Q&A - Vegetables

Q. Why do my carrots and radishes all go soft and limp within a day of being picked looking like they are weeks old?

A. Carrots and radishes will go limp if they picked in hot weather. It is best to pick them at cooler times of the day and then store them in a cool place.

Q. Could you please advise me as to why the stalks are falling off my chilli peppers with the flowers, which means there will be no fruit.

A. It sounds as if the flowers have not been pollinated. Try spraying them with a fine spray from your hose or watering can to spread the pollen around. Also make sure you are not over watering.

Q. I have grown cucumbers in my greenhouse for the last two years in growbags. They grow well and fruit for about a month and then the leaves go mottled and die and no more cucumbers are produced. What am I doing wrong?

A. It is likely that your plants have run out of feed in the growbags which generally only have a limited amount of fertiliser mixed in when you buy them. As soon as the first cucumbers appear you should give them a liquid feed at each watering. Tomato food is good for this. The plants also need watering every day and should not be allowed to dry out.

Q. I have runner beans and most of the flowers have fallen off despite being sprayed in order to set the beans. Result - hardly any beans. Could this be due to periods of very strong winds? - or might there be another reason?

A. It sounds as if the runner beans have not been pollinated which should have been helped by spraying with water although I find bees and other insects generally do a better job. Sometimes if the plants get too dry or wet you can also have a similar effect. If you take the tops out of the plants when they reach the top of the cane you will encourage side branches, which should then flower.

Q. Could you tell me why my tomatoes turn orange and rot on the vine and what causes some to split open before the ripen.

A. Tomatoes can split when there is inconsistent water applied. You need to apply several litres per plant each evening during warm weather once fruit have set. The lack of ripening could be down to insufficient nutrients particularly if you are growing the plants in grow bags or peat based compost. You should feed with a tomato food at least twice per week and more often when there are lots of fruits on the plant. Also plenty of sunshine is needed,and warmth particularly towards the end of summer.

Q. I want to grow my own healthy vegetables this year, but can you help me get started please, as I have no idea what to do.

A. You will be amazed just how many plants you can get started from seed on your windowsill or porch, if the light levels are good or for a cast iron guarantee of healthy plants you can now buy most veg as young or plug plants. For raising your own seeds, a small propagator with a clear plastic top is ideal, but if you want to get a head start or grow something a bit more exotic, why not try a Growing Kit? complete with young plants just raring to grow, you can have your own peppers and tomatoes growing on your windowsill and just harvest what you want when you want to eat it. The fruits can be quite decorative as they ripen, too.

Q. I am about to enter into doing my garden for the first time. What ground preparation can I do to get part of my garden ready for vegetable growing? I know it's early, but wonder what to do in advance.
Chris Haig

A. Your vegetables will need a well-prepared soil, so make sure you dig it over before planting. Well-rotted manure (on straw) will help add nutrients as well as organic matter. It should really have been dug over before Christmas, so that the frost could break down the lumps of soil, but there is still time. Leave it until February, then rake it with a flat-head rake until it is fairly level. The finer the soil particles, the better chance your seeds or young plants will stand. You could cover the soil with black polythene to warm it up in the fortnight before you actually sow or plant.