Thanks @Fairygirl yes my lumpy MPC choice probably isn't the best, lessons learned again 😃
I think it's a common problem with many composts nowadays. I've been spending a lot of time lately sifting old compost/soil and mixing it with grit purely for seed sowing. Things like sweet peas don't mind any old stuff as long as it doesn't dry out too easily, but many seeds need a decent, free draining medium. I'll be doing some more basil soon to see if it's better than the general stuff I used for the recent sowings.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Agreed @Fairygirl I rushed it this morning, same mix as before 3rd MPC 3rd Seed Compost and 3rd Vermiculite, I just didn't sieve it and definitely should have seeing as though it was for carrots 😞
Such is the way of it @Sheps. The only thing I'd say is - if you've used a fair bit of seed compost, it won't be too rich a mix, so the carrots should be fine. As long as they have a fairly poor-ish mix when you move them on, I don't think you need to worry. I did some more sieving outside today - getting a good amount together for more seed sowing, and I did the basil as I mentioned earlier. It'll be interesting to see if it germinates better than the seed I sowed last week. I also sieved some of the bag of compost I had, and it was still quite fibrous, so it'll be interesting to see what differences there are.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have had an allotment for 15 years or more but you are never too old to learn. This year I sowed some of my onions in January without using my electric propagator with mixed results. Recently I thought try chitting them on damp kitchen towel as I do peas, beetroot etc. Result the older the seeds the poorer the germination so I came to the conclusion allium seeds don't keep longer than 3 years. I have infilled my modular trays with the chitted seeds and they are poking through after just a week. I chitted some leeks and they were showing within a couple of days and today I have chitted a couple of margarine containers with spring onions enough for about half a row. As a back up I have set 3 rows of onion sets and will net them this weekend to combat allium leaf miner.
Never, ever start root crops in small containers and transplant. The root goes down, hits the bottom and the plant responds by going sideways and/or sending another root out so you'll end up with deformed carrots or Parsnips.
Another rule with those two is do not plant into recently manured ground or soil which is high in N. They need P and K, but if a lot of N is present they'll send loads of little roots out to find it and you'll end up with a messed up crop.
Posts
I think it's a common problem with many composts nowadays. I've been spending a lot of time lately sifting old compost/soil and mixing it with grit purely for seed sowing. Things like sweet peas don't mind any old stuff as long as it doesn't dry out too easily, but many seeds need a decent, free draining medium.
I'll be doing some more basil soon to see if it's better than the general stuff I used for the recent sowings.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I did some more sieving outside today - getting a good amount together for more seed sowing, and I did the basil as I mentioned earlier. It'll be interesting to see if it germinates better than the seed I sowed last week. I also sieved some of the bag of compost I had, and it was still quite fibrous, so it'll be interesting to see what differences there are.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Another rule with those two is do not plant into recently manured ground or soil which is high in N. They need P and K, but if a lot of N is present they'll send loads of little roots out to find it and you'll end up with a messed up crop.