Tips for vegetable growing:
Growing you own vegetables can be a rewarding and fun experience. Here are a few tips to help you:
Carrots:
Carrots prefer deep fertile and rather sandy soil. Between mid April and early June you can sow intermediate rooted varieties (e.g. Autumn King, Mokum) for a crop which will be ready in September/October. Sow seeds very thinly in rows about 6” apart, when the seedlings are large enough thin out leaving plants about 2-3” apart, the plant are susceptible to carrot root fly attracted by the bruised foliage so firm the soil around the remaining plants and dispose of the thinnings. Harvest carrots as you need them from June onward and lift the main crop in October.
Parsnips:
Sown in Feb/March for using over the winter from November onwards, in the North later sowing may be required when danger of frost is past. Sow two/three seeds together 6” apart in rows 12” apart use fresh seed each year. Parsnips are ready when the foliage begins to turn and their flavour is improved by the first frosts. You can leave the crop in the ground and lift as required in the kitchen.
Swede:
Swedes are closely related to turnips but generally the flavour is sweeter and milder. In late May early June sow in seeds thinly in rows 15” apart, thinning out till the plants are about 8” apart. Lift as soon as the roots are large enough to use, you can leave them in the soil over the winter lifting as required. Swedes prefer firm, non-acid soil with fair drainage. Varieties to consider are: Marian which produces a high yield with good flavour and Best of All in very hardy and reliable.
Potatoes:
You don’t need acres of ground to enjoy ‘home grown’ tatties you can now grow them in patio bags!
There are a range of types choose from: Early, Main crop and Late – self explanatory. Planting directly into the soil 12” between each seed potato in rows 24” apart for Earlier add about 2” to each for Main crop varieties. When the plants are about 8” high weed between the rows and earth up – draw the soil up against the stem taking care not to expose any of the growing potatoes. Main crop potatoes are ready when the foliage (shaws) begins to wither. Remember to remove all potatoes from the ground so they do not grow back the following year.