Carrots crack in the ground: why it happens and what to do, how to properly care

The carrots began to ripen, and you pulled out a couple of pieces to sample. Root crops turned out to be moderately large, sweet, but with cracks and breaks ... What's the matter? Why did the carrots crack?

There may be several reasons. Let's understand and remember how you looked after your carrots!

Why carrots crack: reasons

As a rule, the causes of cracking of root crops lie in the violation of cultivation techniques.

Improper watering

The main reason why carrots crack is excess moisture or uneven watering.

The bottom line is this: if you will alternating periods of long dryness with high humidity (simply put, make long intervals between waterings), then such drops will contribute to cracking of root crops due to a sharp increase in the volume of the core.

For example, the weather was hot and dry all week, the plants lacked moisture.You came to the dacha only on the weekend and watered your carrot beds abundantly. As a result, the root crops cracked.

Thus, if you do not want the carrots to crack, in any case do not allow long periods of dryness, which would be abruptly replaced by abundant moisture, in other words, water the carrots regularly = evenly... If it is not possible to water in a timely manner, then mulch your plantingsso that moisture lingers in the soil longer.

It also follows on time, namely when the roots are fully formed and ripe, stop all watering of the carrots... EUif you continue to water the carrot beds, then the roots, again, are simply cracking due to overripe.

Advice! As a rule, the last time the carrots are watered in 2-3 weeks before harvest... However, if the weather is dry, the soil has hardened, then watering is continued, stopping it only 5-7 days before harvesting.

Unsuitable (heavy) soil

Most often cracking of carrots occurs on clay soils, in rainy weather.

Obviously, in heavy clay soil, moisture lingers for a very long time, and in the case of prolonged precipitation, it does ...

Interesting! It is also believed that cracks in carrots are formed due to the mechanical action of the soil. Namely, the dense clay soil does not allow root crops to grow normally and they crack. However, much more often this becomes the reason for the appearance branched (horned) root cropsrather than cracked.

What to do?

If nothing can be done about the rainsthen do looser clay soil (improve its structure) as much as possible - just add sand, humus, compost, peat or any other soil loosening agent!

Pest activity

Still on carrots can cracks form (as well as black constrictions, depressions) due to malicious activity carrot fly larvae... In general, signs of damage to carrots by a carrot fly are quite different from improper watering, so you definitely will not confuse them (unless with wireworm).

By the way! If you can still eat carrots cracked due to excessive watering or overgrowing (it's another matter that you won't be able to store it), that is, you will hardly want to be affected by carrot fly larvae ..

Excess fertilizer

Another reason for the cracking of root crops in the ground, according to many gardeners, is the excessive and untimely use of nitrogen fertilizers. Because of this, plant tissues are loosened, becoming unstable to the effects of the external environment. As a result, at the slightest fluctuation in humidity, the carrots crack.

How to be?

• Apply all the necessary fertilizers for digging or loosening when preparing the beds at the rate.

And no fresh manure!

• If necessary (if you initially forgot to improve soil fertility) feed carrots nitrogen fertilizers only at the beginning of the growing season... During the period of growth of root crops, use only potash and phosphorus fertilizers.

Often, an excess of nitrogen fertilizers is also reflected in on the form of root crops, carrots grow "horned".

How to care for carrots so they don't crack

It's simple, you need:

• water correctly (choose suitable watering regime);

Advice! About, how to water carrots so that they do not crack, read in this separate detailed article.

• and spend protective (preventive) treatments against carrot fly;

By the way! About, how to effectively deal with carrot fly, read in this material.

• right prepare a bed before planting carrot seeds, improving the structure (making the soil looser) and soil fertility;
• select grade with increased resistance to cracking and breaking (this should be stated in its description).

Of course, to get a rich harvest of healthy and tasty root vegetables, you need to carry out comprehensive carrot care (from germination to harvest).

Advice! You can find out about this in the next article dedicated to how to properly grow carrots in the open field.

Plant and care for your carrots properly. Easy to say but difficult to do? Hardly ... Growing carrots is not the most difficult task. It is much more important to create the necessary conditions initially. Namely, prepare the garden bed and choose the optimal watering regime.