Why do cabbage seedlings wither leaves
Cabbage is capricious in care and requires specific growing conditions. It does not form, heads of cabbage and is strongly stretched if it lacks any substances. Consider what needs to be done if cabbage seedlings wither.
Withering leaves of cabbage seedlings
Causes of wilting
There are several maintenance mistakes that can cause a crop to wither:
- Excess moisture in the soil, causing rotting of the root system and the formation of an impermeable crust in the soil. This interferes with proper air exchange.
- Neglecting loosening after each watering of the plant (this also forms a crust on the soil and blocks the flow of oxygen to the roots).
- Malfunction of the drain hole (clogging the drain).
- The soil temperature is too low.
- Unbalanced acid-base composition of the soil (ideally, it should correspond to pH 6-8).
- Lack of nutrients and substances (nitrogen, potassium, boron, iron, phosphorus).
But even under the most comfortable conditions, the plant sometimes continues to wither, losing leaves.
In this case, the reason lies in the disease of the seedling. The most common diseases that cause lethargy, thinning and seedling death are:
- Blackleg is the most dangerous fungal disease in crucifers. When damaged, the lower part of the stem darkens and begins to rot, which leads to the death of the culture.
- Keela (root cancer) is a common fungal disease manifested in the formation of growths and swellings on the root of the affected plant. The root system ceases to function fully, the leaves wither and fall off, the heads of cabbage cease to form.
In addition to fungi, sprouts can also infect insects - cruciferous fleas. When spring warms, these pests begin to lay eggs, eating the upper layers of thin roots, stems and leaves of cabbage. In heat and drought, the pest population increases, and when a humid environment is created, it decreases. In most cases, fleas will damage the growing point (the top of the main shoot). Because of what the shoots wither and die.
Treatment methods
The choice of treatment depends on the causes of damage to the seedlings.
If the cabbage wilted due to insufficient care, first of all, it is necessary to restore comfortable conditions for the development of the culture:
- development of a seedling irrigation regime, taking into account its needs and development stage;
- obligatory loosening after each watering for a full air exchange;
- creation of a drainage layer in containers with sprouts for better removal of excess moisture;
- following the optimal temperature amplitude;
- timely fertilizing of the soil.
With a fungal infection, an important point is the efficiency of action. Infected plants cannot be treated - they are removed and burned. The remaining shoots are treated with a solution of magnesium and for several days they are not irrigated with water, the acidic soil is necessarily lime.
The fungus remains in the ground for another 5-7 years, you should not plant crucifers in this place. For other crops, the soil contaminated with the fungus is not dangerous.
Fighting the cruciferous flea
Cabbage withers from pests
In the case of the spread of cruciferous fleas, the following measures are taken:
- dry pollination of leaves with wood ash and shredded tobacco, embedded in a gauze bag;
- irrigation of the culture with organic infusions (garlic, potato tops, dandelion roots and leaves);
- covering seedlings with a light non-woven material;
- collecting insects on a sticky cloth tied to a stick (most effective in maximum sunlight);
- destruction of weeds that spread pests (shepherd's purse, mustard, rape);
- planting plants that emit phytoncides (potatoes, tomatoes, dill, coriander, calendula) next to cabbage seedlings;
- spraying seedlings with insecticide solutions.
Prophylaxis
To prevent wilting of cabbage shoots, special attention should be paid to the rules for planting a crop:
- compliance with crop rotation (5-6 years between planting cabbage in one place);
- disinfection of soil with bleach;
- half an hour soaking the seeds in warm water (48-50 ° C) before planting;
- soil treatment with Bordeaux liquid a week before planting and dusting the holes with wood resin;
- loosening wet soil during the growing season for the development of the root system.
In order to prevent fungal diseases, the following measures are taken:
- a thorough check before planting the root system of the shoots for damage and growths
- deep digging of the soil in the fall (fungal spores are destroyed);
- application of fertilizers containing calcium, ash and cumulus (colloidal sulfur) to the soil;
- for soil, already once infected with a fungus, reduce the amount of manure for feeding or completely replace it with mineral and calcium fertilizers;
- timely removal of affected shoots and plant debris;
- spraying with biological agents (Fitolavin-300, Baktofit, Planriz);
- use in rare cases of chemicals for soil treatment immediately before planting (Fitosporin, Cumulus DF).
The best prevention of cruciferous flea beetles will be weed cleaning, autumn plowing of the soil and planting plants next to cabbage sprouts that emit odors repelling pests (phytoncides).
Conclusion
Growing cabbage requires careful maintenance at all stages of its growth. Fungal diseases or pests can cause the sprouts to wilt, sometimes cabbage seedlings wither due to stress caused by unfavorable environmental conditions.
High-quality and timely prevention and methodical adherence to the norms of cultivation ensure healthy development of the culture and obtaining a rich harvest.