[hubballi]

As my veg plot has not been finished yet, I have started to plant some seeds like broad beans, peas and beetroot in seed trays with small individual cells. I have covered them with a plastic propagator mini greenhouse and put them in the windowsill.  Seed packets state some veg like carrots are better off sown straight in the ground where they will grow. As the raised bed isn't yet ready, I am also reluctant to plant stright in the ground because of cats digging and slugs picking off the first shoots.  The question is, can I start off all my veg in this way and pot out at a later date ?

[wendywoo]

Hi Hubbali - sorry if you hoping for an answer but Im in the dark too!
what a fab question - I wimped out of doing just that today - that is talked myself out of popping a few carrot seeds into a seed tray to see what would happen .  Im waiting to sort out my new beds (2 little ones) too but am keen to see what I can do in the meantime.  Anyone out there know the answer?  bet there is !

[mumofstig]

Carrots really don't like being transplanted.  The thing is you sow them and then because you end up sowing them too close together you have to thin them. So this allows for the few that you might loose to cats and slugs.
Racking me brain to think of the others that don't like transplanting but can't think, a glass of red too many, me thinks..........oh there's 1 more popped up ...parsnips! Looks like a rooty thing going on...
Leave the rest to someone else .......

[rideandy]

I always start my beans off in cells and had great results.
Beetroot I seed straight out, not sure on the rest, but i will be starting most of my seeds indoors.
I have only just got a plot, so want to start off at home and while there growing I will be getting plot ready.
 

[Stripey_cat]

Carrots and such (except the round Paris Market sorts) don't like having the root disturbed or restricted - they can end up growing sideways, or tangled round each other, or forking crazily.  Fine for making kids laugh, but a * to peel.

[Cazzy]

yeah I was advised not to do carrots unless in paper pots so as not to disturb the roots when planting out...... I also read somewhere that carrots don't like compost which kinda cancels out the paper pot option..... I think i'll stop now i'm confusing myself now 

[DIGGER]

Yeh,things seem to vanish at the lotte,mice , rats,crows,cats, dont know  what else.
Always start off prior to planting except carrotts.

[strangerachael]

how about doing your carrots etc (at least the first sowing anyway)  in large containers? That way you can keep them protected with frost/cat protection (I don't think slugs are that keen on carrot foliage, but you can put your container on bricks in a trough full of water, or on some gravel to keep them away) and it may even keep the carrot fly away - carrot flies fly around at ground level so apparently if you keep your carrots about 18 inches above the flies won't find them. I'm going to try at least half my carrots this way this year.

[sclarke624]

I nearly always start off indoors won't do carrots this year and will see if they straighten up their act.
Can only tell you what I do start off indoors cos can't think of ones I don't:
spring onion
lettuce
celery - self blanching
tomatoes
peppers
alpine strawberries
cucumbers outdoor ones
radish
calabrese not done yet cos says start in april
geraniums, marigold,antirinhum/snap dragon, Livingstone daisy,crnations,dill,parsley,basil

The onion sets are in 2" pots in the wendy/summer house apparently they will root like this and can be transplanted.

[senrab_nhoj]

yeah I was advised not to do carrots unless in paper pots so as not to disturb the roots when planting out...... I also read somewhere that carrots don't like compost which kinda cancels out the paper pot option..... I think i'll stop now i'm confusing myself now 

Compost is fine... its manure that you should be avoiding

[andreadon]

i sow my carrots outside at the beginning of april - always in a cold frame, which is where they stay until they're ready.
i've done it that way since my first time when i was about 11 and my mum made me a cold framce from an old wardrobe and glass window. 

[Steve.P]

I tend to sow root crops straight into the soil. Any other veg or salad greens i start off in pots indoors then plant out. There are somethings that grow above ground that dont like root disturbance, sweetcorn for example, but if your carefull and plant with the contents of the pot or start off in paper pots they should be fine. Dont worry too much about the root crops being late, they will all catch up when the soil warms.