We always try to grow the harvest of vegetables, fruits or berries in the best possible way, we surround the beds with care and attention. Why are carrots gnarled and horned, or sometimes ugly, instead of the beautiful, smooth root vegetables from the picture on the package with seeds? What is the reason why the process of growth and ripening of fruits is not going according to plan - let's find out.

Gnarled carrots are not only unattractive in appearance, they are difficult to clean and store, and they are not at all pleasing with their taste. Some gardeners blame the quality of the seeds or the dishonesty of planting material producers, but in reality the reason is completely different.

Gnarled root vegetable, photo:

Why do horned carrots grow?

Let's look at the reasons in order:

1. Pay attention to the soil - it should not be heavy rocky or clayey. The soil for planting carrots should be loose. Ideally - with enough sand mixed in. To obtain high-quality root crops, do not be lazy to manually mix the soil with sand (or compost, sawdust) in advance at the site of the intended beds. Heavily compacted soil that does not allow air to pass through is an obstacle to the normal development of carrots. To ensure that the soil settles and is ideal for planting, prepare the beds in the fall - dig them up (about 20 cm deep), and in the spring repeat this action about two weeks before sowing the seeds.
2. Inappropriate fertilizers are a fairly common mistake made by gardeners. Fresh manure or unripened humus should not be added to carrot beds. By and large, organics are good for tomatoes, onions, cucumbers or potatoes, but not for carrots. However, even for these crops, organic fertilizers should not be fresh; it is better for them to “stand well” and rot. Lime fertilizers, as well as wood ash, should not be applied before sowing. Potash fertilizers such as dolomite flour, potassium chloride or potassium salt are also strictly not recommended.
3. Damage to the root at the initial stage of root development is a common cause of curvature and the appearance of multiple “tails”. It is advisable to find out the reason for this phenomenon. The first is the germination of seeds for too long, when the roots have already appeared, but were damaged when they were buried. The second is drying out of the soil at the most critical stage of growth. This is the time before the first sprouts appear, the first weeks of cultivation, when regular soil moisture is required - if the soil is not sufficiently moistened, the tender roots die. The third is mechanical damage to the roots during rough thinning of sprouts; a similar result will be observed with delayed thinning. When the first two leaves appear on the seedlings, you need to hurry - first water and then remove the excess shoots. The second stage of thinning is after about 20 days, when the ground part of the carrots has grown to 10 cm. The distance between the carrots should be approximately 6-8 cm, it depends on the shape and variety of carrots (size).
4. Intervention of pests - carrot fly or earthen crayfish (mole cricket).
5. Another reason why carrots are gnarled is low soil pH (too acidic soil).

Don’t forget to loosen the soil between the rows and water it properly on time (do not allow the soil to dry out). If the amount of moisture is insufficient (superficial), the top of the carrot, which will receive water, will become wide, and the tail will remain underdeveloped, or there will be several of them - short, curved.

Deformed roots, multiple “tails” photo:

How often to water carrots in open ground?

This crop needs to be watered correctly, the first weeks after sowing are especially important. In addition to curvature and the appearance of multiple tails, if the approach is taken incorrectly, the root crop can grow shaggy.
Hairs appear on the surface of carrots due to lack of moisture or oxygen. Carrots look for the water necessary for development in the soil and try to do this with the help of “antennae”. The same thing happens on hard soil where there is no air flow.

Carrots should be planted only in sunny areas. To prevent moisture evaporation, immediately after you sow the seeds, cover the beds with polyethylene. When the first shoots appear, remove the oilcloth or replace it with non-woven covering material. Even in the early stages, the soil should be regularly loosened and watered; moisture should saturate the soil to a depth of approximately 20-25 cm.

It is not necessary to fill the beds with water every day; high-quality saturation with moisture a couple of times a week will be quite enough. If you are not at the dacha very often, ensure high-quality watering of carrots for the first month, then, when the root crops gain strength, this can be done much less frequently. Gradually, watering should be reduced to a minimum, and already grown carrots can not be watered even during drought.

