Gardeners urged to plant this 1 vegetable now in time for autumn

The warm temperatures and moist soil make July a great time to sow seeds outside. In addition, the longer days with good light levels help speed up the germination process. It's also a good month to plant young plants from seeds sown in previous months.

However, it is often the last month to plant crops so they can beat the first of the autumn frosts. Therefore, gardeners are being urged to make the most out the month and plant one specific vegetable as soon as possible.

Gardeners' World said: "July is considered the last month to sow carrots for an autumn crop."

Growing carrots is simple as long as you do these three things - prepare the soil well, keep away carrot root fly, and grow the right variety that fits your needs and outdoor space.

There are two types of carrots to choose from. The type that gardeners should focus on growing now are late varieties, that can be sown from the end of spring and ready to lift after 14 to 16 weeks.

When growing carrots in the soil, the gardening website explained that gardeners should make a seed drill around 1cm deep using the edge of a hoe or towel.

The seeds should be sown thinly along the bottom of the drill, leaving 5 - 8cm of space apart. It is important that they are not grown too close together, as this could hinder their growth. The next thing to do is cover the seeds with a thin layer of sieved soil and water well using a watering can with a rose attached.

The good thing about carrots is that they "don't require too much care". The soil around them should be kept weed-free and they should be watered occasionally as doing too much will result in stunted growth.

If you carrots are flowering, it is typically because of "unseasonably warm weather". Gardeners can either leave the flowers as food for bees and other pollinators or remove the plant from the row. However, it is important to note that carrots that flower are no longer edible.

Harvesting carrots might be the easiest bit.

The website states: "Lift carrots when the soil is moist, or water beforehand, so they don't break apart when you pull them. Water the soil again to settle it around the remaining roots."