My first allotment, my first failure (and I've only sowed 4 things!).
Carrots. I sowed 2 types (Early Nantes and Flyaway) but not a one has
germinated. The Early Nantes were seed tapes, the Flyaway were normal
seeds, and I followed the packet directions. Is there a secret knack to
growing carrots or what?

My onions and shallots are doing well, as are my spuds. Oh, spinach, I just
remembered I've also sowed spinach and I haven't seen them either.

I'll sow another couple of rows of carrots and spinach, so if anyone has any
tips please let me know!

Ta!

"Ade" <Ade [at] nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:KWFdg.2201$sX1.1704 [at] newsfe1-gui.ntli.net...
> My first allotment, my first failure (and I've only sowed 4 things!).
> Carrots. I sowed 2 types (Early Nantes and Flyaway) but not a one has
> germinated. The Early Nantes were seed tapes, the Flyaway were normal
> seeds, and I followed the packet directions. Is there a secret knack to
> growing carrots or what?
>
> My onions and shallots are doing well, as are my spuds. Oh, spinach, I
> just
> remembered I've also sowed spinach and I haven't seen them either.
>
> I'll sow another couple of rows of carrots and spinach, so if anyone has
> any
> tips please let me know!
>
> Ta!
Look at the 'Carrot Disaster' thread two days back. It's a common problem,
and as for spinach, I had two germinate out of an eight foot row. You have
clay soil? You have neglected the slug/snail threat? Sometimes the weather
doesn't help germination and they rot off.

Andy.

Andy wrote:
> "Ade" <Ade [at] nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:KWFdg.2201$sX1.1704 [at] newsfe1-gui.ntli.net...
>> My first allotment, my first failure (and I've only sowed 4 things!).
>> Carrots. I sowed 2 types (Early Nantes and Flyaway) but not a one has
>> germinated. The Early Nantes were seed tapes, the Flyaway were normal
>> seeds, and I followed the packet directions. Is there a secret knack to
>> growing carrots or what?
>>
>> My onions and shallots are doing well, as are my spuds. Oh, spinach, I
>> just
>> remembered I've also sowed spinach and I haven't seen them either.
>>
>> I'll sow another couple of rows of carrots and spinach, so if anyone has
>> any
>> tips please let me know!
>>
>> Ta!
> Look at the 'Carrot Disaster' thread two days back. It's a common problem,
> and as for spinach, I had two germinate out of an eight foot row. You have
> clay soil? You have neglected the slug/snail threat? Sometimes the weather
> doesn't help germination and they rot off.

Where the packet says "sow thinly" for carrots, I don't. I don't reckon
the germination rates are that high a lot of the time and if I really do
get too many then the thinnings can always be used in salads. Old seed
seems to be quite unreliable IME, too -- I have rows of new Autumn
King 2, Parano and Maestro, all of which seem to be doing reasonably
well interspersed with rows of Autumn King Improved and Amsterdam
Forcing left over from last year which I sowed rather generously, but
have not germinated anywhere near as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if the spinach had fallen prey to the slugs and
snails, I have to admit. I started my early ones off in pots this year
and have just planted them out under cloches (slugs are a problem here,
but rabbits are a major issue). Also planted a couple of feet worth of
seed directly into the soil, so we'll see how they do.

James

> "Ade" wrote
> > My first allotment, my first failure (and I've only sowed 4 things!).
> > Carrots. I sowed 2 types (Early Nantes and Flyaway) but not a one has
> > germinated.

> Look at the 'Carrot Disaster' thread two days back. It's a common problem,
> and as for spinach, I had two germinate out of an eight foot row. You have
> clay soil? You have neglected the slug/snail threat? Sometimes the weather
> doesn't help germination and they rot off.