Carrot mustache, photo:

Due to excessive soil moisture, gardeners may face another carrot scourge - cracking of root crops. To prevent this from happening, do not pull carrots out of the ground immediately after generous watering or rainfall. Wait a while, let the soil dry out, and then start harvesting. Cracked carrots are also not suitable for storage, and they are not very pleasant to eat. This phenomenon is often observed in the summer, when the July heat first dries out the soil, and then, after rain, the root crop begins to actively absorb moisture. It even happens that carrots crack right in your hands, immediately after removing them from the ground.

How to feed carrots?

The formation of crooked or too small root crops can be caused not only by soil density, but also by a lack of fertilizers and timely fertilizing. In addition, it is recommended to periodically change the location of the beds, sowing carrots where tomatoes, cucumbers or onions and garlic used to grow. When preparing beds for carrots in the autumn, adding superphosphate will be useful.

A lack of organic fertilizers can affect the size of carrots - they will be small. To prevent this from happening, at the initial stage, before the root crop begins to form, apply nitrogen fertilizer. You can also use double superphosphate (there is also a percentage of nitrogen there), urea (urea). Somewhere from mid-July, introduce phosphorus and potassium supplements.

Some of the best fertilizers during the growth of root crops are barium and manganese, and to ensure that the carrots taste at their best, add boron fertilizers (for example, Organo Bor). Everything should be in moderation - carefully read the instructions for using additives, consult with more experienced gardeners. An overdose of fertilizers, for example nitrogen, can also lead to cracking of root crops.

To prevent your carrots from being “woody” and bitter, phosphorus-potassium supplements are a must. The appearance of bitterness is also influenced by the bare “shoulders” of root vegetables protruding from the ground. When thinning and weeding, make sure that the root crop is securely covered with soil, so the top of the carrots will not turn green in the sun or become bitter. If you still decide to feed the root crops with organic fertilizers, then keep in mind that diluted chicken manure can only be watered between the rows, but not the beds. The infusion of dung (1/10 water) is additionally diluted with water 1 to 10. The same applies to slurry.

Carefully select the seed, take care of the soil, and supply it with the necessary fertilizers in a timely manner. Water properly, thin out in a timely manner, and collect ripe carrots on time. Watering is best done early in the morning or after sunset. By the way, when watering, splashes of water should not get on the tops! Now you know why carrots grow gnarled and horned, if you take into account the above information, this will never happen to your harvest.

Carrots are one of those vegetables without which it is impossible to prepare some dishes. In addition to excellent taste and the possibility of long-term storage, carrots contain many vitamins important for humans, so everyone who has their own plot grows them. But sometimes it is not possible to grow a crop of this type of root crop: the tops turn yellow, curl, and rather small fruits grow instead of large carrots. In this article we will tell you why carrot leaves turn yellow/dry/curl/fall/brown, and how to deal with the problem.

What to do if the tops on the carrots begin to turn yellow? First of all, find out the reason. To do this, you need to carefully examine the plants, dig out several diseased specimens from the ground and then begin treatment, first removing all the affected plants.

Yellowed carrot leaves appear quite often and can be the result of various types of pests and diseases, so you need to deal with this nuisance as soon as possible

Employees of business enterprises, scientists and experienced gardeners noted that sometimes gardeners and summer residents themselves are to blame for this, choosing seed material without taking into account the climatic characteristics of their region or, for example, sowing early varieties of carrots before winter. In addition, it is necessary to properly prepare the bed for carrots and care for the plant in compliance with the agricultural technology of the given crop. But if all this was done correctly, and the harvest leaves much to be desired, then what was done wrong?

Fungi can also attack carrots. Their occurrence is facilitated by:

1. Crop rotation violation.
2. Soil infected with pathogenic fungi.
3. Use of contaminated seed.
4. Excessive use of organic fertilizers.
5. Incorrectly applied fertilizing.
6. Thickened shoots.
7. Very cold or very hot weather with high humidity levels.

Carrot tops may turn yellow due to disease or damage by insect pests. Read also the article: → “Optimal soil for planting carrots in a garden plot.”

