Planting Carrot Seed

[Durgan]

Now I have almost 100% germination.
11 April 2011 Planting Carrot Seed 11 April 2011 Planting Carrot Seed

Carrot seed is small and if temperature is above 27 C the seed fails to germinate. I mark the row with 4 inch board and carefully lay the seed about two inches apart on the board pattern. A board is then laid to cover the seed until germination. The seed is just pressed into the soil.

The board tends to limit the temperature from rising too much when the sun is shining, and also prevents the seed from drying out, and protects the small seed from washing away when it rains. Experience has indicated that carrot seed can be planted very early in the Spring.

6 July 2011 Carrot Juice 6 July 2011 Carrot Juice The carrot row is shown in two of the garden pictures. Indicating the planting system works.

[Jelliebabe]

Oooooh I've heard of people doing that with parsnips but not carrots! Brill think I'm going to do this this year! Thanks

[airconednightmare]

interesting i always used poly cloche to start early carrots, i'd say the min temp for germination is more like 18C, to be honest you would be lucky if it ever got much above 27 outside in fife (scotland) even during the height of summer.

[mooglove]

I've heard of people sowing seeds in lengths of guttering under cover until the first thinning and then simply sliding the whole thing into a trench. I was going to put the poly cloche out this will to warm up the soil, but to be honest it hasn't got above freezing here for a couple of days so think that it will be too cold even with some extra help.

I was disappointed with my crop last year, I sowed too thickly and only got about 20 carrots. This year I am going to mix the seed with sand and will hopefully have more luck.

[airconednightmare]

it's way too early to be planting carrots, i'd say mid to late march even under cloche, so maybe the start of march at a push in yorkshire.

i found that putting in the extra time to sow thinly saves a lot of work later on.

if you think carrot seed is bad try sowing orchid seed, it's smaller than sand grains, sneeze and it's gone

[vegetable-gardener]

I never so my carrots until April or May, June at the latest for me.