How to get carrots to germinate??

[Tigger]

I think she's right JB - those were your words of wisdom! I've filed them too. Either that, or your now fully interchageable with Piglet. Wonder what Mrs Piglette is going to think about that?

[Johnboy]

Hi Chantal,
I have been experimenting with methods of growing Carrots for longer than I care to admit.
This is the posting that deals with clay soil plantings and is what I was looking for and finally found it in my own records!

For Sue

AT THE OUTSET I WANT TO MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THIS METHOD IS INTENDED FOR USE IN GARDENS AND ON ALLOTMENTS ONLY.

The area needs to be weed free but digging is not necessary.
Place out a line to the length of row you require and then gradually insert a fork using a circular motion until the fork is fully into the ground exaggerate the size of the holes and fill them with a mixture of MP compost plus 10% Sharp Sand (not builders sand) working your way down the required row.
I used a large funnel and a ¼” wide stick to make sure the compost fills the hole to just within ½” of the top. Carefully water this and adjust levels of compost if necessary. Sow one seed if you are an optimist or a few if seeds if you are not per hole and then fill the hole with sifted MP compost to the existing ground level and firm the compost. Water again sparingly only just sufficient to dampen the top compost.
Place Slug Pellets alongside each side of the row and cover with either fleece or very small mesh anti-insect netting. Best done using a hoop system to give the Carrots room to grow to their full height and to allow good ventilation.
It would appear that just so long as the tap root manages to grow straight down the Carrots as they grow in size are able to cope with the clay soil.
When I lived in Hertfordshire 30 years ago I used this method very successfully and then I moved to Herefordshire and left the clay behind.
A 30ft row should produce around 200 quality Carrots.

NB This is a shortened version that I prepared for a forum contributor.
JB.

[Chantal]

Hi JB, I've search all over for the posting you meant (as above) and I can't find it. However, I had a look in the "other place" and found this

Piglet's posting

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 thining 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.

The first picture shows a clump of carrots grown this way and the second a few harvested from each station ready for cooking.

As a bonus, you can sow a few positions in a polytunnel or greenhouse in late autumn after the summer crops have been cleared away to give you some sweet baby carots during the depths of winter.

This way of growing carrots I adapted from an original idea by a fabulous old gentleman called John Denyar.

You MUST have written it some time...

[Johnboy]

Hi Chantal,
I know I seem to be labouring a point but the clue is in the last sentence and Piglet adapted to produce his own method.
Over the years I have written masses about growing carrots because I do a different experiment with them every year. You will probably gather that I simply adore carrots and after the terrible time I had growing them in Hertfordshire in the awful clay soil it is a pleasure growing them in this part of Herefordshire which on my plot has no clay whatsoever.
We will see Piglet next weekend and all will be revealed. Well maybe not all perhaps!!
JB.

[Chantal]

JB, maybe the answer is that I copied my filed info from Piglet's posting which is why I can't find anything on here. As you say, we'll corner Piglet at Malvern and find out once and for all.

One question though, notwithstanding that you don't recall even seeing it before, is it good advice?

[Johnboy]

Hi Chantal,
I see the method mentioned as very sound. I always use Early Nantes 2 and Autumn King 2 Pelleted seeds and I am astounded that people find germination difficult.
I always water before sowing and using pelleted seed I sow on the surface and then poke into soil with my finger then put some sifted MP compost to fill the holes then water again. Carrots must be kept at least moist from the day the seed is sown but not too mach at a time.
When I used to grow in long rows I used to fetch out a V with the corner of a Hoe and fill with MP compost then water, sow the seed on the surface and cover with sifted MP compost and water again. By keeping the row moist prior to emergence it prevents the soil or compost capping.
Like most gardening jobs there is a multitude of different methods that are equally good.
My experiments of the last few years has been to prove that if you leave FYM on the surface until it is saturated then cover with HD Black Polythene the worms take the manure in and uncover in late March and sow the Carrots in drills they grow as straight as a die without any forking. They also very much seem to appreciate the nutrition.
JB.

[Colin Miles]

I also grow a lot of carrots - different varieties too - and am now reasonably successful. Three points really.
1) Don't sow too deep.
2) Always keep moist.
3) Slug pellets.
I usually draw a line with a hoe then put down a thin layer of peat and pat it down - this stops seed falling down any crevices and disappearing. I then sow the seed as thinly as possible and cover it with a thin layer of peat or whatever compost I am using. I then always make sure that this top layer doesn't dry out and that slug pellets are in place in time for their emergence - and kept topped up.

[Colin_M]

Thanks Colin.

I reckon the thing I was doing wrong was not keeping them moist enough. I did try an early batch in March by putting some clear plastic over the trench with peat in it. Guess this wasn't enough.

Maybe I should have watched the moisture over a longer period. Certainly the ones later into the summer probably had some dry periods At least this gives me some tips for next year.


Colin