Possible diseases and ways to combat them

Phoma can affect carrots; this disease is dry rot and does not appear immediately. At first, only the tips of the leaves of the tops wither and become gray-brown. The disease fully takes effect after the harvest is harvested: spots will appear on the top of the carrots. They gradually increase, spreading throughout the root crop. The rate of damage depends on the temperature in the storage: the warmer it is, the faster the crop will rot. Moreover, fungal spores live for a very long time and can even destroy next year’s harvest.

Measures to combat Phomasis:

1. Clearing the beds of plant debris after harvesting root crops.
2. Using fertilizers with a phosphorus-potassium composition before sowing seeds.
3. Disinfect the storage area before storing the crop with sulfur bombs.

White rot is no less dangerous. It can destroy not only the carrot crop, but also affect other plants grown on the site. It may appear in the garden after using manure as fertilizer. If you sow carrots densely in the garden, do not remove weeds in time, and do not harvest the crop for a long time, the soil moisture will increase, due to which white rot spores actively multiply.

Oddly enough, quite often yellowed carrot leaves appear simply due to improper care and insufficient watering, especially in the hot season

You can notice the appearance of an unwanted guest by the fact that small yellow spots will appear on the leaves of the tops. In addition, the tops will wither and curl. But the disease will fully manifest itself during storage of the harvested crop - softened spots will appear on the root crops, which will later be covered with a fluffy light coating. This is a mycelium of rot that spreads quickly. Soon it will be covered with a crust with dark spots and droplets of moisture.

Measures to combat white rot:

1. Intensively, but within the permitted limits, feed the plants with potassium.
2. Spray with preparations containing copper.
3. Disinfect storage.
4. Every 3-4 years, choose a different place for the carrot bed.
5. Choose those varieties of this crop that are resistant to the disease.
6. Do not water the beds with cold water.

The edges on the lower leaves begin to turn yellow even when affected by bacteriosis. Then the yellowness spreads across the leaves and darkens, leaving only a yellow outline.

Next, the infection affects the petioles, after which they begin to dry out. The stems are also affected: stripes and brown spots are noticeable on them. Afterwards, the root crops are affected, as can be seen from the appearance of small depressed spots of a brownish-brown color. It all ends with the carrots beginning to emit an unpleasant odor, after which it is impossible to eat them or feed them to animals.

1. Measures to combat bacteriosis:
2. Before sowing the seeds, they are kept for at least ten minutes in water whose temperature is +52 degrees.
3. 3 weeks after germination, the seeds are sprayed with the fungicide "Hom".

Be sure to disinfect the place where the crop will be stored in winter. Read also the article: → “Harvesting and storing carrots. A selection of storage methods."

Alternatiosis belongs to those infectious diseases that can affect a given crop at any stage of cultivation or storage. This disease is transmitted through contaminated soil or seeds. Its appearance can be seen by changes in the color and shape of the leaves - they will begin to curl and darken. The yellow spots that appear on the tips spread very quickly, dry out, and the stems turn black. The petioles also wither, and then the root crop is affected, and neighboring plants become infected. This happens very quickly and if you do nothing, it is unlikely that you will be able to grow at least a few carrots - the crops will all die. You can save the harvest by spraying the plantings with Rovral.

Brown spotting can also be seen on carrot seedlings. The disease manifests itself by the appearance of dark brown bandages on the stems at soil level. Infected young plants die very quickly. If the infection occurred later, when the root crops began to form, this will be noticeable by the fact that brown spots with a yellow border will appear on the leaf blades. The spots can have different shapes and sizes. Later, black dots will appear on them - these are the fruiting bodies of pycnidia. They are the future wintering site of the pathogen. Affected leaves begin to curl, turn brown, dry out, and fall to the ground, so they must be removed and burned after the harvest is harvested.

The following measures are considered effective in the fight against white spotting:

1. Regular loosening of row spacing.
2. Treatment of the area with decoctions of horsetail, nettle, and celandine.
3. Treatment of the garden with Immunocytophyte in June.
4. Liming the soil in the fall of the previous season.

If light brown spots with a light center appear on carrot leaves, this is cercospora blight. This is the name of a fungal disease. Later, the spots will enlarge and lighten, and the edges of the leaves will curl. If the soil in the area is wet, a gray coating will appear on the spots on the bottom of the leaves. The spots will spread across the green part of the entire plant and then join together. The greens will begin to turn black and rot. It will not be possible to wait for a harvest from carrots affected by cercospora blight, since the fruits will be wrinkled and small.

