Carrot conundrum

[thekitchendiaries]

Hello everyone - newbie allotmenteer with a question about carrots.

I sowed some resistafly f1 seeds at the beginning of the month and they're not showing any signs of growth yet. Is it too soon to expect them yet?

I dug in some compost and some chicken manure, and we also dug in some sand to loosen the soil as it was quite thick and clumpy. I planted kale in the bed next to the carrots at the same time and that's started to come up already so I'm a little worried about the carrots. Any advice would be much appreciated as I want to sow my next lot soon.

Thanks,

Leanne

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine..........my carrots went in over a month ago & are not showing yet.........so much so, I'd forgotten all about them........

[Hazel at the Hill]

My guess is that they've germinated and been scoffed by the slugs/snails. I dislike slug pellets (and will only used them under fleece) but in an effort to get carrots to get further than germination I will resort to them.

Don't know why I bother as the bloody carrot fly always get them.

Welcome to the Vine.

[The Nichols']

Welcome to the vine.

I believe the general rule is not to plant carrots in recently manured ground. They keep going deeper looking for more and if you do get any (and it's not looking good I'll be honest) then they'll be very long and straggly without having any real size to them.

[Samurailord]

None of my carrots have surfaced yet either - they went in the ground 3 weeks ago and I did use slug pellets so I am happy that they haven't been eaten as yet.

I planted rows of rocket next to them at the same time and they are showing strongly - maybe we just have to be a bit more patient?

Andy

[thekitchendiaries]

Thanks everyone - I'm growing organically but have been using an organic slug solution (grit like pellets which they won't slide over) so confident the slugs haven't had a hand in it.

I'm not very patient at all Samurailord - I think I might leave it another week to see what happens. Meanwhile, I might try the new seeds in trays then put the seedlings into the ground once they're big enough.

Fingers crossed!

[TheSpartacat]

Mine were sown at the beginning of April... no sign yet. I'm getting twitchy about re-sowing but I recall they took an awful long time to germinate one other year (not sure if it was THIS long though) and I dread the idea of thinning them out if both sowings come up.

[thekitchendiaries]

Just an update - I think the carrots are starting to appear!! I put a poly tunnel over the row where I sowed the seeds and sure enough they're coming through!



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[Bill HH]

Despite the nice days weve been having it still been cold at night, that's probably what held them back.

[thekitchendiaries]

I think so Bill - my allotment neighbours have all said that their seeds are taking forever to germinate this year, and not just the carrots!


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[Shadylane]

Some of our neighbours have had to sow a second batch of carrots as their earlier ones didn't show. Ours have come up after a couple of weeks (sown later than theirs) but the slugs are slowly working their way through them so I predict by the end of next week, we'll be back to zero