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Carrots - sown too early?

polbpolb Posts: 198
in Fruit & veg
Hi,

I sowed Carrots (Speedo F1) about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Seedlings should appear about 2-3 weeks after sowing. We've had the odd bit of frost, is this likely to stop them from germinating? I don't have a cloche to cover them with, should I have done this from day one?

If they do pop up, should I protect them or will they survive some frost?

If I need to protect them, what could I use?

Thanks

Posts

  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    Once they have germinated they will need protection I cover the ground with a cheap plastic cloche a week or so before sowing and keep them covered with that until either it gets too hot under there or they get too big, I then cover them with fleece to keep carrot root fly off so really they are covered from cradle to grave you might say.
  • SmudgeriiSmudgerii Posts: 185
    Mine went in last week (500 of them) in raised beds which have then been covered with double layer of debris netting.  This will stay in place until they are at least the end of may, the height of the beds will keep the carrot fly away.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    Mine have been in about a week.  One row has a continuous line of clear 5-litre water containers that I shall leave in place until their foliage is struggling to get out of the tops of the containers.  If I had enough containers to do the second row the same way, I would, but I don't so they're going to have to take their chance.  Variety 'Nantoise' that did well last year using the same format.  Hopefully by next year I'll have more.
  • bookmonsterbookmonster Posts: 399
    Do you have slugs or birds? I am doing round ones started inside as they get eaten otherwise
  • polbpolb Posts: 198
    ooh I hadn't thought about using drinks containers!! Good idea, I'lll have to start collecting them!

    I have netted the raised bed to stop my dog from digging them up, so this will also stop birds. We haven't previously had problems with slugs.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487

    If that's aimed at me, I don't have a big slug problem and we feed birds separately so they leave the garden alone.  My 5-litre bottles are the square type, saved for me by neighbours and kept in position by a stick or stiff wire pushed in from the top.  I saved the following from an article on thinning that may help?

    CARROTS can benefit from the use of lengths of guttering that are now available in a variety of shapes, offering more depth than the normal half moon type.  The seed is microscopic and difficult to sow thinly, so many gardeners fill their pieces of guttering with soil or compost and lay them on a shed or greenhouse bench at a more convenient height to work on.  In this more comfortable position, and with no wind or rain to interfere, it becomes much easier to deposit a fine row of seed, either by hand or by pushing them gently off a sheet of dark coloured paper with a knife.  Once the infant plants show, a drill is drawn out in the chosen final growing position, and the contents of the guttering carefully slid off into it, thus avoiding damage to the delicate plants.  No need for thinning!


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