Ask Gerry

I grew carrots for first time this year. Carrots are severly cracked, short and fat. Also they appear to have worms.

For the second consecutive year my carrot crop has been destroyed by root fly (not grown in the same area of the vegetable garden this year). Adjacent rows of parsnips were unaffected last year, but I'm not sure if they are affected this year. Does the pest persist in the soil ? I don't plan to grow carrots next year, but is it likely to recur when I try again or is there anything that can be done to prevent it?

Planted Nantes seed about 3 weeks ago just a few coming up. Had already done same middle of May, a few came up and have disappeared since. What is happening? I had prepared ground well and sowed in drills.

I planted autumn king carrot seeds in carrot bags in April, when can I harvest them.

Can't think of where I heard or read it but are French Marigolds good for keeping carrot fly at bay?

Will frost affect my carrots still in ground. anything i should be doing?

My carrots all have huge leafy healthy-looking tops but make very small roots. What am I doing wrong?

Are carrot fly still laying eggs?and if not can I nowremove my defence barrier of garden fleece?

a variety for sowing now after potatoes

I sowed carrots and parsnips in the last week of April, they are now just starting to show leaves/stems, is there any fertilizer i could apply to give them a boost. Also i have good cabbage plants, should some of the leaves be removed to help the head form better?

I planted seedling carrots outside over the last few weeks and some disappeared. I assumed they just didn't make it but on closer inspection something seems to have eaten the leaves. I haven't spotted slugs or snails and have beer traps. It's my first time growing carrots. Could it be something else?

I want to plant get going with my carrot seeds however I keep reading about adding sand to the soil but what kind of sand. Obviously not beach sand but can you use sand they sell in woodies and the like for kids sandpits? If not where do I get it and what is it called.

Can I sow carrots seeds and put down early seed potatoes now or should I wait until the weather improves. Still frosty in mornings

New to veg growing this past year and only started in May 2009. I didn't use raised beds nor did i use manure. My carrots & parsnips didn't mature to the size that i would have expected, while my peas were difficult to hold up the stems. Any tips how to improve for next year.