Allotments 4 All

our plot seems prone to canker. The 2008 crop which we are still harvesting is probably the worst yet. So called resistant varieties are not resistant at all. Researching a bit, the advice seems to be:

* use lime (if the soil needs it of course)
* sow later (late April or even into May)
* be careful when hoeing to avoid any damage to the root which can subsequently allow the canker in.
* damage can also be caused by carrot root fly.

Have you got any further thoughts / ideas?

Thanks

we grow our parsnips in a raised bed with old leaves in the bottom and finer soil on the top, we pre chit the seed and plant in when they have 'tails'..ours are also covered with fleece against the fly, grew avonresister last year as in 08 we had lots of canker..seemed to work, we're still eating them now  ;D

We always get abit of canker but it is usually only on the outside. Just a few more scrapes and it's gone

Quote from: shirlton on January 20, 2009, 09:33:53
We always get abit of canker but it is usually only on the outside. Just a few more scrapes and it's gone

We do too.  If it is too bad then what about growing them in buckets or pots?

Thanks for the replies so far.

To show the scale of the problem ... we have so far dug up 2 reasonable size roots that were 100% cankerous yuk! Of the remainder roughly 60% have significant canker that needs to be cut out with 40% just having the surface damage that Shirlton mentioned.