Tip #1. To prevent contamination of the area, it is necessary to warm the seeds in water at a temperature of 50-52 degrees. If an infection occurs, experts recommend spraying the carrot beds with Bordeaux mixture. To do this, prepare a one percent solution.

Types of carrot pests and measures to combat them

Not only fungal or infectious diseases can affect carrot plantings, but also pests. In order to prevent complete destruction of the crop, it is necessary to begin fighting them immediately after detecting at least one pest in your garden.

Experts call the carrot fly one of the dangerous enemies of root crops. Fly pupae overwinter in the soil. In April, the younger generation emerges from them. The fact that the carrot fly has affected the emerging seedlings can be understood by the fact that the tops, instead of green, begin to acquire a bronze color. After a week or two, the affected plants begin to dry out and then die. If infected plants are not removed, the insect will lay eggs in the soil. The hatched larvae will spoil the root crops, after which they will become bitter and no longer suitable for food.

To prevent yellow spots from forming on carrot leaves, many gardeners recommend constantly fertilizing the soil, feeding the plants, and also paying special attention to care and watering

You can protect yourself from flies by taking the following measures:

1. Plow the ground deeply.
2. Weed the garden in a timely manner.
3. Treat crops with drugs such as Actellik, Arrivo and others.

The carrot psyllid is a very small insect. It usually lives on pine trees, and if this type of tree grows nearby, there is a danger that the pest can fly over, or rather jump into the garden to lay eggs on carrot tops. After a short time, larvae will appear and feed on the sap of the plant, sucking it out of the leaves. Because of this, the tops turn yellow and dry out.

Tip #2. Getting rid of psyllid is not difficult. To do this, you will need to infuse soap and tobacco waste and treat the crops with their solution.

To prevent this pest from appearing on the site, the following measures can be taken as preventative measures:

1. Plant onions next to carrots.
2. Use fresh sawdust to mulch your garden.
3. Plant mustard seeds between the carrot plants.

Mole cricket is an insect that lives in the soil. It can destroy many plants of different crops, including carrots, in one night.

It is enough for just one mole cricket to appear on the site, and within a year the insects will multiply so much that fighting them will be difficult. Therefore, it is not advisable to delay the destruction of the pest. To do this, you can use Medvetox bait or use one of the traditional methods:

1. Dilute 50-60 grams of washing powder in a liter of water. Lotus powder is most suitable for this purpose. Then you need to pour the mixture into the hole where the insect lives.
2. Pour a solution of vinegar and water into the hole (a glass in a bucket).
3. Soak cotton wool in camphor oil and place it in the place where the pest lives.

Initially, the leaves may be green, but with various spots and specks, in which case it is already necessary to look for the root cause of such formations in order to prevent yellowing of carrot leaves in advance

Among the most common pests is the naked slug. Moreover, both adult and young pests of this species are dangerous for carrot crops. They settle in places where the humidity is quite high. These are stones, fallen leaves, turf, soil. Slugs eat up the tops and eat into the roots of the pit. The first sign of their appearance is whitish shiny tracks.

To protect carrot crops from naked slugs, they must be treated with a salt solution (10% concentration) or superphosphate.

1. The following measures will be no less effective:
2. Deep digging of soil.
3. Adding ammonium nitrate.
4. Disinfection of all garden and garden tools before use.

Planting black elderberry next to the garden (slugs really don’t like it).

Dark gray caterpillars called winter armyworms pose a significant danger to the carrot harvest. They damage root crops by gnawing them underground near the surface. Caterpillars feed not only on leaves, but also on fruits, making passages in them. This type of pest is very prolific. Each female can lay over two thousand eggs per season. The use of drugs Polytrin, Decis, Arrivo and others will help get rid of them.

According to most gardeners and gardeners, it is better to prevent the appearance of pests and diseases in advance; it is necessary to carefully care for the plant, and also feed it on time

Popular questions about yellowing carrot leaves Question No. 1.

