Есенни грижи в зеленчуковата градина

If you want to harvest crisp carrots, in early autumn, when the root crops have already formed, water less frequently. Any overwatering of the soil leads to cracking and rotting. But if the weather is dry, as it is this year, you should water every 10–15 days. Otherwise the roots will become woody. The carrots will also crack when, after a prolonged drought, you irrigate abundantly.

Care for late cauliflower is also related to irrigation. Any drought leads to the formation of loose heads. This vegetable is very responsive to overhead irrigation. It is usually watered once a week, but if it is dry – more often. Fertilization in the form of liquid manure from cattle or poultry is also of no small importance. During head formation, late cauliflower has a strong need for potassium fertilizer.

Regularly remove the side shoots (suckers) of the tomatoes. Do not allow them to reach more than 5–6 cm, because they will become coarse and when they are broken off, they will injure the stem. You will obtain higher yields from late tomatoes if you grow them with two stems – with four inflorescences on the main stem and three on the second stem. Irrigate at the beginning of fruit colouring – do not allow sharp droughts followed by heavy irrigation.

Now is the time to sow the seeds of lettuce and head lettuce for the production of seedlings for overwintering, and the seeds of head cabbage for seedlings for early spring production. At the end of September, also plant winter garlic for fresh consumption.

Water peppers regularly. Drought leads to blossom-end rot.

During this month, night temperatures drop. Therefore, place the polyethylene sheet over the structure. If necessary, close the greenhouses in the early afternoon hours and seal them well in the evening.

By the end of September, harvest the white pumpkin, taking care to preserve the fruit stalks. Leave the pumpkins outdoors so they can increase their dry matter content and so the wounds on the rind can heal.

Water leeks and celeriac twice a week. Towards the end of the month, lift the celeriac bulbs, as well as the roots of parsley and parsnip.

When it is dry and warm, lift the potatoes. The most reliable indicator that they are ready for harvesting is the withered leaves and dry stems. If you rush, various diseases may appear during storage. After lifting the potatoes, you should not plough in their stems, but collect and burn them immediately, because many dangerous pathogens overwinter in the plant residues.

Plant protection practices in the vegetable garden in autumn

1. Newly transplanted crops in protected cultivation structures are attacked by root rot, tomatoes – by grey mould (Botrytis), leaf mould, late blight, and cucumbers – by downy mildew and powdery mildew. Among pests, the most common are greenhouse whitefly, aphids, leaf-miner flies, caterpillars, mites (tomato russet mite, less often spider mites).

2. In open-field conditions, late blight on tomatoes, downy mildew on brassicas, powdery mildew on parsley, celeriac and okra are most commonly observed, as well as attacks by aphids, various caterpillars, and the southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula). In late cabbage, aphids and the cabbage butterfly can cause serious problems. As harvesting is in full swing, pesticides are applied only when absolutely necessary, and only products with a short pre-harvest interval.

3. Disinfection of greenhouse areas with soil fumigants: first, the soil is ploughed, as deep as possible. It is moistened to 70% of field capacity. Individual fumigants are applied mechanically according to technological requirements, after which the area is tightly covered with an impermeable film. After the required exposure period has elapsed, the structures are ventilated and the soil is degassed by repeated ploughing. For fumigation to be successful, it must be carried out at an optimal temperature: not lower than 10°C and not higher than 30°C, optimally 18–20°C.

Do not forget the basic rule – do not leave any plant residues in the garden!