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Carrots are an undemanding plant, for successful growth it needs enough watering and sunlight. But if the yield of this root crop leaves much to be desired, you need to pay attention to the soil, perhaps it is depleted. To make up for the lack of nutrients, you need to choose the right fertilizers. Fertilizers are applied directly to the soil or fed to plants during the growing season.
Fertilizing the beds before planting
Best of all, carrots grow on neutral or slightly acidic soils, loose, filled with enough nutrients. The preparation of carrot beds begins in the fall, after the previous crop has been harvested. The best predecessors for carrots are potatoes, peas and green crops.
The harvest of carrots growing on acidic soils will always be poor, the root system does not work well under these conditions, the plant is hungry. You can determine the increased acidity by eye, focusing on weeds, or by purchasing special test strips. The following plants readily grow on acidic soil: horsetail, horse sorrel, buttercups. If there are a lot of similar plants on the site, then liming should be carried out before planting carrots to reduce the acidity of the soil. For these purposes, you can make lime and dolomite flour. Adding wood ash can also help.
Unscrupulous producers can sell horseback peat with high acidity under the guise of lowland peat. A large amount of such peat can significantly increase the acidity of the soil.
Heavy, rocky soil prevents the formation of a quality root crop. During the autumn preparation of the beds, it is necessary to introduce humus or well-decomposed peat into the soil, if necessary, sand can be added. The amount of humus depends on the density of the soil, if it is very dense, at least 2 buckets per square meter of beds will be required, on lighter soils you can get by with less. Sand contribute at least 1 bucket for very dense soils, for the rest, half a bucket per square meter of beds is enough.
If the autumn processing of the beds did not take place, these manipulations can be carried out during the spring digging.
Nutrients for carrots can be applied to the soil using mineral or organic fertilizers. When deciding what fertilizers to apply, it is necessary to focus on the last season, if a lot of fertilizers were applied then, their amount should be halved this season.
Organics on carrot beds must be applied very carefully, an excess of nitrogen fertilizers can completely destroy the crop. Root crops overfed with nitrogen grow deformed, dry and bitter. If the fruits nevertheless grew even, having a marketable appearance, they will not be stored in winter.
It is desirable to apply organic fertilizers to the soil a year before growing carrots, under the previous crop. Since organic compounds are not immediately available for absorption, the fertilizer left over from last year in the soil can serve to feed the carrots. If organic matter has not been applied to the beds, you can fertilize the soil in the fall. Before the autumn digging of the soil per square meter of beds, half a bucket of well-rotted manure is brought in, it is necessary to scatter the manure in an even layer so that fertilizers are evenly distributed during digging.
Carrots are very demanding on the content of potassium, magnesium and phosphorus in the soil, without these trace elements, the normal development of carrots is impossible. These elements can be introduced into the soil in autumn, spring or during the growing season of carrots. In autumn, it is advisable to use long-acting dry fertilizers, the amount of fertilizer for carrots is determined according to the instructions for the product. In the spring, fertilizers for carrots in dry or liquid form can be applied to the soil; during the growing season, it is desirable to use nutrients in liquid form.
seed Processing
Carrot seeds germinate long enough to speed up germination, you can use soaking in a solution of mineral fertilizers, adding growth stimulants.
For soaking, it is necessary to choose products with a high content of potassium and magnesium, these microelements help to accelerate germination, increase energy, shoots are stronger. The solution is prepared according to the instructions, 2-3 hours are enough for soaking. After soaking, the seeds are dried, sown in the usual way.
Fertilizers during the growing season
During the growing season, it is necessary to feed the carrots at least three times. If natural fertilizers are used, at least once a month.
If nitrogen fertilizers were not applied last year, this must be done before the fourth true leaf appears on the carrots. The choice is made in favor of complex chelated fertilizers, since they contain nitrogen in a form available for rapid absorption by the root system. You can combine the application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.
When the tops of carrots reach a size of 15–20 cm, a second top dressing is carried out. At this time, carrots are in great need of potash and magnesium fertilizers. Application can be carried out both by watering under the root, and foliar way, spraying the foliage.
The third time feeding carrots is carried out a month after the second. This time also use fertilizers that contain magnesium and potassium.
Signs of a Nutrient Deficiency
If carrots are deficient in nutrients, this can often be seen by their appearance.
Nitrogen
The lack of nitrogen is expressed in the slow development of root crops. The foliage becomes darker, the formation of new leaves and the development of the root system is suspended.
An excess of nitrogen can be seen in the disproportionate development of the root crop – carrots grow large tops to the detriment of the root crop.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus deficiency is externally expressed in a change in the color of carrot foliage, it acquires a bluish tint. If fertilizer is not applied on time, the leaves dry out, the root crop becomes very hard.
Excessive phosphorus content in the soil can prevent the absorption of other trace elements by the root system.
potassium
A lack of potassium slows down all processes in the plant, first the lower leaves of the carrot change color and dry out, gradually the entire foliage can dry out. The root crop becomes hard, inedible.
Excess potassium can slow the development of carrots, the foliage becomes dark. Using natural sources of fertilizers, such as wood ash, it is impossible to get an excess of potassium.
Magnesium
If there is too little magnesium in the soil, the foliage suffers first, gradually, starting from the lower leaves, photosynthesis stops, and the leaf dies. If the process affects a large number of leaves, the carrot will die.
It is difficult to get an excess of magnesium; following the recommended dosages, it is impossible to overdose fertilizers.
Bor
An insufficient amount of boron prevents the formation of full-fledged leaves, the tops grow small, undeveloped. The root system does not develop. An excess of this element is very rare.
Natural sources of fertilizers
Ready-made purchased fertilizers can be replaced with natural products that will be excellent suppliers of nutrients. These fertilizers for carrots can be used for planting and during the growing season.
Weed grass
The cut grass is placed in a large barrel, 25 or more liters in size. Pour it with warm water, add ash, a glass of sugar and leave to ferment in a warm place. After 1-2 weeks, depending on the air temperature, the fertilizer is ready. Before use, it is diluted with warm water, in a ratio of 1: 5. To process one bed, you need about a bucket of funds. You can use the infusion to fertilize the beds repeatedly by adding weeds and water. The frequency of processing carrot beds is once every two weeks.
Milk serum
Whey contains many beneficial substances that can improve the yield of carrots. To prepare a nutrient solution, wood ash is added to the whey, 5 liters of ash is needed for 0,5 liters of whey. The resulting solution is diluted in water 1: 2, 3-4 liters of fertilizer will be needed per square meter of beds. Top dressing is carried out twice a month.
Lukovaâ Husk
In addition to providing nutrients, onion skins can protect carrots from their main pest, the carrot fly. A kilogram of husk is soaked in 5 liters of warm, clean water, half black bread and a glass of ash are added. After 3 days, the fertilizer is ready. It is diluted with water, in a ratio of 1:5, about 3 liters of finished fertilizer will be needed per square meter of the garden. You can apply not only watering with infusion, but also spraying carrot tops with it.
Conclusion
Well-fertilized beds can produce a large, tasty crop of carrots if fertilizers are applied carefully and wisely. It is necessary to carefully observe the dosage and formulation when making nutrients.
