Keeping vegetable stems and branches upright during growth has profound effects on crop yield and flavor. In addition to improving vegetable garden productivity, the technique can also help limit the spread of disease, a super common problem for growers. Here are some of the reasons why it is important to keep vegetable branches upright.
Initially, keeping vegetable branches upright helps improve the yield and flavor of fruits and vegetables. This is because better air and light flow is allowed to reach the fruits and vegetables, which improves ripening and flavor. In addition, when kept upright, the plant forms fruits uniformly, which can translate into higher yields. This is also because the stems have better resistance to loading and greater access to light which accelerates fruit growth and ripening.
Next, maintaining vegetable branches vertically is also important to prevent diseases. The method allows for better air dispersion, which is essential for disease minimization. Parasites and diseases usually spread through the soil to spread to other crawlers. By keeping the stems upright, the possibility of this happening is reduced. Increased air circulation also helps reduce the spread of bacterial and mycological diseases that can easily spread between plants with stems stuck to the ground. Air circulation also reduces the risk of pest attacks, which can damage the crop and reduce yields.
In addition, keeping vegetable branches upright is an excellent way to preserve soil fertility. By keeping vegetable stems, such as tomatoes, upright, the stems will not be in constant contact with the soil, which prevents the soil from becoming moldy and the natural fertility from fading.
What generates the fall of a vegetable branches?
The fall of a vegetable branch can be the result of several different causes. The first and most common is plant weakening, which can be caused by plant stress due to an excess of nitrous oxide produced by excessive fertilizers, manures and pesticides. Temperature extremes, drought and high winds can also contribute to branch weakening, making them more vulnerable to falling.
Pests, such as insects, mildew or mildew, corn earworms and other pests, can also wear down the health of a vegetable plant, causing its branches to fall. Pests can spread through soil, wind, water, storage and animals, as well as be transmitted by people.
Diseases can also be a cause of vegetable branch drop. Diseases can be caused by various factors, such as excess water, sudden temperature changes, over- or under-fertilization, overuse of pesticides, overpopulation of weeds, introduction to a new host, among others.
Lack of proper care can also contribute to the fall of a vegetable branch. If the plant is not watered with enough water, if there is not enough sunlight, if its branches are frequently trimmed, the weakening of the plant is a cause of branch drop. And finally, another cause of branch drop can be overweight fruits or leaves. This occurs when the fruits or leaves become too large to support themselves. Supports can be used to prevent this from occurring, however sometimes it misses the target and the fruits or leaves are pushed down by the pressure.
There are many causes that can lead to the weakening of a vegetable plant, and the consequent dropping of its branches.
What diseases do vegetable crops contract when in contact with the soil?
Vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, onions and cucumbers, among others, are very healthy and nutritious foods. Unfortunately, if they do not take the proper measures for their cultivation, these foods can be a source of diseases for those who consume them. There are several diseases that can occur if certain vegetables are grown in contact with the soil, without good soil preparation and without proper conservation measures. These diseases can take the form of warts, mycosis, scurvy, and more.
Vegetables in direct contact with the soil are much more exposed to develop diseases than the cultivation in pots, substrates and others. This is mainly because soil can have the biological presence of certain fungi, bacteria and microorganisms that can affect vegetable plants. Among these fungi are the genera Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Alternaria, among others. These fungi grow rapidly in humid conditions, high temperature and little or no air circulation. Excessive growth of these organisms can poison fresh food and cause lethal diseases for those who consume it.
Diseases caused by direct contact with soil are those related to cutaneous mycosis, which can be the cause of mycoses such as tinea pedis. This disease causes intense itching and itching in the affected area, which can lead to the appearance of warts.
A further danger for those who eat vegetables directly from the ground is scurvy, which is an anemic disease caused by vitamin deficiencies. This disease is commonly produced from a lack of vitamin C in the diet, whether it is a vegetarian diet or the ingestion of spoiled food or food that has been in contact with the soil.
