PLANT OF THE WEEK

ECHINACEA

Coneflowers have lovely daisy flowers and are useful for providing colour in late summer and early autumn.

Echinacea are popular in prairie planting schemes where their relaxed appearance mixes well with grasses and other prairie perennials. Plant in full sunshine for maximum flowers and if you have heavy clay soil, delay planting until spring as they tend to disappear in very wet soil. They don’t like it bone dry either so water during dry spells.

ASK DIARMUID

QI’ve been growing carrots this year – some of them are great but some have split open. Why would this happen?

Bill ASplitting can happen to root veg such as carrots but also parsnips, beetroot and radishes. They are usually still fine to eat, though sometimes the splitting can make them susceptible to fungus or bacterial infection.

Splitting occurs when the moisture levels are erratic, for example, during drought, heavy rainfall or over and under-watering. Regular watering when they are growing is best practice, particularly during long dry spells.