LUCY CHAMBERLAIN’S FRUIT AND VEG
Protect roots, plant cherries, harvest chard
HAVE you ever trudged down the garden in mid-winter and attempted to prise a mammoth parsnip from frozen-solid earth? Let me confirm that it’s not much fun!
If you’re being utterly half-hearted about it and just use your hands the leaves rip off in a huge tuft, and if you try more enthusiastically with a fork you can barely get the prongs into the soil. In such instances it’s far better to prevent the soil becoming frozen in the first place, which can easily be achieved with some insulating materials. It’s not only parsnips that benefit from protection – carrots, celeriac and swedes also appreciate this treatment. Here’s what to do, step by step: