You hoped that carrots would please you with strong, tasty root vegetables, but instead you got a pile of cracked vegetables? It is important to understand the reasons so that this unpleasant situation does not happen again in the future!
Cracks in carrots can be different: deep along the entire length of the root crop, and shallow across the entire surface. It is quite difficult to eat such vegetables. They cannot be stored. However, there is good news: it has long been known why carrots grow with cracks. This means that if you use our recommendations, next year’s harvest will be much better!
Even root crops of varieties that are resistant to cracking, for example, Karamelka, Lakomka, Cascade F1 (hybrid), can become cracked if such carrots grow in unfavorable conditions and do not receive sufficient care.
We have combined the main reasons into groups to make it easier to identify those that led to cracking of carrots in your area.
Causes related to humidity
One of the main reasons for the decline in the quality of carrots is an imbalance in the water balance, due to which the plant cells either swell sharply after an abundant supply of moisture or dry out, which causes cracks to appear (if the root crop has almost grown to varietal size).
1. Excessive watering of carrots. Yes, carrots love moisture, which is why they grow so juicy and crispy. But plants should be watered not just after a certain period of time, but taking into account the weather and their condition. Otherwise, the bed will be too waterlogged and the root crops will suffer. Towards the end of the season, watering should be reduced altogether.
2. Frequent rains. Wet, cold summers are not conducive to the growth of quality vegetables. Due to frequent heavy rainfall, water can stagnate in the beds, disrupting the development of root crops. Therefore, you should definitely consider the drainage system (make drainage grooves or install gutters) or grow plants in high beds.
3. Heavy rains or watering after a period of drought. One of the frequent and insidious reasons that leads to carrots bursting along the entire length to the very core. To avoid this, you need to water the plants all season long, avoiding drought. If this does happen, you should not immediately flood the bed, otherwise cracking of the root crops is inevitable! Gentle watering should be carried out in several stages, gradually moistening the soil to its full depth.
4. Irregular and/or shallow watering. With such watering, the plants cannot receive enough water, the root crops grow unevenly and crack. The above-ground part withers and dries. In warm weather, it is better to water carrots about 2-3 times a week, so that the soil is saturated to at least 20 cm.
Carrot beds can be mulched to retain moisture in the soil longer. For example, grass clippings, hay or compost are suitable for this.
Reasons related to soil quality
If there are no questions about watering, then you should pay attention to the soil - is everything okay with it?
5. Heavy clay or rocky soil. Too dense soil does not allow root crops to grow fully, which can cause cracks to appear on them. And in general, vegetables in such an area will be small, crooked, and tasteless. The soil for carrots should be light, fertile and with good drainage.
In sandy soil, carrot roots will suffer from drought and overheating in hot weather, which will prevent them from developing well.
6. The soil is too wet and swampy. It echoes the first group of reasons from our list. In such conditions, it is difficult for carrots to grow strong roots.
You should not plant carrots in a shady, low-lying place.
7. Acidified or peaty soil. Carrots are crops that prefer soil with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. But at low pH levels, it is difficult for vegetables to develop. This may affect the quality of the crop, incl. lead to cracking.
Reasons related to fertilizing
Mistakes made when feeding carrots can also cause the root crops to burst. Basically it concerns two points.
8. Application of large amounts of nitrogen during the growing season. Excess nitrogen causes carrot root cells to divide more quickly, causing the tissues to grow too quickly and become loose. Therefore, you should not be overzealous with fertilizing with nitrogen; it is better to focus on fertilizing plants with potassium and phosphorus.
Excess of any fertilizer for carrots can lead to a deterioration in the taste of the roots, the appearance of hairy roots and, of course, cracking.
9. Adding organic matter to the soil before planting. Carrots do not like fresh manure, litter, humus and other similar organic fertilizers, even if they were applied in the fall and rotted over the winter. Root crops grow tasteless, crooked, and cracked. The best option is to add these substances a year before sowing carrots, i.e. for those crops that will be its predecessors (potatoes, cabbage, onions, peas, etc.).
Carrots love feeding with ash infusion.
Overripe carrots
10. The last reason on our list is related to late harvesting. If you delay this too much, the carrots may crack. To prevent this from happening, you should choose late varieties of carrots for sowing. And, of course, pull vegetables from the beds in time.
Sometimes seemingly intact carrots can crack even after harvesting if the root vegetables are too dry.
Now you know why carrots crack and how to prevent it. And you can correct all the shortcomings in agricultural technology!
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