I didn't realise carrots were difficult to germinate. I've done a Google
and come up with a site that gives hints on improving germination:
http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/growing-carrots.htm

"Ade" <Ade [at] nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:h4Kdg.2662$002.14 [at] newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...
>> "Ade" wrote
>> > My first allotment, my first failure (and I've only sowed 4 things!).
>> > Carrots. I sowed 2 types (Early Nantes and Flyaway) but not a one has
>> > germinated.
>
>> Look at the 'Carrot Disaster' thread two days back. It's a common
>> problem,
>> and as for spinach, I had two germinate out of an eight foot row. You
>> have
>> clay soil? You have neglected the slug/snail threat? Sometimes the
>> weather
>> doesn't help germination and they rot off.
>
>
> I didn't realise carrots were difficult to germinate. I've done a Google
> and come up with a site that gives hints on improving germination:
> http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/growing-carrots.htm
>
Hmmm, too late for this year, but some interesting tips. I can say that
planted in general purpose compost in the greenhouse, Early Nantes achieves
a very high germination rate. I've got loads coming along in a tray, but now
I face the problem of transplanting them outside, and they famously dislike
transplantation. I guess I'll just have to try it and see, they're about an
inch high at the moment, if I leave it any longer they'll be difficult to
disentangle from each other. Just waiting for some kinder weather.

BTW I sowed my outdoor carrots in special drill which was mainly compost, so
avoiding the problem of heavy clay soil. Germination was still patchy, but I
know for a fact slugs/snails nearly annihalated several young seedlings in
one small area since I could see their stumps: in fact, these have recovered
but are well behind and have uncharacteristically small leaves. Had I not
terminated slugs/snails with extreme prejudice every night since I noticed
the damage I daresay I'd have lost a lot more. As it it I'm guessing at a
10% survival rate.

Andy

Andy wrote:
> "Ade" <Ade [at] nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:h4Kdg.2662$002.14 [at] newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...
> >> "Ade" wrote
> >> > My first allotment, my first failure (and I've only sowed 4 things!).
> >> > Carrots. I sowed 2 types (Early Nantes and Flyaway) but not a one has
> >> > germinated.
> >
> >> Look at the 'Carrot Disaster' thread two days back. It's a common
> >> problem,
> >> and as for spinach, I had two germinate out of an eight foot row. You
> >> have
> >> clay soil? You have neglected the slug/snail threat? Sometimes the
> >> weather
> >> doesn't help germination and they rot off.
> >
> >
> > I didn't realise carrots were difficult to germinate. I've done a Google
> > and come up with a site that gives hints on improving germination:
> > http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/growing-carrots.htm
> >
> Hmmm, too late for this year, but some interesting tips. I can say that
> planted in general purpose compost in the greenhouse, Early Nantes achieves
> a very high germination rate. I've got loads coming along in a tray, but now
> I face the problem of transplanting them outside, and they famously dislike
> transplantation. I guess I'll just have to try it and see, they're about an
> inch high at the moment, if I leave it any longer they'll be difficult to
> disentangle from each other. Just waiting for some kinder weather.
>
> BTW I sowed my outdoor carrots in special drill which was mainly compost, so
> avoiding the problem of heavy clay soil. Germination was still patchy, but I
> know for a fact slugs/snails nearly annihalated several young seedlings in
> one small area since I could see their stumps: in fact, these have recovered
> but are well behind and have uncharacteristically small leaves. Had I not
> terminated slugs/snails with extreme prejudice every night since I noticed
> the damage I daresay I'd have lost a lot more. As it it I'm guessing at a
> 10% survival rate.
>
> Andy

This has been my worst year ever for carrot germination.I sowed about
12 rows of carrots in a deep bed. The soil must be carrot heaven- deep
and peaty due to all the spent grow bags that I've put in it over many
years. I had about 0.1% germination and after about 1-2 weeks even the
miserable few seedlings visible had also gone. I made another sowing of
pre-germinated seedlings in wallpaper paste and had 0% "germination".
This has always worked fairly well in the past so my conclusion is that
the problem is not germination but something eating them. I had put
some organic (Al sulphate) slug killer down but we've had so much rain
I think it was ineffective. My final try has been to sow another 2 rows
under cloches and I put some conventional slug pellets and a dusting of
lime down so if its the slugs I'm sure they won't like it. I will let
you know if this works!
Malcolm