Yes, it's quite possible. In this case, it is necessary to increase the amount of watering, both on the roots and on the leaves, that is, using irrigation devices. You can help the plant and feed it with various fertilizers. In this case, the leaves will be slightly yellowish and dry, and pests will be absent both in the soil and on the foliage.

Question No. 2. What to do if the leaves on the carrots turn yellow?

First of all, it is necessary to find the root cause why they could turn yellow. In fact, there can be many such reasons. First of all, you should pay attention to the soil and foliage to see if there are various types of pests on them. After identifying the root cause, you can begin to directly solve the problem.

Sometimes vegetable growers in their garden beds sadly notice that the carrot leaves have turned yellow. In this case, you need to try to figure out what caused this annoying phenomenon and how to deal with it.

Causes of yellow carrot leaves

When we end up with a harvest of yellow-orange bulk carrots, it’s quite natural. But when carrot tops turn yellow during the growth process, this certainly signals some disturbances in the development and growth of root crops. Let's try to understand the main reasons for this annoying phenomenon:

• Hot and dry summer.
• Excess moisture.
• Insufficient watering.
• Insufficient mineral supplementation.
• The amount of fertilizer applied is higher than normal.
• The planted carrot varieties are not suitable for cultivation in this climate zone.
• Night frosts.
• Improper care of plantings and an abundance of weeds.
• Diseases.
• Pests.

Below we will discuss the most common diseases and pests that are the reason why carrot leaves turn yellow and what needs to be done in this situation (control measures). But before you start treating carrots, you need to find out the reason for the yellowing of the vegetable shoots.

Carrot diseases

White spot (septoria) manifested by the formation of small spots on the leaves, their curling and subsequent drying and falling. The disease is caused by Septoria fungi in cloudy and rainy weather at moderate temperatures. The spots become larger over time and change color. The falling of carrot leaves is considered a dangerous stage, since the plant loses vitality due to a slowdown in the process of photosynthesis in the leaves and may die. Septoria blight is one of the reasons when carrot tops fall off. Fungal spores are perfectly preserved on fallen leaves, grass, soil, seeds and nearby plants.

Fomoz (dry rot) is caused by the fungus Phoma and appears first on the underside of leaf petioles in the form of elongated red-brown or gray spots. Over time, the affected areas become very brittle. With an extensive lesion, the petiole breaks, and the upper part of the foliage becomes wilted and dies. First, the top of the vegetable is affected, and then the disease spreads to the entire root crop in the form of oval depressed brown or gray spots with black specks and the release of a sticky mass. Black specks are fungal spores that intensify their activity while the crop is lying down.

Bacteriosis (wet rot) can manifest itself both during the period of growth in the garden and during storage. Do carrots dry out after germination? This is caused by a bacterial infection. During the growing season, watery brown spots form at the end of the root crop, spreading to the entire vegetable and leading to wilting of the entire plant. At the peak of the disease, the spots turn into brown or black ulcers with a sharp and unpleasant smell of rot. The source of the disease is infected root crops planted to obtain seeds or stored in storage. Physiologically weak root crops that are stored wet are especially susceptible to infection.

Alternaria (black rot)) occurs during the activity of the fungus Altemariaradicina Meier, which develops best on fruits damaged by the carrot fly. The source of infection is contaminated seeds, as well as the soil in which the seeds were grown. First, the carrot leaves turn yellow, then the disease spreads to the petioles, and then the root crop itself is affected. Pressed grayish dry spots form on the surface of the vegetable. Over time, the affected areas of the root crop become black with an olive coating, which becomes especially abundant with high humidity. The spots penetrate deeply into the pulp and are clearly limited from healthy tissue.

Mealy dew affects the entire plant. A characteristic feature of the disease is a powdery whitish coating on the leaves, which sharply reduces the process of photosynthesis, as well as the quality and size of root crops. Powdery mildew is especially active in attacking weakened plants at low humidity and high temperatures. Over time, the plaque thickens and becomes gray. All areas of the plant affected by the fungus become very hard, and the leaves darken and die, crumbling. As a result, the root crop dries out in the garden.

