Germinating seeds before planting

[berryberry]

Hello, I'm hoping that some of you experienced gardeners can help me! I read that it is a good idea to germinate carrot seeds on wet kitchen paper, and then mixing the gernminated seeds in some germicide free wall paper paste and piping them into the ground with an icing bag. I couldn't track down any wallpaper paste, so mixed flour & water into a paste and used that. Regrettably, nothing grew at all. Has anyone out there used this methos before, did it work for you? Maybe the homemade "paste" was a bad idea. Any comments appreciated. Thanks.

[SueA]

Hi berryberry, welcome to the vine.
I think the homemade paste was where you went wrong. I haven't tried this method but have seen it demonstrated in a magazine, you can buy a specific gel for the purpose or use wallpaper paste as you said, the paste you made would probably have dried out to quickly & set hard around the seeds sticking them together & sealing them in. The paste needs to be more of a gel type. I think someone like Nick or Geordie on the vine can probably explain this method fully to you. Good luck next time.

[berryberry]

thanks, Suea. I need to try & find a source of germicide free wallpaper paste for next year. Suffolk doesn't appear to have any and searching the web didn't come up with anything either. Anyone out there know where I could get it from?

[Shortie]

Hi Berryberry and welcome

Why would you need to do that anyway? I've never had roblems grminating carrots driect ing the ground or in pots..

[lyndap]

The paste is only to help you spread the seeds more thinly so to reduce picking out.I agree with shortie.Sprinkle in ground or deep pots.Your not to late to start some now,as some types can still be started.I'm late this year cos of bad weather we had so only just sowing carrots now for a later crop.