Help with raised bed problems

[snowie]

Hi....I only started growing veg last year, and potatoes, carrots and parsnip were fairly succesful.
I grow in raised beds on a slope, but the surface of the bed is horizontal. I put some drainage pipe in, as the ground at the foot of the slope was very wet, with water running down the slope.
Potatoes this year were okay, but carrots and parsnips look like something out of 'Dr Who'
Anyone got some advice? Please!

[ancee]

I had the same probs with my peculiar shaped carrots! I was told by an old wise one that my soil had to be lump free, as, as the carrot was growing down if it hit a lump it went wonky! So this year when I try again I will endeavour to have lump-less soil! And we'll have to see.... Welcome to the vine btw others will be along shortly...

[lottie dolly]

welcome to the forum snowie,your problems are,
A...manured ground,
B..to many stones in the ground,and its usualy the stones that are the culpits,the reason being,the root hits a stone,losses its way,so grows another,and so on,until you get madusa,

[ancee]

Lottie what does the manure do? Is it coz it makes it too rich so the carrots don't like it?

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine snowie as the others have said your forked carrots are down to either manure or stones. But with a good scrub they'll be usable in soups.

[Kleftiwallah]

Why don't you re-design the raised beds so the top of the planks/concrete/plastic sides are level. My allotment is on a bit of a slope and that is what I've done, no rain run off.

Cheers, Tony.

[roitelet]

Lottie what does the manure do? Is it coz it makes it too rich so the carrots don't like it?

It makes the carrots and parsnips send out loads of little roots in search of the tastyest bit of manure. The best thing to do is sow them on ground that has been previously manured for another crop ie. spuds. The manure will then have lost its strength and will be well distributed in the soil.

For parsnips take an iron bar plunge it into the soil and work it round to make a funnel shaped hole fill this with sifted soil (no stones) and sow several parsnip seeds on the top, space the holes about 6 ins apart and thin the seedlings to 1 per station. Result, HUGE parsnips and you may need a mini digger to get them out.

[lottie dolly]

Lottie what does the manure do? Is it coz it makes it too rich so the carrots don't like it?

Yes the soil is to rich,that applies to all root veg,thats why peeps like to use a crop rotation,as different veggies,like different soil conditions,there are threads on the very subject on here,but i don't do links to,for the first time,i am useing maure,and have,after advice on here,put only where the spudz are going,are saving some for things like topping of the rhubarb,and manure tea am giving a try,

[Potstubsdustbins]

Welcome to the mad house. From the looks of the pic's I would hesitate a guess at stones, you sure seem to have a lot of them.

Sifted compost mix in a container unless you can clear the ground of stones.

Potty

[Feral007]

Some of my turnips looked a bit wonky too. I think I'm probably going to have to start a competition for the wonkiest root veg.
Because there is more stones than soil round here. It will make mealtimes more interesting, surely?

[snowie]

Many thanks to all who replied. Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Kleftiwallah, the raised beds are level. I use one scafolding plank at the rear, and two at the front, which makes the surface of the bed almost horizontal.
To all who suggested 'stones'. When filling the beds with soil and compost, I was a bit obsessed with removing stones, all of which went towards covering the drainage pipe, and were, hopefully, well away from the growing area.
To all who suggested 'manure'. I did put lots of horse manure (well rotted) in the year before, and grew spuds in it, which were okay.
I do like your idea Riotelet, with the iron bar.
So this coming season, I will again 'de-stone' the area, not use any manure, and dig a trench to fill with well sifted soil/compost, and see how it goes.
And Bren, it was alot of work scrubbing, cutting and dicing, but they did not go to waste. the few unuseable bits went to the chickens.
Many thanks to all again.