Better carrots in stony ground
CARROTS grow well in stony soils, but become forked when roots encounter rocks. Either sow short, round varieties like ‘Paris Market Atlas’ or use a crowbar to make holes in the soil for each carrot. Fill with a 50/50 mix of sieved soil and compost, and sow seed in the top. The roots follow the softer seam and grow perfectly straight. It’s a trick that works for parsnips, too. Whatever you grow, mulch generously to lock in nutrients that otherwise get washed away, and stop sand particles forming moisture and air-blocking caps on the surface.