting carrots are irrigated regularly, preventing the appearance of a crust and cracks in the soil. If the beds with caked earth are watered abundantly, all the roots will burst from the suddenly appeared moisture. During the period of high temperatures, the air is watered early in the morning or after 17.00 so that the water does not have time to evaporate under the hot sun and can penetrate into the depths of the soil.
In rainy weather the earth is moistened naturally, so watering is reduced depending on the amount of precipitation. In case of prolonged rains do not water, otherwise the carrots will be savory, pale and soft.
It is interesting:
How to determine when to store carrots from the garden
The best ways and life hacks on how to plant carrots so as not to thin out
Stopping Watering Before Harvesting
At the end of August, when the root crop is fully formed and ripe, watering is reduced to 1 time in 10-12 days. Enough 5-6 liters of water per 1 sq. m if there is no rain.
Plant irrigation is stopped 3 weeks before the harvest. After that, the roots begin to "search" for water, as a result of which they grow long, large and clean. Watering is also suspended so that vegetables are not watery and stored for a long time in winter.
Reference. If you continue to irrigate, the carrots will crack.
2-3 days before harvesting, the soil is only slightly moistened to make it easier to extract the root crops without mechanical damage and thereby ensure their longer storage.
If the weather is dry and the soil has hardened, watering is continued, stopping only 5-7 days before harvesting.
What can be added to the water when watering in August, how to feed
Even if the pre-sowing preparation of the soil was carried out according to all the rules, over time all the nutrients were used up - washed out by rain or absorbed by carrots.
Combining watering with fertilizing
Culture in total feed 3 times... The third fertilization is in August. At this time, an aqueous solution of potassium chloride (30 g of substance per 10 liters of water) is used, which helps to ripen root crops and improve their taste.
For the procedure, small grooves are created between the rows of carrots and a nutrient solution is evenly poured into them.
Many vegetable growers make one more, last, vitamin supplement. It is carried out 30 days before picking carrots so that the vegetable gets rid of accumulated nitrates.
In this case, the best remedy would be ordinary ash from burning leaf trees. 3 tbsp. the substances are poured with boiling water and allowed to brew during the day, after which they are diluted with water and watered in the usual way. Some gardeners simply sprinkle ash in the aisles.
Important! Do not apply top dressing at the root of plants.
Salt watering
Watering carrot beds with water and salt is often practiced.
The positive aspects of such irrigation:
- Sodium chloride activates the effect of all types of dressings, contributing to the rapid decomposition of organic matter and accelerating the dissolution of nutrients in the soil.
- Useful on infertile and heavy soils.
- Increases the amount of carotene in carrots, improves palatability, increasing sweetness.
- Accelerates the growth and maturation of root crops.
- Spraying carrot tops is effective against slugs, carrot flies, powdery mildew, late blight and other diseases.
However, an excess of salt strongly compacts the soil, making it impervious to water. As a result, carrots do not absorb nutrients. If the correct proportions are observed, the soil will not be salted.
For feeding, a solution is prepared: take 2 tbsp for a bucket of boiled warm water. l. table salt. To combat diseases and pests, the treatment is carried out three times.
Proportions per bucket of water:
- 1st time - 300 g of salt;
- 2nd time - 500 g of salt;
- 3rd time - 600 g of salt.
Watering is carried out at intervals of 2 weeks.
Important! When a saline solution or liquid fertilizer is applied to the soil, the beds are spilled with clean water before and after the procedure.
Conclusion
Watering takes an important place in the cultivation of carrots, because the quantity and quality of the crop depends to a large extent on it. Therefore, irrigation should be plentiful, timely and regulated depending on weather conditions, soil conditions and the stage of growth of root crops.