Carrot seed germination problem

[McPherson]

I can't get carrot seeds to germinate in my plot. I plant the seeds in the usual way in trenches with compost and a little silver sand but nothing appears. As an experiment I planted some seeds in a length of guttering attached to my shed - same seeds and soil composition as in the plot. These were fine. So what could be the problem? (Neighbours have no such problems, producing lush crops).
Euan

[sarraceniac]

The only thing I can think of is that something is eating them. If it were mice or rats I would have thought your neighbours would have problems as well and it would not be confined to carrots. If anybody knows the answer I would love to see it myself. Stoatally mystifying and not weaselly answered.

[squashman]

I'd bet the farm on slugs.

I really HATE slugs.

[Twinkle]

Yes - I'd say slugs as well...

I had a massive raised bed of carrots all of which had germinated to the 2 leaf stage, then overnight.... there were none.

Replanted and used the Growing Success Organics slug pellets.... lo and behold...carrots.

[zazen999]

slugs.....

[solway cropper]

That's interesting. I sowed some carrots in a deep tub in the greenhouse in March and I've got a fantastic crop. The same seeds put in the ground a month later have struggled and germination is very patchy but it's not slugs because i'm one of those nasty people who put slug pellets down.

[Snadger]

I sow mine very thinly to avoid thinning so they take a bit of seeing when they eventually do come through!

[Victoria26]

sorry but i think carrots are the same as parsnips...low germination rate and need fresh seeds every year.
Maybe they're just not viable?

[sarraceniac]

I'd bet the farm on slugs.

I really HATE slugs.

How come the neighbours don't get slugs? Territory minded slugs perhaps? I hate slugs too (what gardener doesn't?) but in this case, I just can't see it (or the carrots) .

[Two_Sheds]

I'd say slugs.
The neighbour may well have them too, but they may be attacking something else on his plot.

I sowed a few lines of carrot seed and they all came up with the exception of a few patches ... these were right near some areas of long grass, in which the slugs were sheltering. Out they came at night to eat-as-much-as-you-can.

[Two_Sheds]

I sowed some carrots in a deep tub in the greenhouse in March and I've got a fantastic crop. The same seeds put in the ground a month later have struggled.

So you can grow them in multi purpose compost, but not in the ground?

If so, try sowing a drill and topping it with MCP, not soil (which tends to form a hard crust/cap after rain).

[sweetiepea]

I definately agree ...... SLUGS

[Edwardo82]

Not sure if this would help but I covered my Carrots and Parsnips up with horticultural fleece straight after sowing and they seemed to do well.

[Storming Norman]

I always failed at carrots each year, this year was my last bash.

They must have known, I have great quantities in both beds and containers now. There are bare patches in the beds [just one variety though] - so it has to be slugs lurking there, although the dry spring has seen a lot off this year - slugs are far fewer than normal.

The beds are covered in fleece - which I feel has helped. But if it rains I put pellets down - even under the fleece.

My lottie neighbour says the organic slug pellets are a minor miracle as far as his potatoes go - he has much less damage this year.

I have also heard that comment about fresh carrot seed being more viable.

Ann

[King Carrot]

I'm doing well with last years carrot seed from T&M - the packets never even got opened last year due to the weather