Kitchen Garden Forum

I received the pelleted carrot seed from Moles Seeds today (both pelleted seeds and Moles Seeds recommended on this very Forum!). Now, I know, I won't be sowing them until well next spring, but when I do, is there anything particular I should watch? I have never used pelleted seeds before.

I don't know anything about pelleted seeds but after all the mentions of Moles Seeds on here I sent for a catalogue - what a wonderful read, almost a text book.

You don't need to do anything special with pelleted seed. The pellet is basically clay, which softens when moistened. Some pelleted seed also includes a fungicide to improve the emerging seedlings' chances. The only caveat is not to sow too deeply. To give you an idea, commercially grown lettuce is usually raised from pelleted seed and the pellet is left uncovered.

Hi Monika,
With pelleted Carrot Seed I prepare the bed at this time of the year and then allow to get thoroughly wet and then cover with h/d Black Polythene.
Next Spring I uncover the bed in early March and allow the annual weed seeds to germinate and there is always quite a cover and I then replace the Polythene for about a month or so and the weeds that were covered with the Polythene will have died. I then fetch out a 'V' with the corner of a hoe about 2" deep and fill this with spent compost. I then water carefully and sow my pelleted seed on the surface and then cover with around an inch more of spent compost and water very very carefully again. By watering the inch of compost will have reduced to probably less than half an inch. I then cover the entire area with anti White Fly Netting. Heavy duty fleece or normal horticultural netting will do the same job. My Carrots are covered the entire season.
Until germination has taken place and the young Carrots are begining to stand firm I water to keep the area well moist with a garden spray which penetrates the netting directly. At no time should they be saturating and if it has rained then adjust the watering regime accordingly.
As Felix has said the pellets are actually made of clay so they must be kept moist for the moisture to initiate germination and once this has occurred and the plants standing well the watering regime can be relaxed but they still need to be kept under observation so that they do not dry out. This sounds like a load of work but in real terms it all takes but moments.
Hope you have a good season with them.
JB.

Many thanks, Felix and Johnboy, that's very helpful. I have printed off your replies and will keep them with the seeds till next spring!

More on Moles Seeds. Enjoyed the catalogue so much ordered some seeds yesterday lunchtime and they arrived today!
Trouble is Pound Shop didn't have any diaries so I can't write the masterplan yet.