Gardeners with carrots and beetroots urged to do very important job in May

growing and are being urged to thin their crops out this May. This month is a crucial one on the allotment calendar, packed with tasks as warmer days speed up plant growth. Among these tasks, thinning crops like carrots and beetroot is essential to ensure they develop properly and aren't overcrowded. If not thinned, roots can become stunted or misshapen due to lack of space, making thinning a key allotment job for May, according to experts at .

Carrots and beetroot sown in April may now be sprouting too close together which is why now is the time you probably need to thin them this month. Not only will they end up being smaller in size, but your vegetables will also not taste as good.

Thinning is needed to give enough root space to your crops and if your carrots or beetroots are too close together they won't able to get to their full size.

When plants are overcrowded, they compete for vital resources like nutrients, water, and sunlight, leading to weaker, smaller, and can therefore lead to less flavourful produce.

Even if it feels a bit heartless pulling out healthy little plants, your crops need to have enough root space to grow to their full size and proper shape.

One Reddit user wrote: "It kills me to thin beets because they are such an awesome red, but I know without thinning I won't get full sized beets. Good thing they taste great!"

To avoid damage, cover the carrots or beetroots with fleece right after thinning.

When thinning carrots, be especially careful as the scent released during thinning can attract carrot fly, a common pest.

The recommends covering your carrots with fleece immediately afterwards to mask the smell and protect your crop.

Other important allotment jobs for May include sowing warm-weather vegetables like courgettes and runner beans, earthing up potatoes to protect tubers from sunlight and frost, and starting to harvest early crops such as lettuce or radish.