Other reasons

In addition to fungal infections, carrot diseases can be caused by harmful insects.

carrot fly is one of the most dangerous diseases of carrots. Root crops are affected by larvae, which are very voracious and significantly spoil the vegetables. An adult insect is about 4 mm long and is prolific: during the growing season the fly lays eggs several times. The cause of yellowing of vegetable tops is often the activity of the carrot fly. At first, the leaves have a reddish-purple tint, and then turn yellow and dry out. Root crops are riddled with passages from larvae and covered with lumpy growths, and the structure of the pulp becomes hard.

Carrot psyllids They are very small insects up to 2 mm in length, light green in color with red eyes. Infection is manifested by curling of leaves, as a result of which they become “curly”, but do not lose their color. When insects eat the plant, they inject saliva, which is considered toxic to carrots, causing them to taste bitter and small. Adults spend the winter in the crowns of coniferous trees, and in the spring they fly to carrot beds.

Disease Prevention

It is easier to prevent a disease than to fight it later. Therefore, to preserve the harvest, carrot sprouting should be prevented.

Prevention of vegetable diseases includes the following types of measures:

• Plant carrots in the same bed after 4 years, but not earlier.
• Maintain crop rotation and do not forget about the ideal predecessors for carrots among vegetable crops.
• During the period of seedling growth, promptly remove infected and affected leaves.
• Remove removed leaves, affected stems and fruits and burn them, and treat the soil.
• When harvesting, try not to damage the carrots.
• During storage, periodically inspect root crops and remove diseased ones.
• Ventilate the cellar or storage regularly.
• Use reliable and proven varieties of carrots that are resistant to diseases.
• Treat the walls and ceiling of the storage facility with white lime and copper sulfate.

To prevent damage to root crops by insects, the following conditions must be observed:

• Do not plant carrot seeds on a plot if the predecessors were onions, cabbage or greens.
• Before sowing, keep the seeds at a temperature of 40 C° for half an hour.
• The soil environment should be neutral or slightly alkaline, but not acidic.
• In the fall, be sure to add potassium and phosphorus fertilizers to the soil, and in the spring, compost.
• Do not water the seedlings abundantly, especially in the heat.
• If the weather is unstable, sow carrots in several stages.
• If pests are present, treat promptly with chemicals.

People often grow vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, etc.) in their gardens not only for sale, but also for pleasure. However, gardening ceases to be a pleasant hobby if, for example, carrot leaves turn yellow. Let's consider why such a nuisance happens and how to solve the problem with a minimum of financial and physical costs.

The main reasons for yellowing of tops and root crops:

• in the fall, at the very end of the growing season, the carrot tops turn yellow and dry out;
• this can happen due to excessively hot weather;
• insufficient or excessive watering;
• if there is a lack of mineral fertilizers, in this case add phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen to the soil;
• due to excess fertilizer;
• if carrot varieties are selected incorrectly, for example, they are not suitable for planting in a given area;
• carrot leaves turn yellow if there was frost at night;
• with improper care of plants, if weeds are not pulled out in time;
• carrots can get fungal diseases.

Diseases

Let's consider the most common ailments of garden vegetable crops and methods of treatment and prevention of plants.

Leaf spot (cercospora blight)

Round yellow and brown spots appear on the tops. On the petioles of the leaves, the spots are somewhat oblong and depressed. Next, the carrot leaves turn black and then rot completely. The reason for this is cercospora blight. With leaf spotting, the roots remain small, curl, and become ugly.

The disease may not occur if you loosen the soil between the rows in time and spray the carrots with decoctions of horsetail or celandine. Most fungal diseases do not occur if the soil is limed.

To prevent cercospora blight, carrot seeds are heated in hot water at a temperature of +60 °C. Young tops are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture (1%).

White spot (septoria)

Diseased foliage curls and dries. Septoria blight affects carrots in cloudy, cold weather. This occurs most often in autumn and spring. The disease can occur due to an excess of nitrogen and manure.

Fomoz (dry rot)

The disease appears in root crops in the fall. Pathogen - a fungus that overwinters in seeds, in the remains of tops, and in root crops. First, the top of the root crop is affected, then the entire vegetable becomes diseased. Small depressions are visible on it, brown with black specks - these are spores. The disease begins to become active after carrots are placed in storage. It is very difficult to cure the disease; prevention is easier.

