The main reasons why carrots do not grow in the garden

It happens like this: a gardener sowed seeds according to all the rules, diligently looked after the beds, but the carrots do not grow. What is the reason and what measures should be taken to save the harvest, in which work, hope and expectation are invested?

In the article we will tell you why carrots do not grow in the garden and how to avoid it.

For what reasons, carrots grow poorly

There are several main reasons:

• improper care;
• unfavorable climatic conditions;
• improper fit;
• violation of the rules of crop rotation;
• inadequacy of the microclimate;
• excess or lack of light;
• improper watering;
• poor quality planting material;
• too high planting density.

Let's consider each of the reasons in detail.

Improper care

Carrots are a capricious vegetable. Failure to follow the rules of care will affect the quality of the crop:

• untimely thinning - from a lack of free space, root crops grow small or are not formed at all;
• abundant or poor watering - this prevents the carrots from developing fully;
• lack of hilling - the vegetable stops growing, and its upper part turns green;
• improper feeding - an excess of organic matter contributes to root rotting during storage.

Unfavorable climatic conditions

External factors, such as climatic conditions, also affect the result of the harvest. Carrot seeds germinate at temperatures from + 3 ° C, and indicators from + 18 ° C to + 24 ° C are considered optimal for full growth and maturation. A further increase in temperature will slow down the growth of the vegetable.

Incorrect fit

When planting seeds in dense or clay soil, the optimal distance from the surface is 1 cm, in loose, sandy soil - 4-5 cm. If you plant the seeds deeper, when watering, moisture will not reach the roots. Follow the forecast: if a dry season is expected, sow deeper, wet - shallower.

Violation of the rules of crop rotation

Sowing the next crop in the same place where the vegetable grew last year is considered the main mistake. Also, due to common pests, carrots cannot be sown after lettuce and parsley.

Inappropriate microclimate

In dry or too wet soil, carrots will grow poorly, and in dense soil, they will turn out to be unprepossessing and clumsy.

Also, the plant is picky about the acidity of the soil. If the pH is equal to or below 5.5, the acidity must be neutralized.

If the soil is suitable for a vegetable, but it still grows poorly, observe if a crust forms after watering or rain, especially during the most important period - seed germination and seedling. She, too, is the cause of inhibition of growth, and it must be carefully destroyed.

If the carrots are not huddled, the part of the vegetable that has already appeared above the ground will turn green. This is due to the accumulation of corned beef venom under the influence of sunlight.

Lack of light

Carrots love sunlight, so even a little shade will slow down development. Even a temporary blackout in the presence of tall neighbors in the garden will harm carrots. For this reason, you cannot plant the vegetable next to tall crops, such as corn.

Improper watering

Excessive watering or a lack of it will equally harm the growth of carrots. This applies not only to the volume of liquid spent, but also to the correspondence of watering to the growth stage.Excessive moistening of root crops during the end of development will lead to their cracking or stop further ripening.

Poor quality planting material

When buying and planting seeds, pay attention to their expiration date. Overdue ones have a small chance of germinating and developing into a full-fledged vegetable.

Don't chase gigantism. Varieties small carrots grow and ripen faster than their huge counterparts.

Sowing density too high

Many gardeners are wondering why small carrots grow in the garden. Meanwhile, the reason is simple - too dense plantings. Carrots must be thinned out.

The close proximity of root crops to each other (less than 4 cm) will not allow everyone to fully develop. As a result, vegetables will grow weak and small. The bed width should be no more than 1.5 m (4 carrots in a row), row spacing - at least 22 cm.

Important. Improper pulling (without pre-watering) will also affect plant growth. If the ground is dry, then by pulling the desired bush, you can hook the one that should remain. As a result, carrots will slow down or stop developing.

Carrot care rules

To make the vegetable pleasing with its growth, size and taste, adhere to the following care rules:

1. Carrots are sown in the same place after harvesting the previous crop only after 2-3 years. The vegetable grows well after tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, onions, garlic.
2. Before planting seeds, consider the location of the beds. During the growth process, each individual plant should not darken each other. They need full sun lighting. For this reason, large crops are planted only on the north side of the carrots.
3. It is important to create a favorable microclimate if the soil is not ideal in terms of performance. 12-13 kg of sand per 1 m² are introduced into the soil, which will make it friable. The increased acidity is neutralized in the fall. For this, 1 tbsp. dolomite flour on 1 m² of land until the pH rises to 6-7. The beds are dug to the depth of a shovel bayonet, making a "perinka" for a capricious vegetable.
4. Be sure to thin out the beds. The first thinning is carried out when there are 2 true leaves. After a couple of weeks, a second is performed, so that there is at least 4-6 cm between each carrot. Before pulling, water the soil to soften it and not injure the vegetables.
5. Loosen the soil after every watering and rain to prevent crust formation.
6. Hilling is carried out at the stage when the vegetable has already appeared above the ground. It is effective after watering and on cloudy days, when there is no pest - a carrot fly.
7. In the heat, watered 3-4 times a week in the evening - 4 liters of water per 1 m². In the middle of the growing season - once a week with the same amount. During the period of active growth, when 3/4 of the tops has grown, adhere to scanty watering, do not flood.
8. If the thermometer readings exceeded + 24 ° C, then periodically cool the vegetables using the evening gravity hose watering method. The water will saturate the ground by a couple of centimeters, cool the soil and lower the temperature above it.
9. Do not forget about removing weeds from the garden.

How to increase the speed and quality of carrot growth

Carrot needs the right dressing... Both homemade and off-the-shelf fertilizers are suitable.

Folk fertilizers

Good old manure will do just fine. This will require 5-6 kg per 1 m² of soil. Fertilize the soil in the spring before planting the carrots so that the manure has time to decompose and go into a form that plants can use.

In autumn, it is good to fertilize the soil with wood ash - 500 g per 1 m².

Poultry manure is also used as an organic fertilizer. Mix it and water in a ratio of 1:10, leave for about 2 weeks in a dark place (the composition should ferment). Before watering, dilute again - 1 liter of fermented composition per 10 liters of water. Fertilize the soil in fall or before planting a vegetable.

Shop

“Too good is also bad,” so don't overdo it. Enough 3 times for the entire growth period:

1. The first feeding is done in liquid form 3 weeks after germination. For this purpose, 1 tbsp is suitable. l. nitrophosphate on a bucket of water.
2. The next one is carried out in 15-18 days. Now the composition is as follows - 2 tsp. on a bucket of water.
3. For the latter, a solution of potassium sulfate is used - 6-7 g per bucket of water (per 1 m²). This fertilizer will positively affect not only the growth of the root crop, but also its sweetness.

Also considered popular are:

1. Potassium chloride. It is used in combination with humus - 10 g of potash fertilizer for 2-3 kg of humus for digging in autumn or spring.
2. Saltpeter is applied at sowing - 10 g per 1 m².
3. Superphosphate. It is crushed into powder, sprinkled with soil 2-3 weeks before planting or in late autumn at the rate of 65-85 g per 1 m² and dug up.

Conclusion

To get a rich harvest of carrots, arrange the beds correctly, prepare the ground, observe the principles of crop rotation, take care of the plantings in a timely manner. This will avoid the common among gardeners mistakes and collect an excellent harvest in the end.