How to get carrots to germinate??

[Colin_M]

Though I've managed to get most things to grow, the one I consistently fail with are carrots. The main problem I've had this year is getting them to germinate. So far I've tried:
1) Ordinary seeds
2) Pelleted seeds (Moles)
3) Seeds in a tape strip (Seeds of Italy)

Out of these, the only ones to show any germination were 2). However the rate was pretty low, despite me making a small groove on my plot and sowing them in a line of potting compost, then giving them a regular water. I also put slug pellets down, but mine didn't reach the point where slugs could demolish them,

Was 2007 a difficult year for carrots? I've tried at different points from March - August. Have any of you got any special tips

I tried pellets and tape to avoid having to thin (-> carrot fly). The seeds in tape looked quite a good idea, but are expensive - especially if they don't work. Has anyone else tried these


Colin

[Elderflower]

I`d like to know this too - I`ve just admitted defeat with three rows of Autumn King although I took all the advice about preventing capping.

[Monika]

The date of your query worries me, Colin. You don't mean you have just sown them recently? That may be the problem.
We, admittedly much further north and living up the hillside, sow late April or early May and cover them with fleece (preferably 25gm rather than the thinner 17gm). That keeps them damp and protected from birds in the first place and then, when they emerge, from carrot root fly. This fleece stays on until September. It seems to work and certainly helps with the germination whereas our allotment neighbours who grow them fleece-less complain similar to you.

[Sue]

I struggle with carrots as my soil is on the heavy side. The allotment is a dead loss, but have had success in a raised bed at home by spreading the seed on the surface and covering with a fine layer of silver sand. It holds the seed in place but is much more free draining than compost.

Monika's tip about the fleece is worth trying as well. Keeps the dreaded carrot fly at bay as well.

Sue

[Johnboy]

Hi Sue,
Somewhere in the Archives there is a posting from me about growing Carrots in heavy clay soil. I used to grow in Hertfordshire, many years ago, which is famous for its heavy clay. They actually grow very well in this difficult soil with a certain amount of cunning.
If you are interested but cannot find the posting PM me and I'll do my best to help you.
JB.
PS this goes for anybody else who is interested.

[Chantal]

JB, I copied your carrot instructions and saved them to my files, so here you are

JB's Carrot Growing Instructions

Growing Carrots

For many reasons lots of people struggle to grow a good carrot. I have now found a way to produce decent carrots without the constant need for thinning and tinkering, just the harvesting of good carrots.

Firstly. have a look at your soil. Its pointless trying to grow 2' long show carrots if your soil is anything other than very deep sandy loam. I grow carrots in my raised beds and now always use a
Chantenay variety as these are not too long but taste wonderful and give a good return yield wise. You will no doubt all have your own favourite varieties to use.

Now, rather than sowing tons of seeds in rows that need thinning out just sow half a dozen seeds every 4" in a row and leave 4" between the rows. This will give you a grid with carrots sown at 4" spaces. Water well and leave alone. At this point, you should use whatever anti carrot root fly measures you usually employ to ensure your crops are kept clean of their larvae.

After a while you will be able to pull the biggest carrot in each station to eat. Do this in succession until you are left with one or two carrots at each station which you can use for store if required.

[strawberry tart]

Something I always do with almost all seed sowing in drills, stations or seed trays is to water first (along the drill say) then sow, then cover.S.T.

[Johnboy]

Hi Chantal,
I can scarce believe my eyes because I do not think those are my words at all. I would be interested to know where to find the details.
The posting I am thinking of is about sowing in clay.
JB.

[Chantal]

Oops,perhaps they weren't your instructions at all. I did file them under received wisdom from JB though.

I'll have a look in the archive and see if I can find something.

[Chantal]

I know who'll know and that's Piglet. He has even quoted and accredited your growing information on the "other" site.

Where is the boy when he's needed?

[Colin_M]

Thanks for the replies.

Monika - no I'm not trying at the moment. But I've tried at different points from March - August.

Strawb - Yes, I water the soil underneath before sowing.

Whilst I can see a few general suggestions, most of them seem to assume that the carrot will germinate and that your problems only really start after that.

My issue is that I've failed to even get that far

Do do you generally find that:
- Most of your carrot seeds germinate?
- The conditions can have a big influence on this?
- Your success this year was better/worse than usual?

Colin

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Colin_M, i have been giving your problem some thought today, but i can't really think of a conclusive answer.
One thing that i have noticed with carrot seed once sown, is that if the soil does dry out it can be very temperamental, i have found this out with seed that has been covered with glass cloches. But sometimes when these have been removed and the ground gets rained on they will start to germinate.
I know this is probably not the case this year with all the wet weather.

One more thing i thought about was the depth of sowing, i don't suppose you could be sowing them to deep, i try and sow them at no more than half an inch deep.

I think i would try and sow some in a pot next year when you sow outside, just to see if they germinate.

As for your questions.
Yes i get very good germination.

I have sown four lots this year in varied conditions, they all came up well, but lost the last lot either to slugs or a young rabbit whilst on holiday.

Maybe a little better than some years.

This all must be very frustrating for you.

[Monika]

I am sure the key is in keeping the seeds damp when they have germinated but before they actually show above the ground and that's when the THICK fleece is helpful because if you have watered them in well when sowing, the fleece stops the moisture from evaporating. Do give it a try next year.

[John]

One method that works for me is to draw out a shallow V shaped drill in damp soil, sow the carrot seed thinly in this then cover with peat based compost (say half a centimetre) that has been riddled and tamp it down lightly. Then finally give everything a light watering with a fine spray. Carrot seed is slow to germinate so keep this damp and shade it hot weather.
Slugs love carrot seedlings so in fact you might be getting germination but the slugs could be getting there before you notice anything. So use some slug protection.
Carrot seedlings are thin and weak so the advantage of a V drill is that you can draw soil down onto them as they develop to give them protection and stability. I use environmesh against the dreaded fly.

I'm sure Johnboy described a method similar to this a while ago which he said had worked well for him as well. Don't recognise the quote above though.

I've also grown carrots in blue barrels of old potting compost and watered with Chempak 4. This works very well and you don't get bothered with slugs or carrot fly. Its does require a large amount compost though and the barrel needs to stand off the soil to prevent ants and so on taking up residence.

John

[strawberry tart]

Hello Colin.
I've done about 6 sowings this year , the first being end of Feb in my tunnel,through March and April the last being the last week in July, they range from early nante, chantney red core plus a hybryd one of chantney type, three different exhibition long pointed and autumn king,(oops thats 7) all have germinated well and no probs.This doesnt help you I know but I'm sort of wondering what it is that you might be doing that is hindering germination.
If your having probs, then dont sow before mid April when the soil is deinately warm enough. follow on with succesional sowings.
make sure you have a fine tilth, try covering with a 50/50 sand compost mix (but this needs to be kept watered with a fine rose) this also helps to mark the rows,aiding your hoeing of weeds which will always germinate before your carrots.
Are your seeds germinating and then being eaten off overnight by slugs? this can happen.
Soil too high in fertilizer inhibits germination.
try sowing in stations as johnboy says and cover with cheap plastic clear cups.
Dont sow too deep 2-3 times the depth of the seed (or whatever that rule of thumb is) is not very deep, when sowing in drills i make the drill with my finger then water carefully just in the drill. then with my fingers again just flick the soil back over the seed, then gently tamp down the row with the back of a rake.
once theyre up you can worry about the other probs! (mainly root fly which I'm sure you know enviromesh will do the job. best of luck S.T.
p.s. sorry if this duplicates what has been said before ,I was just trying to get everything I do down in one place.