Beetroot is considered an unpretentious vegetable crop, but sometimes reddening of its leaves is observed. This does not always indicate a disease. For example, varieties Burgundy, Sugar react by changing the green tone to a red tint due to excessive watering. The yield does not decrease, but the roots are poorly stored. If the color change is accompanied by wilting of foliage, weakening of development, deterioration in growth, it is important to establish the cause and take the necessary measures.
Acidic soil
By the red leaves of the beet tops, you can understand that they chose not a very good place for planting. This crop requires a neutral soil.
Before planting, the acidic soil must be watered with a solution for which 2-3 glasses of ash are taken per 10-liter container of water. In the autumn, dolomite flour or crushed chalk is scattered before digging. Consumption rate - 450-500 g / m2.
Lack of nutrients
By the reddish color of the tops, one can understand which compounds important for plant development are lacking in the soil:
- With a lack of phosphorus, the leaf plates turn dark green, and then acquire a red tint.
- Potassium deficiency can be identified by the dark red tone of the tops, which becomes especially saturated at the edges of the leaves. With severe soil depletion, marginal necrosis often develops, in which the aboveground part dries and dies off.
- With an insufficient content of magnesium in the soil, the leaf plates turn brown and curl upward.
- Reddening of the beet tops may appear if the plants are deficient in sodium and manganese.
You can solve the problem by carrying out regular feeding:
- It will be possible to compensate for the deficiency of manganese and magnesium with the use of a solution based on chicken manure (observe a ratio of 1:20) or slurry in a ratio of 1:10. Consumption rate - 1 l / 1 running. m.
- With a lack of potassium, top dressing is carried out with ash (100 g / m2). Potassium chloride (10 g / m2) can be used.
- To eliminate the lack of sodium, you will need 1 tbsp. l. table salt, which is dissolved in 10 liters of settled water and watering the beds.
- Phosphorus deficiency is eliminated by adding superphosphate (30-40 g / m2).
It should be borne in mind that negative consequences in the form of reddening of the beet tops can also manifest themselves with an excessively high concentration of nutrient compounds. It is important to adhere to the recommended dosages.
Cercospora
It is more difficult to solve the problem if the cause of the reddening of the beet leaves is a dangerous fungal infection. With the development of cercospora on the leaves, which acquire a reddish tint, a marginal border is formed. Dry maroon marks appear on the surface, which after a while turn into holes.
The disease manifests itself mainly in wet weather in July-August. If you do not take the necessary measures, you can lose most of the crop. It is important not to forget about prevention.
Seed material should be decontaminated with pink potassium permanganate solution. After sprouts appear on the beds, spraying with fungicides begins. In total, 3-4 procedures are carried out during the growing season. Once every 2 weeks, it is recommended to irrigate the beet plantings with copper-containing compounds, for example, use a solution (1%) of copper sulfate.
Periodically prune and remove drying old leaves to provide quality ventilation for the plantings. Timely watering is carried out, especially in hot dry weather. I use settled water. It is also necessary to loosen the resulting surface crust, if necessary.
With well-organized preventive and therapeutic measures, beet leaves retain a rich green tone throughout the growing season. Redness serves as a signal of possible trouble. In such a situation, you need to understand the reason in order to then help the plants recover.
Read also: Garlic has grown, what to plant in its place?
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