[slowcompost]

i have stony clay soil so last year was terrible all the carrots were bent and forked so this year i have double dug the soil and am going to sieve it to 1/4 inch when the weather gets better... what do you do to get straight carrots(and parsnips)

[forest flame]

i wouldnt go to too much trouble with the sive.carrots tend to go that way with lack of water . if you sive the stones out the clay will only get heavier and that will do more damage. now that you have double dug it you could add some well rotted manure or compost and this may help improve the soil structure.

[James Kilkelly]

Yep, it's important to note the well rotted compost bit.
Do not dig in fresh manure or compost as it can cause the roots to fork or fang instead of growing long and straight.
The carrots will still be fine to eat, but a pain to peel.

As a rule of thumb, well-rotted manure/compost will be over six months old, and tend to be dark brown will little if any smell.
You should not be able to distinguish individual pieces of straw, hay, vegetable peelings, grass etc., as it will all be rotted down.

Another way to improve the straightness of your carrots is to sow the seed initially into empty kitchen and toilet rolls filled with fine soil with some sand, these can then be planted straight in the soil with out disturbing the root.
No kitchen and toilet rolls, then rolled up newspaper with their ends stuck or stapled would work as well.