Carrot and Onion no show- Any advice?

[Eve1]

Hi there,

We bought some autumn king carrott seed in March. On the packet it says it can be sown from March onwards so in the third week of march we sowed 2 rows directly into the ground. Absolutley nothing is cropping up through the soil. Now, I think this may be for 2 reasons:
First, it's too cold out there for them, in which case should I cover them with a fleece or is it too late for that?
Second reason, possibly our soil (being a new veg plot) may be too clumpy for them to get through (please see attacthed picture).

Also, in the same week we planted 2 rows of onions sets and still no sign of anything from them. How long does this normally take?

Any thoughts, advice, help much appreciated.

[Eyren]

As has already been said here, "Patience, grasshopper!"

See this thread in a very similar vein: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...mes_30630.html

[selfraising]

Hi
My carrots took about 2 and half weeks to germinate in the greenhouse so I wouldn't give up on them yet! My onions sets about the same if not longer, so hang on in there!

[Jenegade]

My carrots took several weeks to show up (sown directly outdoors) and have just shown themselves! The Onion sets were put in earlier and they have also just brgun to appear, maybe 5/6 weeks?! I may have planted the sets too deep though, oh well! Anyway, definitely patience for this sort of thing...

[Hans Mum]

my carrots have been in 3 weeks in an old bath with a perspex lid, and they are just (& i mean just) coming though....so patience is the order of the game
same for your onion sets too..patience and growing veg dont go together at this time of year

[-pat m]

Perhaps try a little light plastic over them – Mine took weeks in my tunnel but are coming through a treat now – The first lot took over a month and only had plastic over them for a week and the seeds are fine so don’t worry about rotting yet.

Regards
Pat

[zazen999]

You can succession sow carrots anyway....so you can pop some more in if worried.

I sowed a load last April in my new lottie and they finally came up in June. As long as you take adequate slug protection they will come up eventually.

[gojiberry]

Mine were planted in the ground at least a week before yours and yesterday I could just see the first few starting to show. The same with onion sets, they will make some roots first before they put a bit of green up.

Ian

[Eve1]

Thanks for the reassurance guys. Hopefully it will be fine.

Eve

[Two_Sheds]

If your soil is capping (getting a crust) your carrots will struggle to get through. Try sowing into a drill topped with multi-purpose compost, instead of soil.