[Kirpi]

I read (on website "Carrot Museum") that Carrots like to germinate at around 10 Celsius and struggle to germinate below this. It is between 3 - 8 at the moment. I guess I need to wait a while - even for an early like Nantes?

Sowing direct into upturned composter daleks into riddled soil/sand/compost combination.

[mumofstig]

I wouldn't sow yet, unless you can wrap some fleece or poly over the top to warm it up a bit more - that may be worth a try 

[Christine]

Hmm well not even thinking about it here with snow forecast this week. Sow patience with a cup of tea at home might be the best advice for another week.

[shokkyy]

I stuck some Amsterdam into my tunnel bed last week and they're showing no signs of germinating, even with fleece over the top. The only things that have germinated out there are radish and lettuce, even the early mangetout aren't appearing.

[devonbarmygardener]

I will plant some over the next week or two down here in Devon

Depends where you are.

[Kirpi]

Cornwall - we're neighbours!

[sunshineband]

Soil temperature is the best guide for whether to sow or not.

You can warm things up a degree or so by covering the soil with black plastic for a couple of weeks

[compostqueen]

I sowed some Early Nantes into a tub on the plot on Saturday. It said from Feb on the packet so I risked a sprinkling, mixed with spring oniona

[pdblake]

I put a row of nantes in at the allotment. It's probably too cold but if nothing shows I can always try again later on. Besides, we've all got nantes seeds coming out of our ears haven't we?

[compostqueen]

Well I seem to have too, they come through the door don't they 

[pdblake]

Well I seem to have too, they come through the door don't they 

They just seem to appear don't they? I find them in catalogues quite often as free samples. Then there's the carrot fairy of course  :blink:

[Salmo]

I read (on website "Carrot Museum") that Carrots like to germinate at around 10 Celsius and struggle to germinate below this. It is between 3 - 8 at the moment. I guess I need to wait a while - even for an early like Nantes?

Sowing direct into upturned composter daleks into riddled soil/sand/compost combination.

Unless we get a day or two scorching sunshine I cannot see the soil reaching 10C for some time. Soil temperature is usually measured at 4 inches deep and is the all important factor. At the moment it is about 4C. To warm it put a cloche over so that any sun we do get warms the soil. This will also help to dry the soil. Moving the soil lightly also helps to warm it.

Wait until you see a few weeds germinating.

[devonbarmygardener]

Cornwall - we're neighbours!

Can't hurt to bung a row in - you can always cloche them

[Trillium]

Until seeds get very close to their preferred temperature, they'll simply sit and wait until they do. Or rot.

Here's a link to ideal sowing temperatures for many veg: LINK

Market growers around me wait until at least late June or July to seed carrots, which germinate almost immediately and spurt into growth. Later carrots are sown in August since carrots don't mind actual growth during cooler weather. They just don't care to germinate in cool weather.

[Benandbill]

Oh well, I sowed 2 rows on Sunday, direct into un-cloched soil - one of them was Early Nantes (surprise surprise!), I just followed the instructions on the packet.  As long as the temperature won't damage them and they just wait til it warms up I suppose there's no  harm done