"Not Carrots AGAIN!"

Yes, carrots again! and what a year to be planting produce here on the south-eastern coast of Australia. As of this morning we've had 1449mm of glorious rain well over our arguable yearly average of 1200.

Some of my gardening customers have remarked, "Well, Paul I don't know what you've done differently this year but my garden is looking fabulous." A humble gardener would defer to the assistance afforded him by Mother Nature. Yet the "extreme gardener" (ever the shrewd businessman) has been known to attribute the buds and blooms to his hard work and deft fertilising skills!

Last week I discussed a few of the tricks in planting carrot seed, yet, I failed to answer that perennial question, "Why are my carrots forked?" If its just one or two, it's probably that the tap root has run into a stone during its downward journey.

If most of your carrots are branched and misshapen you have the same problem as encountered by the "extreme gardener" - very fertile soil (what a great problem!). Make sure you mix any added fertilisers, manures or compost thoroughly through your soil, don't just dump it on top. You can also do as I have done and resist the temptation to fertilise before planting or even plant your carrot seed after 'hungry' crops such as corn.

Occasionally I will pull a carrot that seems to be eaten through to the core (actually my soils are still in development and are still quite heavy so rather than pulling, I prefer to dig my carrots with a fork).  The vegetable weevil is the culprit, I don't know of any effective organic control for these little blighters other than making sure you keep down their menu choices by regularly weeding your plot (particularly ridding it of 'marshmallow weed' and 'capeweed'). Regular crop rotation will also help by not encouraging a permanent, bounteous haven for the pest in one section of the garden (for advice on crop rotation see the previous blog on May 19, entitled "Crop Rotation - Generations of Experience can't be wrong!"

Next week my passion, well.... another of my passions..... le potager, zee French Ornamental Vegetable Garden - vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers all growing together in an artistic feast for all the senses!

Until then,

John Paul, "extreme jardinier"