successional sowing question...

[zanussi101]

Hi Everyone
Last year I didn't really do the successional sowing thing as I had no faith that I'd be able to grow anything and so filled my veg patch with as much as I could fit in it right from the start!
This year I was planning on sowing carrots, lettuce, peas etc.. every fortnight or so. I planted the first lot 2 weeks ago but so far none of my carrots or peas have germinated. Should I wait until they have germinated before planting more?
Thanks
Sara
xx

[zazen999]

Hi
It is quite cold out there!!!

Sowing outside always has is problems. With carrots, they sometime wait until it is warmer to germinate, and when they do sometimes the slugs get them before you can see them - so you think they didn't germinate but really they did. With peas, mice do the same before they germinate and you think they haven't done so.

If you can start stuff indoors, you can plant them out when they are germinated and hardened off. If you can't then, just keep sowing every fortnight; but try and protect them if you can. But, don't be worried if they don't germinate yet as it's still quite chilly out there. none of mine sown outside have come up yet and they've been in about 6 weeks; but I'm not worried. I also sow some back up indoors so can replace those if they don't show.

[Cutecumber]

Sara

Successional sowing is great when it works, but tricky to do. You have to vary the time between sowings according to the time of year - a longer gap is needed in early spring or the later sowings will catch up.

Here is a useful article from the RHS website which you might want to look at:
Royal Horticultural Society - Gardening Advice: Successional sowing