Gardening Help

[newcomer01 10]

I have lived in Rivelin for several years and intended to grow crops which I have done on and of for many years.However the problem that I have is the size of the crops that I have grown. My problem is the onions,carrots and parsnips  just have no roots and the actual vedgetable is probably no more than an inch diameter. The onions are slightly bigger than when they were first plantedCourgettes that usually grow fine have done nothing .I have checked the soil and it is neutral.Two years ago I heavily covered the garden with good mannure.I also grow various fruits ( berries and white.red/ blackcurrants) gooseberry,strawberry,blueberry which all seem to do well.But this years I decided to buy baby plants instead of growing from seed.But all crops basically just failed.Any suggestion what I could try would be appreciated.

[Janus 28]

It could be a number of things.

 

My first thoughts based on what you described was lack of nitrogen, but you said that you had heavily covered the area with good manure, so maybe not that.

 

This year through summer it was very hot. Last year I remember not having rain for a continuous period of at least 6 weeeks. Have you been watering enough. You say that the white.red/ blackcurrants gooseberry,strawberry,blueberry have done well. Other than the strawberrys, those fruits have longer roots than vegatables-this is a possible  indicator of why the fruit may have done ok, but not the veg.

 

If the soil is very sandy, water will drain away much quicker and dry up especially in hot weather.

Edited September 9, 2019 by Janus
Additional info

[newcomer01 10]

Thankd for the advice.I think I will give it another load of well rotted local manure and dig some in and then let some just rot on the surface.I have never had a garden like this  to be honest,it really is hard work second guessing what to do next.Oh well back to the drawing board and thanks again for echoing what I felt all along.

[Janus 28]

End of Autumn  is a good time to manure the soil. Probably best to dig it in before the wet season as the soil only gets heavier and harder to dig.

 

Just do a bit at a time, you'll get it done while ever you have the interest.

[newcomer01 10]

The garden will be dug within a week ,then I will nip to the farm for his best manure which is what I really intended to do this year then see what next years growth or lack of would determine if it was to be grassed for the future.Thanks once more for the assistance

[Thorpist 72]

Have a look at nodig gardening, Charles Dowding has a f/b page and a multitude of you tube videos which are excellent.

Generally the advice is not to plant root veg into newly dug and manured ground.

After a late start French and runner beans are doing great, beetroot are prolific all the brassicas are good.

Wireworm and whiterot are a big problem to the extent I have given up on Aliums in the ground and I am planting in pots.

For the wireworm problem I am trying out biofumigation to try and reduce the problem.

 

Biofumigation involves planting hot mustard (Caliente 199) letting it reach flowering stage then chopping it up and covering the area with black plastic. I just hope this doesn't increase the slug problem.

Edited September 12, 2019 by Thorpist

[Janus 28]

@newcomer01

Avoid horse manure. It contains lots of undigested weed seeds.  

[punkin 10]

Manure contains high nitrogen which is great for leafy vegetables. If you want good root vegetables then use bone meal. It will double the size of carrots or even potatoes etc.

I save all my chicken or beef bones after my meal and dry them out in my shed. April time I crush them and add it to the soil, In July i sprinkle bone meal round the base of the plants for a second feed.