Carrots!

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by uulwyn, Jul 27, 2009.

  1. uulwyn

    uulwyn Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi all,

    Me again.

    I have sown some carrots and after 2-3weeks there has been no germination:( .The type was mignon carrot so I have assumed that they never will germinate now.

    The question is that I have used multi-purpose compost mixed with some vermilite mixture for water retention, and I am thinking this is the wrong stuff to use, can anybody advise me accordingly and point me in the right soil direction,maybe even giving me a name/type to buy.

    Again thanks all

    Steve
     
  2. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    They can take a while to germinate. I sowed two large pots on 27-June and only a few have germinated so far. I have a sheet of glass over the pot, to keep the humidity up and mist the soil surface to stop it drying out, so I doubt I could make them germinate faster!
     
  3. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    They are slow germinators, but maybe it was old seed Steve?

    They don't like it too hot either, so don't try getting them to germinate in a greenhouse at this time of year - find a cool shaded spot.
     
  4. uulwyn

    uulwyn Apprentice Gardener

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    Thanks for the replies. They were brand new seed, but with the recent poor weather we have been having, there has not been much sunshine. They were directly sown into the main pot, so maybe I will give them a little longer to germinate. Should i cover them up with something like clingfilm to aid germination and keep heat in?

    Thanks
     
  5. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    "Should i cover them up with something like clingfilm to aid germination and keep heat in?"

    I would. Keeping the heat in not so important as preventing the surface drying out. We used to use newspaper in the old days, but most seed packets I read these days say "Needs light to germinate" (dunno about carrots specifically) so I assume that the "knowledge" has changed in the last umpteen :) years.
     
  6. uulwyn

    uulwyn Apprentice Gardener

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    It is funny, but after reading some excellent advice from this forum i went home to put some clingfilm on my pots and woandbehold my carrots were shouting through the soil. They must of grown at least 3/4 inch within 1 day, because there was nothing showing in the morning when i checked.

    All is well, and i must remember they take a good month to germinate.

    Do you guys and gals recommend i sow another tub, now the first one is started to germinate or should i leave it a little longer?
     
  7. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    I reckon starting one a month would give you continuity - the carrots in the pot should provide a month's harvest from first one being ready to the last one starting to go woody.

    But there again, it depends how many you eat in a month - if you can eat twice as many as have germinated then start each pot every 2 weeks ...
     
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