Hobbies / Books   (Gardening, walking, books, films, theatre etc.)

The late Professor Alan Gemmell (Keel University & BBC Gardeners' Question Time) had a good technique for growing carrots.

1 Thrust a crowbar into the earth, and waggle it around to create a conical hole, about half a metre deep.

2 Fill said hole with John Innes No3 Compost.

3 Plant a couple of seed of a large-growing carrot variety such as St Valery. (Maybe more suitable varieties now available: this was 50 years ago.)

4 Discard the weaker of the pair of seedlings.

5 Win first prize at your local garden produce show.