[willnbirdie]

Hi

This is our second year with an allotment.  Last year we sowed our rows of carrots, parsnips, beetroot and swede and whilst waiting for them to come up the weeds came up too, it was then difficult to weed in amongst the small seedlings.

We are trying this year to cut down the work/weeding a bit especially right at this moment in time as we have a baby due in around 7 weeks. 

So my question is I understand that you can grow parsnips in paper/peat pots etc and once germinated the whole lot, pot and all is transplanted.  Can this be done with the other root crops - beetroot, swede and carrots?  Any work we can save ourselves this year would be great.

Thanks for reading

willnbirdie

[Howard]

Yes, is the short answer!

I shall be using paper pots made around a length of 70mm rainwater downpipe, and my plan is to use a longer piece to core out a hole for them when I'm ready to plant out.

Whether it works out as well as it does in my head, only time will tell...   

[woodburner]

Starting in pots and transplanting, or even making and using paper pots sounds like a lot of work to me.
Weeds gradually give up, so as long as you did weed them last year, this year should be better. If you let the weeds go to seed last year, you may well have more rather than less though.

[DD.]

When you grow in multiples of 32' rows, transplanting is NOT an option.

Keep the hoe moving - applies to any size plot.

[zazen999]

beetroot and swede, yes no problem whatsoever

carrots, I sow in pinches inbetween my onions. works a treat.

[Howard]

When you grow in multiples of 32' rows, transplanting is NOT an option...

I have little doubt that were I in a position to grow in multiples of 32' rows my thoughts might be different, but right now, for those of us with smaller plots it is entirely feasible.

[paintedlady]

If you intended sowing & growing your root veg in peat pots, loo rolls, paper pots or whatever, and then planting the whole thing in the ground, have you considered covering the bed with some cheap plastic weed suppressant (supermarket T do 1.5 x 5 metre for £3), and then planting through that? 

I did it with beds on my big plot (long story but boiled down to too much to do, too little time to do it ... and weed control was one of them) and planted all my summer fruiting veg through with a lot of success - the weed control was brilliant.  With a little bit of experimenting, I found that a thin layer of compost on top helped the water to soak through the tiny holes in the plastic a lot better particularly during dry spells.  After cropping, the plastic sheet was removed (it degrades so not really re-useable) and the compost dug into the soil.

As my summer fruiting crops would not be bothered by the soil getting warm (the black plastic absorbs more heat) I wasn't too worried, but I'm not sure how root veg would fair.  There is also the risk of slug attack (again, my summer fruiting crops weren't too bothered by slugs) as they'll hide under the plastic sheet.  Still, it is perhaps an option to consider?