Destructive carrot pests to look out for (& how to stop them)
If you do not eat a carrot fresh from the garden, you do not know what you are missing! The sweetness and twist of a fresh carrot are unbeatable, and when they come in so many fun colors, it’s no surprise that this garden vegetable is a favorite.
4 ways to prevent carrot pests
1. Until autumn
Many pests that attack carrots lay their eggs or remain dormant in the soil during the winter, then attack in the spring and summer. To avoid this, it may be helpful to spend some time cleaning your garden in the fall and removing them as often as you can.
When it comes time to put the garden to bed, take the time to clean up all the spent plants in the garden and put them in the compost pile. Plow the soil and leave it open for local wildlife to eat insects and their eggs. Birds and small rodents will be happy to feast on, and they will help prevent insect problems in the spring.
If you have chickens, ducks, or guinea fowl, this is the perfect time to let them into the garden so they can feast on pests and weed seeds in the soil.
2. Place beneficial insects on drawing plants
Not all pests are bad, in fact, many of them are wonderful for your garden because they eat destructive pests. Insects such as ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps are a major deterrent to other pests that eat your carrot crop. They are attracted to flower gardens because they not only eat insects, they also eat nectar.
Do not buy pests and leave them in your garden. This may seem like an easy solution to an insect problem, but it can lead to other problems. Many pests that you can buy online do not belong to your region and introducing them into your garden and surrounding habitat is dangerous to your local ecosystem. It is a good idea to focus on painting your garden with beneficial pests that already live in your area.
3. Insert the floating row cards
Sometimes the best way to prevent pests from eating your carrots is to keep them out of your garden. Row covers are a great way to keep space between your precious plants and insect pests.
Floating row covers are usually wrapped loosely over your crops with wire loops and lightweight fabric or plastic. Since many carrot pests attack from the ground, if you put the row cover inside, make sure it is safe in all directions in the soil.
Be sure to leave vegetables that need pollination by insects uncovered.
4. Supplemental planting training
Supplemental planting is one of the best ways to protect your crops against pests and diseases naturally. Planting carrots with aromatic crops can help control pests because many of them seek out carrots with a carrot fly-like odor.
Common carrot pests
We now know how to prevent carrot pests from becoming a problem, but what if you already have an infection? The first step is to find out which pests are attacking your crop and then you can create a targeted attack against them. There are a number of insect pests that target carrots and other root vegetables in particular. See the list below to see what might affect your crop.
1. Cutworms
Cutworms are the most common garden pest and attack all types of vegetables. When these worms are disturbed they roll in a C shape and can come in all sorts of colors from green to brown, black or gray. Insects attack by eating the stems, which cut the plant at the soil's surface and kill it. If you suspect mites are attacking your carrots, look for them in the afternoon and evening. Run your gloved hands over the soil around your carrots, and if there are any cutworms, they will roll into a tight 'C' shape and can be easily disposed of in soapy water.
2. Aphids
Aphids attack soft young carrot plants and are especially bad because they not only kill by eating your carrots but also spread diseases to your crop.
It is relatively easy to control aphids by spraying them with a jet of water. You may have to do this several times to pursue them, but it works well. If your carrot is severely affected by aphids, or water does not prevent them , You can gently spray the neem oil and the soil around the plant.
3. Carrot Rust Fly
Carrot rust fly is one of the biggest dangers to your carrot crop because they can cause a widespread problem and huge damage. The adult fly is not a problem for your carrot, but the larvae of this fly like to tunnel into the carrot, leaving a rusty hole. These pests also target celery, celery, parsnips, and parsley.
Carrot rust flies can attack in the spring and fall, thus affecting not only your vulnerable young carrots but also your fully grown carrots.
A great way to find out if your carrot is being attacked by rust is to place yellow sticky traps at soil level in the ear. spring. If you've checked them weekly and found adult rust on the cards, it's time to act. Another simple way to kill carrot rust is to use neem oil.
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