(How conventional wisdom is misleading and wrong)
In 25 years as a GP no-one has ever so described it.
I have decided to create a page to share this information and will add to it as further information becomes available.
It is said that beetroot need to be lifted in the autumn and stored overwinter as leaving them in the soil makes them tough and tasteless. I have tried both and have not noticed any difference.
I suspect that if the earliest beetroot planted is left then it would naturally go woody by the Autumn but that later plantings, in June for example will stand in he ground with little deterioration.
Despite the books advising to the contrary,they can also be sown in modules under cover in early March and transplanted giving early crops at the beginning of June.
Carrots planted in freshly manured ground grow forked roots according to legend. I have never found this the case, although stoney gound will cause forking.
Carrots cannot be transplanted but I have proved otherwise using loo roll tubes. The photo shows the long tap root on 9th May some three weeks after sowing so do not leave them too long. By the 3rd June they were ready for eating . The variety was 'Early Nantes'.
Carrot fly is supposed to travel just over the surface of the soil and therefore an 18 inch (45cm) barrier will stop them. Rubbish, they either fly over or are blown over and studying the movement of air over a fixed barrier shows objects sucked into a vortex behind the barrier, a snowdrift is a good example.
Planting carrots between onions is supposed to confuse the fly in theory, but in practice it does not!
Onions need to have their tops bent over to aid ripening. Nonsense, a bed of onions all mature at slightly different times and the tops bend over when they have stopped growing and are starting to dry. Bending them over stops those still growing from further development and there is a risk of snapping the top. OK it all looks very neat and tidy but is unnecessary unless you are anxious that they should all be ready together.
Parsnips, like carrots are said to dislike freshly manured soil which causes splitting. They must also not be transplanted.
Like carrots and other root crops this is nonsense.
The other myth is that fresh seed each year should be used and again this is rubbish, a legend perpetuated by authors and encouraged by the seed suppliers. It is the conditions that are important. Do not let the soil dry out as they are slow to germinate.
Potatoes must be virus-free accredited and hence commmercially produced.
"Well they would say that wouldn't they?" to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies.
The seed potato industry is hardly going to discourage the unnecessary practice of buying expensive new stock each year. If you, like me, fancy growing Tesco's Exquisa potato, then buy a pack, keep the best for planting and eat the rest.
It is recommended that potatoes are dug up at the first sign of blight, but it can be held in check by removing affected leaves and top growth before it goes down the stems to the tubers and continuing to spray with Bordeaux mixture, that way they will continue to put on weight.
Healthy potatoes can be stored over winter in the soil, natures natural storage medium, and itis not necessary to lift them.
These tips came from an Allotments4All contributer who has a wide experience of growing squashes, pumpkins and courgettes.
Heat is not necessary for germination contrary to accepted wisdom, and having had seeds germinate in the ground that have survived composting then I believe her.
Another myth apparently is that the growing tips should be pinched out, this dates from the days of growing melons under glass to encourage ripening.