Remove tops from the ground. Before sowing seeds, add potassium and phosphorus to the soil. Place the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate, then germination will be better. After digging up root crops, cut off their tops. Do not store carrots that have brownish spots.

Bacteriosis

A yellowish border and spots are visible on the tops. Further, the spots become darker, but they still have a yellowish border. Then the disease spreads to petioles and roots. Brownish stripes are visible on the petioles, and the entire root crop is covered with ulcers and spots. There is a strong smell of rot.

To prevent the plant from getting sick, the seeds are placed for 10 minutes before planting. into hot water. When the sprouts appear, on the 20th day they are treated with a fungicide.

Alternaria (black rot)

The disease can be transmitted from contaminated soil and seeds. The foliage darkens, curls and dries out. Then Alternaria spreads to cuttings, and then to root crops. They become bitter and have blackish spots on them. Before the foliage is completely dry, spray the plantings with fungicides.

Powdery mildew

Foliage that is infected with powdery mildew has a whitish coating. Carrot tops become fragile. The disease occurs due to lack of fertilizing and lack of moisture in the heat. Plants are treated with fungicides against powdery mildew.

Before sowing, seeds are disinfected and heated. The soil and foliage are treated with fungicides. Fertilizers are added to the soil.

Other reasons

Carrots can be attacked by harmful insects.

Carrot flies

Carrot fly larvae overwinter in the ground in the fall and begin to emerge in the spring. The fly lays eggs in the ground, and its larvae begin to gnaw on the carrots, which makes the vegetable bitter. The foliage changes color from greenish to red.

To prevent pests from appearing, pull out weeds and thin out seedlings, and treat with fungicides in spring and summer. Sprinkling the beds with tobacco mixture, slaked lime and ash helps a lot.

Carrot psyllids

These are small insects similar to flies, but with hopping legs. Very often they appear in areas next to which pine and spruce trees grow. Insects lay eggs in carrot foliage. The larvae hatch from them and begin to drink the juices from the tops. As a result, the leaves will turn yellow and dry out.

To repel psyllids, spray the plants with tobacco infusion, soap solution, plant alternate beds of onions and carrots, place mulch of fresh sawdust on the ground, plant mustard near the carrots.

Root nematode

Root-knot nematodes are small, whitish round worms. Worms grow quickly in moist soil and lay eggs in the root system. In case of pest infestation, pour the solution onto the ground, adding 1 tablet of Decaris to 1 liter of water.

Infection with mole crickets, winter cutworms, slugs and wireworms is also possible.

Fungicides that are used

The most widely used include Fundazol, Prosaro and Falcon.

The first time is treated 2 weeks after the appearance of the first shoots, the second time - if the carrots are sick.

Advantages of systemic fungicides:

• fungicides are absorbed by carrots quite quickly and act for a very long time;
• their impact does not depend on the weather;
• they are easy and convenient to use.

When using, you should follow safety precautions and the following rules:

• treat immediately as soon as the disease is detected;
• before spraying, pull out the weeds with flowers so as not to destroy the bees;
• do not apply fungicides in cloudy or windy weather;
• Do not store the fungicide solution, but use it on the day of preparation;
• when spraying, wear a suit, mask, gloves;
• make the solution in strict accordance with the instructions.

Preventive actions

You should plant carrots one year, and the next year plant peas, beans, soybeans, beans, beets, and tomatoes.

The soil should be light and have good drainage. If the soil has acidic characteristics, add dolomite flour.

When digging the soil, add phosphorus and potassium. You can pour a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate or Fundazol on the sprouts. Plant onions and garlic near carrots - these plants repel harmful insects.

Before sowing, immerse the seeds in hot water at a temperature of up to +60 ° C for 10 minutes. Don't forget to foliar feed the plants by diluting 0.4 mg of borax in a ten-liter bucket of water.

Now you understand why the carrots in the garden turn yellow and what to do. The main thing is to follow the correct agricultural techniques, prepare the seeds, that is, put them in hot water and a solution of potassium permanganate, feed the plants on time, pull out the weeds, and water them correctly.